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Tami Pearce Simmons, Glades County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller Glades County, FL | Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller
Gabby Murphy
Gabby Murphy

Family Law

The Family Law division of the Clerk’s Office is responsible for customer service, review, processing, data entry, and calendaring of legal documents pertaining to all family law-related cases.

Family law has jurisdiction over domestic relations matters such as:

  • Dissolution of Marriage or Annulments

  • Adoptions

  • Emancipation of a Minor

  • Paternity

  • Change of Name

  • Request for Injunction

  • Child or Spousal Support

  • Temporary Custody & Custodial Care

  • Termination of Parental Rights

  • Department of Children & Family CINS/FINS

  • Juvenile Delinquency & Truancy

  • Foreign Judgments

  • Domestic Violence, Repeat Violence, Stalking, & Sexual Violence Injunctions

Generally, the Clerk’s Office is not permitted to give legal advice on which forms to use or how to complete forms. Certain forms or form packets are available in our office for a fee.

For your convenience, additional information concerning forms, family law, and opinions may be found at flcourts.org/Family-Courts and supremecourt.flcourts.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Florida Bar is able to provide legal referrals. You can contact the Florida Bar at (850) 561-5600 or at floridabar.org. Click on the “Find a Lawyer” button, then click on the “Lawyer Referral Service Site” link.

Legal assistance may be available to you by visiting flcourts.org/Legal-Aid. Law firms sometimes provide “pro bono” legal services, and the Clerk’s Office coordinates a legal clinic every month at the Courthouse.

For more information on how to sign up for the legal clinic, please call (863) 946-6010.

Yes, you may represent yourself in court (called “Pro Se”), but you must understand that family law cases are governed by the Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure, which must be followed. Additionally, there are rules of court that must be followed.

As in all matters involving the law, if you do not feel fully comfortable or qualified to represent yourself, you may want to consider obtaining the services of a competent lawyer.

No. If you, your child, or someone you care about is a victim of abuse, you may apply for a “Temporary Injunction for Protection” from the Court.

An injunction for protection, also referred to as a restraining order, is a court order that places restrictions on a person who has committed acts of violence against another person as defined below.

The Injunction for Protection may include, but is not limited to:

  • Provisions which restrain the abuser from further acts of violence
  • Order the abuser to leave your household
  • Prevent the abuser from coming to your home, school, business, or place of employment
  • Award custody of minor children and order the abuser to pay support

Completed paperwork will be accepted at the Family Law division of the Clerk’s Office until 5:00 PM. Emergency cases after 5:00 PM should be referred to the Glades County Sheriff’s Office (863) 946-1600.

Yes. All records related to Juvenile Dependency cases are confidential and can only be seen by a parent, legal guardian, and/or the child with proper picture identification.

Court-appointed and private attorneys also have access to these court files only if they have filed their notice of appearance in the particular case.

The Clerk’s Office does not give information over the telephone since access to these records requires proper identification. Anyone wishing specific information regarding a dependency case must come into the office with proper picture identification.

Yes. Adoptions are confidential. All papers and records pertaining to the adoption, including the original birth certificate, are confidential and subject to inspection only upon order of the court.

Paternity cases can be filed by any woman who is pregnant or has a child, any man who has reason to believe that he is/is not the father of a child, or any child may bring proceedings in the Circuit Court to determine paternity when paternity has not been established by law or otherwise.

If you have a question, please contact our office at (863) 946-6010.

Simplified Divorce is a fast, easy, and inexpensive procedure for ending a marriage for eligible couples. To be eligible:

  • Both must agree that the marriage cannot be saved
  • Both must agree on how to divide property and debts
  • There must be no minor children of the marriage, and the wife cannot be pregnant
  • At least one of you must have been a resident of Florida for the past six months

Both parties must come to the Clerk of Circuit Court’s office with picture IDs and fill out a Petition for Simplified Dissolution of Marriage. Forms are available in the Clerk’s office. An attorney is not required, but if either of you has any legal questions, consulting an attorney prior to filing is advised. A hearing to finalize the divorce will be scheduled as soon as possible after a 20-day waiting period. Both parties must appear at the hearing. The final judgment is then taken by both parties to the Circuit Civil Division of the Clerk’s office.

There are over 80 different self-help, or pro se, legal forms available relating to the following categories:

  • Dissolution of Marriage
  • Miscellaneous Petition
  • Injunction for Protection
  • Service and Notice
  • Documents Requesting Information From Opposing Party
  • Child Support
  • Miscellaneous Motions and Documents
  • Stepparent Adoption
  • Landlord and Tenant
  • Miscellaneous
  • Residential Leases

Some of these forms are also available on the Internet at flcourts.org at the Self Help Center. Additionally, on that website is a listing of the entities that provide legal aid for people who cannot afford an attorney. If you need help filling out the forms or finding a phone number for the nearest legal assistance office, call the Clerk’s Office and ask where assistance is available.

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