alachua county resources

Alachua county civil justice center

Alachua County Self Help Center can answer procedural questions.  Call (352) 548-3781 or click the picture above to see the location in google maps.

Southern Legal Counsel

If you think you may be eligible for free legal services, contact Southern Legal Counsel at (352) 271-8890 or visit our website.​​

Three rivers legal services

If you think you may be eligible for free legal services contact Three Rivers Legal Services at their toll-free helpline: (866)-256-8091 or apply online. 

Lawyer referral service

​If you plan to pay for an attorney, you may contact the Florida Lawyer Referral Service at 1-800-342-8011 or apply online.​​

Fees

Item	Amount	Payment Options
Petition Filing Fee	$400.00	The Clerk accepts payments in cash, personal check, cashier’s check and money order payable to Clerk of Court. The Clerk also accepts Visa and MasterCard, which requires an additional 3.5% processing fee.
Notary Fee	$3.50 per notary signature	Same as above
Copies by clerk	$1.00 per page	Same as above
Self-serve copies	$0.15 using copy machine in the Official Records area	Same as above
Fingerprinting FDLE Fee	$36.00	Credit card
Fingerprinting Sheriff's Fee	$10.00	Bring cash (small bills), cashiers or certified check, or money order

 More information for alachua county residents

Mediation
If both parents don't agree on the child's name change, Florida Law requires mediation before a petition for name change can be filed.  Mediation can be ordered by the Court or the parents can make the arrangements themselves by contacting the program mediation office at (352) 491-4417.