Broward County

Both the Court system in Florida, has well as many local resources are organized county by county. The Court in Florida that handles divorce and other family law matters is called the “Circuit” court. There are some Circuits, for example in Northern Florida, that include more than one County, but the Circuit that Broward County is in – the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit, is comprised of just Broward County. The following link shows a list of the Circuit Courts in Florida.

Divorce and other Family Law cases are heard at the main Broward County Courthouse, at 201 S.E. 6th Street, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Most family law hearings or trials, with some exceptions, are heard in the Judges “Chambers”. That is basically the Judge’s office – a large room with a conference table in front of the Judge’s desk, where the parties and their attorneys sit for hearings or trials. The formal legal rules of procedure and evidence apply to family law cases, but in some respects the proceedings, including being in Chambers versus in a large Courtroom, are a bit more informal than trials you may have seen on television or been to before. That is not to say, however, that the proceedings are not expected to be conducted with decorum and respect – most Judges will not have much tolerance for games or “acting out” behavior in their courtroom or Chambers. Most Domestic Violence cases are heard in larger courtrooms on the 8th Floor of the courthouse.

Court programs and services, as well as other community resources are also organized county by county. Broward County’s Self-Help and Domestic Violence Unit are also located at the main Broward County courthouse on S.E. 6th Street. The Self-Help Unit has packets of forms for sale that you’ll need for different types of family law matters, and the Domestic Violence Unit is a program in Room 248 at the courthouse, that will assist you in completing and going through the process of filing for a Domestic Violence Restraining Order. Other programs at the Broward Count Court courthouse are the court’s Mediation program, which provides reduced cost mediation services for divorce and other family law and other cases, as well as the Court Interpreters program, which can provide an interpreter for you for your court hearing. The Court Interpreters program in Broward County does not provide an interpreter for mediations, however – you have to bring your own interpreter with you to the mediation, and there are certain rules regarding who is permitted to attend the mediation, which are spelled out in the Court Order you will receive if you are referred to the Court Mediation Program. There is list of further legal and other community resources in Broward, and also Dade and Palm Beach Counties, on the Resource page here on the Website.

Call me at (954) 636-7498, or use the contact form here on the Website, and we can discuss your Broward County Divorce or other Family Law case.