Updated August 2026
Family Court Motions and Hearings in Franklin County, Florida
A plain-language guide to asking for a family court hearing in Franklin County, FL, from the motion you file at the Second Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, Franklin County to deadlines and what to expect, prepared without hiring an attorney.
All of Franklin County's court operations, including family law filings, run out of one county building at 33 Market Street in Apalachicola. The Clerk's family law office sits on the third floor, Suite 203. Franklin is one of Florida's smaller counties by population, so it has no separate self-help center or family justice building like larger circuits maintain.
The Clerk's Family Law page walks through the general steps of a dissolution case, but it does not list a specific filing fee. Anyone preparing to file a motion or petition in Franklin should confirm the current fee by phone or in person before submitting paperwork.
Franklin belongs to the Second Judicial Circuit along with Leon, Wakulla, Gadsden, Jefferson, and Liberty counties. It accepts filings through the statewide Florida Courts E-Filing Portal at myflcourtaccess.com. That matters in a rural county where a trip to Apalachicola is not always easy to make.
The Second Circuit does not publish a public scheduling process for family hearings, so after filing a motion in Franklin, contact the Clerk's family law office directly. Ask how and when your hearing will be set once the other side has been served.
Where hearings are held in Franklin County, FL
Family court hearings in Franklin County, FL are held at the Second Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, Franklin County, with the county seat in Apalachicola. Because courtroom assignments, remote appearance options, and local procedures change over time, use the Florida court clerk directory to confirm current details:
Find the Franklin 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:
- File a written motion stating the relief you are asking for, with a current Financial Affidavit if money or support is at issue.
- Serve the motion on the other party or their attorney.
- 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).
- Attend mediation first if your circuit requires it for contested family law motions.
- Attend the hearing and receive the court's order.
Local notes for Franklin County, FL
Franklin operates on a small scale, so expect more direct phone or in-person contact with the Clerk's office than a self-service online portal in a larger county might offer. The Family Law page is a good starting point for understanding the dissolution steps, but call ahead to confirm a specific filing fee or hearing date.
A Franklin family case can be referred to mediation before a contested hearing under statewide Fla. Stat. 44.102 and Family Law Rule of Procedure 12.740. Franklin does not publish a county-specific fee schedule for that mediation, so ask about cost and scheduling if a referral is made in your case.
Franklin does not publish a remote-appearance option for family hearings. Given the county's rural geography and the distance some residents on St. George Island or in Carrabelle travel to reach Apalachicola, ask whether a phone appearance is possible once a hearing date is set.
Official hearing resources in Franklin County, FL
Franklin County Courthouse handles hearings filings, located at 33 Market Street, Suite 203, Apalachicola 32320.
E-filing is available through https://www.myflcourtaccess.com. Florida Courts E-Filing Portal, statewide for the Second Judicial Circuit.
Franklin Clerk Family Law (https://www.franklinclerk.com/courts/family-law/) can help with procedure and paperwork. Describes the dissolution process generally; no dollar filing fee was posted on this page.
- Franklin County Clerk of Court
- Family Law, Franklin Clerk
- Florida Courts E-Filing Portal
- Florida Law Help
Local details reviewed August 2026. Offices and locations can change, so confirm with the official sites above before you file.
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Franklin County, FL Family Court Hearing FAQs
Where do I file a family law motion in Franklin County?
File with the Clerk of Court's family law office at the Franklin County Courthouse, 33 Market Street, Suite 203, Apalachicola FL 32320. You can also file electronically through myflcourtaccess.com, the statewide e-filing portal used across the Second Judicial Circuit.
How much does it cost to file a family motion in Franklin County?
The Clerk's Family Law page does not list a current fee. Confirm the exact amount by phone or in person with the Clerk's office before filing, since fees can change and vary by motion type.
Is there a separate family court building in Franklin County?
No. Franklin is a small county. Family law matters are handled from the same courthouse building at 33 Market Street in Apalachicola as other case types, not a dedicated family or juvenile justice center.
Can I e-file my Franklin County family case?
Yes. Franklin accepts filings through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal at myflcourtaccess.com, the same statewide system used in every circuit. That's useful given the distance some residents travel to reach Apalachicola.
Will my Franklin County family case go to mediation before a hearing?
It can. Fla. Stat. 44.102 and Family Law Rule of Procedure 12.740 authorize mediation referral in contested family matters statewide. Franklin does not publish a county-specific fee schedule, so ask about cost and process if your case is referred.
How do I find out when my Franklin County hearing is scheduled?
Franklin and the Second Circuit do not publish a scheduling process specific to family hearings. After filing, contact the Clerk's family law office directly and ask how and when a hearing date will be set once the other party has been served.
This page is general information about Florida family court hearing procedure in Franklin County, FL, not legal advice for your situation. Deadlines, local rules, and courtroom procedures change; always confirm current details with the Second Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, Franklin County or the official Florida family court self-help program resources. Virdix is not a law firm and is not a substitute for an attorney.
Hearing guides for nearby counties
Preparing for a hearing in Franklin County, FL
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