Updated August 2026
Family Court Motions and Hearings in Washington County, Florida
A plain-language guide to asking for a family court hearing in Washington County, FL, from the motion you file at the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, Washington County to deadlines and what to expect, prepared without hiring an attorney.
Washington County's Clerk does not host a separate local family law forms page. Instead, filers get routed to the Fourteenth Circuit's shared Family Law Forms page. That page includes a form you won't always find easily elsewhere: a Motion to Waive Requirement for Parenting Course. Use it if you believe the statewide Fla. Stat. 61.21 parenting course requirement should not apply to your case. File at the county courthouse, 1293 Jackson Ave in Chipley. The current cost is $397.50.
The same circuit forms page also has a Contempt Information Sheet and Special Interrogatories, for both dissolution of marriage and change of name cases. It includes a Motion to Appear by Telephone too. A self-represented Washington filer can gather most of what a routine motion needs from this one page.
In Washington, a general magistrate may hear certain temporary or post-judgment matters instead of a circuit judge. This authority comes from statewide Family Law Rule of Procedure 12.490.
Washington accepts filings through the statewide Florida Courts E-Filing Portal at myflcourtaccess.com. The Clerk's site does not publish a detailed process for how a hearing date and time gets assigned. Call the Clerk's office or your assigned judicial assistant after filing to ask about scheduling.
Where hearings are held in Washington County, FL
Family court hearings in Washington County, FL are held at the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, Washington County, with the county seat in Chipley. Because courtroom assignments, remote appearance options, and local procedures change over time, use the Florida court clerk directory to confirm current details:
Find the Washington 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 Washington County, FL
If you want to argue that the statewide parenting course requirement should not apply to your case, file the Motion to Waive Requirement for Parenting Course. That is the specific circuit-approved form for this request. The judge still decides whether to grant it.
A Washington family case can still be sent to mediation before a contested hearing, under statewide Fla. Stat. 44.102 and Family Law Rule of Procedure 12.740. The Clerk's office does not publish a Washington-specific mediation fee schedule, so ask about cost and location if you are referred.
When you call the Clerk's office to confirm your filing fee, also ask whether a Motion to Appear by Telephone is realistic for your hearing type. Travel from Vernon or Wausau to Chipley can be a real factor for a routine or uncontested matter.
Official hearing resources in Washington County, FL
Washington County Courthouse handles hearings filings, located at 1293 Jackson Ave, Chipley 32428.
The filing fee is $397.50. E-filing is available through https://www.myflcourtaccess.com. Florida Courts E-Filing Portal, statewide for the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit.
Fourteenth Circuit Family Law Forms (https://jud14.flcourts.org/family-law/family-law-forms) can help with procedure and paperwork. Washington routes filers to the circuit's shared Family Law Forms page rather than hosting a separate local family law page.
- Washington County Clerk of Court
- Family Law Forms, Fourteenth 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.
Get the free Florida hearing roadmap
A short PDF that walks through how to prepare for your hearing, the forms, and what to expect at the Washington County courthouse. No spam, one email.
We'll send you the roadmap plus occasional filing guides. Unsubscribe anytime.
Washington County, FL Family Court Hearing FAQs
Where do I file a family law motion in Washington County?
File with the Clerk of Court at the Washington County Courthouse, 1293 Jackson Ave, Chipley FL 32428. You can also file electronically through myflcourtaccess.com, the statewide e-filing portal for the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit.
How much does it cost to file for dissolution in Washington County?
The current filing fee is $397.50 for dissolution of marriage or annulment. A motion in an already-open case may cost a different amount. Confirm the exact cost with the Clerk before filing.
Can I ask the court to waive the parenting course requirement in Washington County?
The Fourteenth Circuit's forms page has a Motion to Waive Requirement for Parenting Course. File this if you believe the statewide Fla. Stat. 61.21 parenting course requirement should not apply to your case. The judge decides whether to grant it.
Can I appear by phone for a family hearing in Washington County?
The Fourteenth Circuit's forms include a Motion to Appear by Telephone. Whether it gets granted depends on the assigned judge and the hearing type. Ask before assuming approval, especially if you face a longer trip from Vernon or Wausau.
Will my Washington County family case go to mediation before a hearing?
It can. Statewide Fla. Stat. 44.102 and Family Law Rule of Procedure 12.740 authorize mediation referral in contested family matters. The Clerk's office does not publish a Washington-specific fee schedule, so ask about cost if your case is referred.
How do I find out when my Washington County hearing is scheduled?
Washington and the Fourteenth Circuit do not publish a specific scheduling process. After you file, contact the Clerk's office or your assigned judicial assistant and ask how and when your hearing date will be set.
This page is general information about Florida family court hearing procedure in Washington County, FL, not legal advice for your situation. Deadlines, local rules, and courtroom procedures change; always confirm current details with the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, Washington 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 Washington County, FL
Virdix guides you through the Florida Supreme Court approved family law forms your hearing needs, so your paperwork is complete and consistent before you file.
If the court clerk rejects a document we prepared, we fix it for free until it's accepted. See how the guarantee works