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1. What is Family Law Court?

Family Law Court is the area dealing with family relations which includes: dissolution of marriage (divorce), adoption, paternity, name change, custody, child support, and protective injunctions.

2. What is the Florida State Disbursement Unit?

The Florida State Disbursement Unit (FLSDU)  was established by the State of Florida for central receipt processing.  Support payments throughout Florida are sent to one central address in Tallahassee.  A database of information from each county in Florida is maintained at this central location.  The payment information is then electronically transmitted back to the individual county where the Clerk & Comptroller's official payment record is updated to reflect the date and amount paid.

3. What types of cases are processed by the Florida State Disbursement Unit?

The following case types are processed by the Florida State Disbursement Unit:

• All child support payments subject to income deduction orders
• All child support payments subject to enforcement by the Florida Department of Revenue
• All child support payments that have previously been ordered to be paid to the Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller (effective April 11, 2005)

4. How can I contact the Florida State Disbursement Unit?

You may contact the Florida State Disbursement Unit by:

• Visiting their website: Florida Department of Revenue
• Contacting their customer service department at (877) 769-0251
• Mail: P.O. Box 8500, Tallahassee, FL 32314-8500

5. What information is needed to process a support payment through Florida State Disbursement Unit?

The following information is needed to process support payments through the Florida State Disbursement Unit?

• County Number (Pasco number is 51)
• Pasco County case number from your court order or final judgment
• Name of person paying child support and social security number
• Name of custodial parent
• Check or money order made payable to State Disbursement Unit

Payments should be mailed to the State Disbursement Unit, P.O. Box 8500, Tallahassee, FL 32314-8500

6. How do I enforce child support?

It is recommended that you contact the Florida Department of Revenue, Child Support Enforcement Unit at (850) 488-KIDS (5437) for assistance in collecting court ordered support OR you may contact a private attorney.

The Clerk & Comptroller is not involved in the enforcement process for individuals not paying the court ordered amounts.  The Clerk's role is receipting, disbursing, and maintaining payment records.

7. How do I provide an updated address for my court case?

You must notify the Clerk & Comptroller's Office in writing of any address changes.  There is a Change of Address form that can be completed, or you may use your own form/paper.  The change of address request should include the following information:

• Case Number and Division
• Your name
• Your new address
• Your old address
• Your signature and date

The request can be filed with Clerk & Comptroller's office by mail or in person at one of our Court Operations locations.

8. Where can I get Family Law forms?

The Clerk & Comptroller's office contains a Legal Resource Center which offers several Family Law Packets.  These packets can be purchased at one of our Legal Resource Centers in person, or you may visit the Legal Resource Center Civil/Family Law Forms web page to view and print the forms.  

You may also visit the Florida State Courts website or the Sixth Judicial Circuit Court's website for locally approved forms and other general information.

9. What is the difference between Regular Dissolution of Marriage and Simplified Dissolution of Marriage?

A Regular Dissolution of Marriage case is filed if:

• You and your spouse have a dependent minor child together, or 
• If the wife is pregnant, or
• If one spouse is not in agreement with the divorce

A Simplified Dissolution of Marriage case may be filed if:

• Each spouse agrees the marriage cannot be saved
• There are no minor children of the marriage and the wife is not pregnant
• Each spouse has mutually agreed upon how the property and debts are to be divided
• Neither spouse is seeking support (alimony or maintenance)
• Neither spouse is seeking financial information other than what is provided in the standardized financial affidavit
• Each spouse is willing to give up their right to a trial and their right to appeal the outcome and all previously agreed upon matters
• Each spouse is willing to come to the Clerk & Comptroller's Office to sign the petition on the day of filing
• Each spouse is willing to attend the same final hearing

10. Where can I complete the Parent Education and Family Stabilization Course?

You may visit the Florida Department of Children and Families website  for a listing of approved course providers in the state of Florida.

11. What is the Florida Putative Father Registry?

Florida Statutes 63.053 and 63.054 provides an "unmarried biological father" the opportunity to assert his claim of paternity by filing the Florida Putative Father Registry Claim of Paternity form.   You may visit the Florida Department of Health's website for more information on the Florida Putative Father Registry.

12. What is Unified Family Court (UFC)?

The Unified Family Court Program (UFC) is a special grant funded project in the Pasco County Court System dedicated to the proposition of one family, one judge, and one courthouse location.  Case types included in this program include: child support, delinquency, dependency, dissolution of marriage, domestic violence, and paternity.  A family whose members are involved in any of these case types are eligible for reassignment to the Unified Family Court Program.  Once assigned, they are guaranteed that all their family law related cases will be managed by a UFC judge.

13. What if I can't pay the filing fee?

You may complete and file an Application for Determination of Civil Indigent Status with the Clerk & Comptroller, Civil Department.  If found indigent, the filing fee will be waived.  If you are found not indigent, you may enter into a Payment Plan Contract.  The Payment Plan Contract allows you to pay the filing fee in smaller, monthly payments.  A service fee of $25 will be added upon the entrance of the Payment Plan Contract.