What "Family Court" means in Miami-Dade County
The Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Florida is the trial court of general jurisdiction for Miami-Dade County — and the largest judicial circuit in the state. Within the circuit, the Family Division handles family law matters: dissolution of marriage (divorce), paternity, parental responsibility and time-sharing, child support, and post-judgment modifications.
Most Family Division matters are heard in downtown Miami at the Lawson E. Thomas Courthouse Center. Juvenile dependency matters — cases involving DCF — are handled separately at the Miami-Dade Children's Courthouse. Domestic violence injunction cases are handled by the circuit's Domestic Violence Division.
The four main case types
- Dissolution of Marriage (Divorce) — ends a marriage; resolves parental responsibility, time-sharing, child support, alimony, and property division.
- Paternity — establishes legal parentage and sets time-sharing, parental responsibility, and child support for parents who were never married.
- Modification — changes an existing parenting plan or support order based on a substantial, material, and unanticipated change in circumstances.
- Enforcement / Contempt — addresses a party's failure to comply with an existing order.
Supervised visitation can be ordered in any of these case types.
The lifecycle of a typical contested family law case
- Petition filed — one party files (Petitioner). The other party (Respondent) is served.
- Answer filed — the Respondent has 20 days to respond after service.
- Temporary relief (if requested) — the court can issue interim orders on time-sharing and support while the case is pending.
- Mandatory disclosure — parties exchange financial affidavits and supporting documents under Florida Family Law Rule 12.285.
- Parenting course — Florida requires both parents in a dissolution or paternity case involving minor children to complete an approved Parent Education and Family Stabilization Course.
- Case management / status conferences — the assigned judge sets deadlines and discusses settlement posture.
- Mediation — Miami-Dade family cases are routinely referred to mediation before trial; most cases resolve there or through negotiation.
- Trial — for the small percentage of cases that don't settle, a bench trial (no jury in family court) before a circuit judge.
- Final Judgment — the court enters final orders, including the parenting plan.
- Post-judgment — modification and enforcement matters can be brought as needed.
Where supervised visitation enters the process
Supervised visitation can be ordered:
- At temporary relief — interim supervised time-sharing while the case is pending
- In the Final Judgment / parenting plan — longer-term supervised time-sharing as part of a safety-focused parenting plan
- By modification — changing an existing parenting plan to add or remove supervision
- By emergency order — when an immediate safety concern arises, including through a domestic violence injunction under Chapter 741
For procedural detail on requesting it, see our guide to requesting supervised visitation in Florida.
Key judicial officers and roles
Beyond the judge, several other professionals may be involved in a family law case where supervised visitation is at issue:
- Circuit Judge or General Magistrate — issues orders, presides at hearings and trial; general magistrates hear certain matters and issue recommended orders for the judge to ratify
- Guardian ad Litem (GAL) — appointed to investigate and advocate for the best interests of the child
- Parenting Coordinator — appointed under § 61.125, Florida Statutes, to help parents implement parenting plans in high-conflict cases
- Social Investigator — appointed under § 61.20, Florida Statutes, to study the family and report to the court on time-sharing arrangements
- Supervised Visitation Provider — a TruVisit Miami-style neutral third party present at visits
For how supervision itself is standardized in Florida, see Florida's supervised visitation standards.
Working with the court system as a parent
A few practical realities of the Miami-Dade family court process:
- Cases take time. Florida has a 20-day minimum waiting period before a dissolution can be finalized, but contested cases in a circuit this size routinely take 6–12 months. Modifications can take similar time.
- Most cases settle. The vast majority of family law cases never reach trial. Mediation, negotiation, or stipulated agreements resolve the bulk of disputes.
- Documentation matters. Family court is driven by evidence — and good evidence is documented. Keep records.
- Professional supervision strengthens your record. Whether you're asking for supervised time-sharing or subject to it, having a professional provider produces a credible documentary record the court relies on.
About TruVisit Miami reports
Our session reports are written in objective, non-editorial professional language, timestamped throughout, and formatted to meet the documentation standards used by the Family Division of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit. Reports are typically delivered within 48–72 hours of each visit to your attorney, directly to you, or to the court — depending on the order and your preferences.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find out which judge has my case?
Once a case is filed, the court assigns a Family Division judge or section. The assignment appears on case documents and is searchable through the online case search maintained by the Miami-Dade Clerk of the Courts.
What is the difference between a judge and a general magistrate in family court?
Circuit judges are elected or appointed constitutional officers. General magistrates are appointed by the court to hear certain family law matters — typically with the parties' consent — and issue recommended orders that the judge reviews and ratifies. For practical purposes, a ratified magistrate recommendation carries the force of a court order.
Do I have to go to court for supervised visitation if both parents agree?
Even when both parents agree, an enforceable order has to come from the court. The parties can submit a stipulated agreement or agreed parenting plan for the judge to sign — no contested hearing required. Many supervised visitation arrangements start as stipulations.
Does TruVisit Miami work with self-represented (pro se) parents?
Yes. Many of the parents we work with are pro se. We don't provide legal advice — but we do explain how our service works, what our reports look like, and what to expect logistically. For legal questions, we always recommend consulting a Florida family law attorney.