Family Law cases include Dissolution of Marriage (divorce), Annulment, Name Change, Adoption, Delayed Birth Certificates, Support (Foreign and local), Custody, Paternity and Alimony. The above listed are the most common filings and not inclusive of all matters.
The Support area of Family Law is responsible for maintaining support orders of the court. Support can mean child support, alimony, past assistance, debts owed to the State of Florida, or any other monies due. The Clerk's Depository keeps the official record of all support activity in the case.
The Depository processes all court orders when support has been ordered payable through the Court. This includes preparing a file on each case and setting it up on the Statewide Support Computer system.
Additionally, the Depository processes Income Deduction Orders. In these cases an employer deducts the support payment from the obligor's pay. The judge may order an immediate income deduction, or can order it be enforced when the support is one month behind.
When the obligor is delinquent on payments, the department issues a delinquency letter. If there is no response a judgment is recorded in the public record. The judgment can act as a lien by operation of law. Interest is charged on all judgments at a rate determined by the Florida Department of Financial Services. Section 55.03(1), Florida Statutes, requires the Chief Financial Officer, on December 1 of each year beginning in 1994, to set the rate of interest that shall be payable on judgments and decrees for the year beginning the following January 1. Click here to be directed to the website to check on current and previous year interest rates.
Obligees may also file for driver’s license suspension through the Clerk’s Office when the obligor is over one month behind in payments.
The Depository processes many changes to support accounts such as: Increasing or decreasing the amount to be paid, removing children that no longer receive support (emancipated), and changes of custody.
Please contact the Family Law Department of the Clerk's Office for more information about payments and support orders.
Child support payments may be paid online. Non-custodial parents who are Florida residents and employers with income deduction orders may pay online by credit card (MasterCard or Visa). There is a convenience fee of 3.2% ($3.50 minimum) assessed for using the credit card service. Payment may also be made by electronic check (direct debit from a bank account).
Two other child support payment services are available online. A non-custodial parent may set up an account for re-occurring child support payments. It is also possible to search by case number and social security number to access a payment history for an account. Click on the Child Support Payments link listed below to be connected to the site.
Refer to the following links for more information about the Family Law Department:
Child Support Payments
Make child support payments online.
Child Support Forms
Download Child Support Forms.
Family Law Fees
Fees related to the Family Law Department.
Family Law FAQs
Some of the common questions and answers dealing with the Family Law Department.
Family Law Internet Order Form
Pre-order files online.
Family Law Forms
Download Family Law Forms.
Family Law Contact Information
Need to visit, email, call, or mail the Family Law Department? You can find that information here.
Supreme Court approved forms may be purchased in the Family Law Department. Dissolution of marriage and simplified dissolution of marriage packets are some of the forms available for sale.
The public may view most Family Law files. Files that are considered confidential may not be viewed without a court order. Some examples of confidential files would be adoptions, delayed birth certificates and sealed files.
