DOMESTIC RELATIONS – Eighteenth Judicial Circuit Courts

2025 Admin Order 26-23-b

Web Manager — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 14:36:10 +0000

CREATION OF DIVISIONS: The Domestic Relations Division of the Circuit Court of Brevard County consists of four divisions designated as Domestic Relations. One of the judges serving in the Domestic Relations Division shall be appointed as Administrative Judge by the Chief Judge of the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF JUDGES: The judge of each Domestic Relations Division shall be responsible for the progress and conduct of all cases assigned to that division from inception to conclusion, including, but not limited to, pretrial, trial, and post-trial motions, and shall exercise supervision over the preparation of all calendars and dockets of cases assigned to the division.
ASSIGNMENT OF CIRCUIT DOMESTIC RELATIONS CASES: The Clerk of the Court shall programmatically assign, on a rotation, all Domestic Relations cases including the Domestic Violence Injunction cases (excluding non-domestic violence injunction cases) to the four Domestic Relations Divisions located at the Moore Justice Center in Viera, Florida.
ASSIGNMENT OF CIRCUIT NON-DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INJUNCTION CASES: Effective July 1, 2026, the Clerk of the Court shall assign all Non-Domestic Violence Injunction cases to Judge Katie Jacobus, Division 11, located at the Melbourne Courthouse.
COORDINATION OF RELATED CASES: All related Domestic Relations cases must continue to follow the order for the Model Family Court pursuant to Administrative Order 24-14.
JUDGE/DIVISION REASSIGNMENTS: Upon Judge/Division reassignments, Domestic Relations cases that are unresolved and pending shall remain with the division currently assigned. The case will not follow the currently assigned judge; rather, the case will remain with the division, and the new judge assuming the division will be assigned the case.
DUTIES OF ADMINISTRATIVE JUDGE: The Administrative Judge of the Domestic Relations Division, in addition to those duties specifically assigned herein, shall be responsible for the general supervision of that department and shall perform those administrative duties necessary to its efficient and effective operation in conformity with the applicable policies, procedures, and rules governing the administration of that department as contemplated by Rule 2.215(b)(5), Florida Rules of General Practice and Judicial Administration..
The Clerk of the Court is directed to modify its procedures as necessary to implement this Order.

DONE AND ORDERED this 28^th day of May 2026.

MELANIE CHASE

CHIEF JUDGE

Additional Information:

1997 Admin Order 97-18-b

Web Manager — Tue, 30 Nov 2021 21:29:46 +0000

EXCERPT: “WHEREAS there are instances where the final judgment in a dissolution of marriage action is silent as to the date child support payments are to commence.
WHEREAS, when the final judgment is silent as to the commencement of child support payments, there must be a default schedule to determine deadlines for payment of child support. It is thereupon, ORDERED: (Open AO for more information.)”

1979 Admin Order 79-10-s

Web Manager — Tue, 30 Nov 2021 21:26:08 +0000

EXCERPT: “WHEREAS, Administrative Order #79-2 created the Office of the Domestic Relations Commissioner of the Circuit Court of the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit for Seminole County, to administer the central governmental enforcement system and to serve under the direction, and at the pleasure, of the Administrative Judge of the Family Department of Circuit Court as the court’s representative on all domestic relations enforcement matters; WHEREAS the Domestic Relations Commissioner is authorized to hold hearings, to take testimony, and to act as Special Master; (Open AO for more information.)”

Additional Information:

2015 Admin Order 15-17

Web Manager — Tue, 30 Nov 2021 21:08:19 +0000

EXCERPT: “WHEREAS, children caught in the middle of high parental conflict are more likely to be harmed; and WHEREAS, it is the public policy of the State of Florida to assure that each minor child has frequent and continuing contact with both parents after the parents separate or the marriage of the parties is dissolved and to encourage parents to share the rights, responsibilities, and joys of childrearing; and WHEREAS, the Florida Supreme Court adopted a guiding principle encouraging a family court process to “empower families through skills development, assist them to resolve their own disputes, provide access to appropriate services, and offer a variety of dispute resolution forums where the family can resolve problems without additional emotional trauma,” as set forth in In re Report of the Family Court Steering Committee (Family Courts IV), 794 So. 2d 518, 522 (Fla. 2001); and WHEREAS, parenting coordination is a process whereby an impartial third person, called a parenting coordinator, helps the parties implement their parenting plan by facilitating the resolution of disputes between parents and/or legal guardians, providing education, making recommendations to the parties and, with the prior approval of the parties and the court, making decisions within the scope of the court order of appointment; and (Open AO for more information.)”

