Brevard General Magistrates and Hearing Officers of Brevard are judicial officers that the Circuit’s Chief Judge appoints to perform certain quasi-judicial duties.

General Magistrates are responsible for cases involving:

• Temporary relief (alimony, child support, and attorneys fees and costs in family law cases)
• Contempt of court
  Support enforcement
• Mental health (Baker Act)
  Substance abuse (Marchman Act)
• Tuberculosis and Sexually transmissible diseases
• Incapacity
  Guardianship (including guardian applications, background investigations and annual reports filed with the court)
• Modification of prior rulings
• Dependency review hearings
• As part of the Guardianship Law, General Magistrates assist the Probate Court with guardian application and background checks, and plenary and limited guardianships.

Hearing Officers are appointed to hear Family Division cases dealing with family support issues. The Findings and Recommendations entered by the Hearing Officer have the same force and effect as Orders entered by a Circuit Judge.