Family Court Motions and Hearings in Columbia County, Florida

A family law motion in Columbia County is filed with the Clerk at the county courthouse, 173 NE Hernando Avenue in Lake City. A dissolution or family filing currently costs $408. Columbia sits in the Third Judicial Circuit, which runs a circuit-wide family mediation program instead of leaving each county to set its own mediation rules.

That Third Circuit Family Mediation program is authorized under Fla. Stat. 44.108. It charges $60 per person per session when the parties' combined gross annual income is under $50,000, and $120 per person per session between $50,000 and $100,000. Above that, parties generally must use a private mediator instead, per Administrative Order 2009-001. All mediation fees are paid to the Clerk's office before the session starts.

Florida Supreme Court rule changes made during the COVID-19 period now let the Third Circuit's mediation program permit remote attendance and electronic signatures for family mediation sessions. Columbia parties can ask about this directly when a session is scheduled, rather than assuming an in-person appearance is required.

Columbia accepts filings through the statewide Florida Courts E-Filing Portal, myflcourtaccess.com. No dedicated family law self-help page was found live on the Clerk's own site, so calling the Clerk's office directly remains the most reliable way to confirm process questions specific to your filing.

Where hearings are held in Columbia County, FL

Family court hearings in Columbia County, FL are held at the Third Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, Columbia County, with the county seat in Lake City. Because courtroom assignments, remote appearance options, and local procedures change over time, use the Florida court clerk directory to confirm current details:

Find the Columbia County, FL Clerk of Court (Florida court clerk directory)

How a family court hearing works in Florida

In Florida, a party who wants the court to decide something while a family case is pending, such as temporary time-sharing, temporary support, or exclusive use of the home, files a written motion under the Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure. Motions for temporary financial relief generally require a current Financial Affidavit (Florida Supreme Court approved family law form 12.902(b) or 12.902(c)). The core steps are:

1. File a written motion stating the relief you are asking for, with a current Financial Affidavit if money or support is at issue.
2. Serve the motion on the other party or their attorney.
3. Coordinate a hearing date, following your circuit's local procedure for setting family law motions (some circuits use a uniform motion calendar; others require you to contact the judicial assistant).
4. Attend mediation first if your circuit requires it for contested family law motions.
5. Attend the hearing and receive the court's order.

Local notes for Columbia County, FL

Columbia does not appear to run a separate self-help center page. Plan on the Clerk's fee schedule and the Third Circuit's own mediation and administrative-orders pages as your main sources of written information, and call the office for anything case-specific.

If your case is referred to mediation, know your income bracket before you show up. The $60 or $120 per-person, per-session fee depends on the parties' combined gross annual income, so bring proof of income if asked. Some post-judgment or temporary matters may instead go to a general magistrate under Family Law Rule of Procedure 12.490 rather than through mediation first.

No Columbia-specific Zoom or telephonic appearance policy for family hearings themselves, separate from mediation, was confirmed. If in-person attendance at the Lake City courthouse is difficult, ask the Clerk's office or your assigned judicial assistant whether a remote option applies to your hearing type.

Official hearing resources in Columbia County, FL

Columbia County Courthouse handles hearings filings, located at 173 NE Hernando Avenue, Lake City 32055.

The filing fee is $408. E-filing is available through https://www.myflcourtaccess.com. Florida Courts E-Filing Portal, statewide for the Third Judicial Circuit.

The self-help center can help with procedure and paperwork. No dedicated family law self-help page was found live on columbiaclerk.com; the fee schedule page confirms cost but not a self-help program.

• Columbia County Clerk of Court
• Circuit Civil & Domestic Fees, Columbia Clerk
• Court Mediation, Third Judicial Circuit
• Florida Courts E-Filing Portal

Local details reviewed August 2026. Offices and locations can change, so confirm with the official sites above before you file.

Columbia County, FL Family Court Hearing FAQs