Additional Information:

2015 Admin Order 15-10-b

Web Manager — Tue, 30 Nov 2021 21:07:52 +0000

WHEREAS, it is necessary that orders and judgments in the family division not impact the schools of Brevard County as well as the School Board of Brevard County, and WHEREAS, many of the Domestic Relation’s cases filed or pending in Brevard County involve parents of school-age children, and WHEREAS, disputes between parents regarding school matters often disrupt the ability of schools and their staff to conduct their primary business of educating children, Now, it is therefore ORDERED:

A parent who is a party to a pending Domestic Relations action shall include the other parent’s name on the school contact list when registering or enrolling a child in school in Brevard County, unless that parent has a specific court order relieving the parent of this obligation. The parent shall include the other parent’s name and contact information, along with any other necessary information required by the school. Should a parent fail to comply with this requirement, the other parent may supplement the contact list with the child’s school to indicate the names of both legal parents as contact persons.
When registering or enrolling the child in school, the parent or parents shall designate the true residence of the child.
Parents shall not attempt to register or enroll a child in two different schools. If the true residence of a child is disputed for school purposes, the parties may submit that issue to the court for determination as part of the pending domestic relations case.
No domestic relations order will be entered which requires the School Board to provide transportation to the school for the child. The rules and policies of the School Board determine whether transportation is provided.

Nothing in this administrative order precludes parents from jointly placing a child in the school of their mutual choice, in compliance with established school board procedures.

This administrative order supersedes all previous court orders and judgments inconsistent with it. It shall also be a standing order governing the parties in a pending domestic relations case unless or until the Court has specifically addressed an issue within the scope of this administrative order and has entered an order that is specific to the parties in that pending case which conflicts with the provisions of this order.

Done and Ordered this 12th day of January 2015.

2013 Admin Order 13-38-b

Web Manager — Tue, 30 Nov 2021 21:06:18 +0000

EXCERPT: “Whereas certain issues recur in actions for dissolution of marriage and other actions in which child custody is an issue raised in the pleadings of either party, and it is in the best interest of the parties and the children to order certain temporary relief, it is hereby Ordered and Adjudged as follows in all such cases: (Open AO for more information.)”

Additional Information:

Supersedes AO 08-33-B

2011 Admin Order 11-30

Web Manager — Tue, 30 Nov 2021 21:03:45 +0000

WHEREAS administrative orders from time to time become obsolete; IT IS ORDERED that the following administrative orders are hereby rescinded:

86-12-Cr-B: In Re: Partial Payment of Financial Obligations Imposed as Conditions of Probation
89-62-Cr-B: In Re: Administrative Practice and Procedure of the Criminal Justice System, Eighteenth Judicial Circuit, Brevard County, State of Florida
93-85 Supersedes 93-65-B: In Re: Files – Retention & Destruction of Sealed Records
96-36-B Amended Supersedes 96-36-B: In Re: Traffic – Child Restraint Safety Program
02-32-B Supersedes 00-10-B: In Re: Court Costs – Collection Dockets – Imposition of Court Costs, Fines, and Public Defender Application Fees and Liens; and Enforcement Thereof
05-41-S: In Re: Domestic Relations – Family Court Social Investigator Protective Order
06-08: In Re: Administrative Rules – Judges – Judicial Annual Leave

DONE AND ORDERED this 21st day of September 2011.

2024 Admin Order 24-14

Web Manager — Tue, 30 Nov 2021 21:03:26 +0000

EXCERPT: “WHEREAS the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit is committed to developing a fully integrated, comprehensive approach to handling all cases involving children and families; WHEREAS, the Florida Supreme Court has adopted the following guiding principles as a foundation for defining and implementing a model family court; Children should live in safe and permanent homes; The needs and best interests of children should be the primary consideration of any family court; All persons, whether children or adults, should be treated with objectivity, sensitivity, dignity and respect; Cases involving inter-related family law issues should be consolidated or coordinated to maximize use of court resources to avoid conflicting decisions and to minimize inconvenience to the families; Family court processes should attempt to address the family’s interrelated legal and non-legal problems, empower families through skills development, assist them to resolve their own disputes, provide access to appropriate services, and offer a variety of dispute resolution forums where the family can resolve problems without additional emotional trauma; Whenever possible, parties and their attorneys should be empowered to select processes for addressing issues in their cases that are compatible with the family’s needs, financial circumstances, and legal requirements; The court is responsible for managing its cases with due consideration of the needs of the family, the litigants, and the issues presented by the case; (Open AO for more information.)”

Additional Information:

2010 Admin Order 10-29-b

Web Manager — Tue, 30 Nov 2021 21:02:48 +0000

WHEREAS administrative orders from time to time become obsolete; IT IS ORDERED that the following administrative order is hereby rescinded:

05-28-B: In Re: Domestic Relations – Attending the Helping Our Children Cope with Divorce Course by Internet

DONE AND ORDERED this 14th day of September 2010.

2010 Admin Order 10-06-b

Web Manager — Tue, 30 Nov 2021 21:02:08 +0000

It is hereby ORDERED as follows: If the collaborative conflict alternative dispute resolution process is utilized prior to the filing of a petition for dissolution of marriage, a notice of intent to engage in the collaborative conflict alternative dispute resolution process signed by counsel for both parties may be sent to the Family Law Administrative Judge for Brevard County, Florida (Attachment A). In that notice, the date for determining marital assets and the date for valuation of them may be specified.

DONE AND ORDERED this 4th day of March 2010.