Family

The Circuit Court Family Civil Division has jurisdiction over domestic relations matters such as:

Simplified Dissolution
Dissolution
Child or Spouse Support
Injunctions for Protection (Domestic Violence)
Adoption
Paternity
Change of Name
Change of Custody
Repeat Violence
Foreign Judgements

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I find out if my spouse has been served yet or if he/she has filed a response?

You may contact the Clerk of Court at (321) 637-5413 for assistance. You must be prepared to give the Clerk your case number.

How do I get information out of my court file?

You may contact the Clerk of Court at (321) 637-5413 and request that the file be forwarded to a courthouse located near you. Please be prepared to give the Clerk your case number. You may purchase copies from the file.

I am going into the military and want to give custody of my child/children to my mother (father, sister, etc). What do I do?

The Self Help Program can only assist with information and procedures regarding custody between the parents of a child. We cannot assist with the custody of a child by other family members. You will need to contact a private attorney or research the law in the Law Library.

How can I obtain a copy of a Birth or Death Certificate?

To obtain a copy of your birth certificate, you can contact Vital Statistics at (321) 690-3435 or visit the VitalChek website at vitalchek.com. If you have any further questions, please call (321) 637-5413, and we can instruct you about how to obtain a copy of your birth certificate from any state.

I filed for a name change. What is the next step?

Contact the assigned Judge’s Judicial Assistant to schedule a hearing.

Do I need to file a separate name change petition for each person in my family?

No, you do not have to file a separate petition for each person whose name is being changed. There are forms available to change the names of all the persons in a family (adults and children), which allows the petitioner to include all the names to be changed.

Is there a fee for family mediation?

Yes. For information about mediation, contact family mediation at (321) 690-6834.

Can I choose the Judge that I want for my case?

No. Judges are randomly assigned to cases and cannot be picked by the parties.

How do I get custody or guardianship of my grandchildren (niece, nephew, etc.)?

The Self Help Program can only assist with information and procedures regarding custody between the parents of a child. We cannot assist with custody of a child by other family members or guardianship matters. You will need to contact a private attorney or research the law in the Law Library.