Unified Children’s Court

The Unified Children’s Court (UCC) Division has jurisdiction to handle related family law matters (Family, Juvenile Dependency and Delinquency, and Domestic Violence (DV) Injunction cases) in multiple parts of the court system (sometimes referred to as “crossover” cases).  In accordance with mandates issued by the Florida Supreme Court in May 2001 and January 2014, the Eleventh Judicial Circuit’s Unified Children’s Court Division was established as a mechanism to provide a comprehensive, coordinated approach to handling complex related case matters, pursuant to the “One Family, One Judge” Model, with the overall purpose of promoting judicial economy, ensuring consistent rulings and court orders regarding access to children are not conflicting, minimizing inconvenience to litigants, and eliminating duplication of resources. For purposes of matters qualifying to be heard in the UCC Division, a Related Case is defined as two or more open cases in the Family and/or Domestic Violence Divisions, and/or Juvenile Dependency and/or Delinquency case(s), which involve any of the same parties, children, or issues.

Programs and Services

Family Court Services

Family Court Services helps parents resolve issues together and also makes referrals to needed community services.

Family Court Self Help Program

The purpose of a self-help program is to assist self represented litigants, within the bounds of this rule, to achieve fair and efficient resolution of their family law case.

Social Investigation Program

This Unit coordinates, monitors and assigns cases to consultants who perform home studies/social investigations and make recommendations.

Child Support Enforcement

Child Support Enforcement Division helps when a parent or guardian has custody of a child and the other parent does not provide financial support.

Parenting Coordinators

Parenting Coordinators are court-ordered to high conflict cases to help parties create parenting plans and resolve child-related disputes.

Marchman Petition

Provides the means for an individual to receive voluntary or involuntary treatment for substance abuse.

Divorce Education Program For Parents

This required program by the courts helps parents and their children adjust with the changes that come with divorce.

Court Care

Court Care provides a safe and supervised drop-in childcare facility for children who must be in court in connection with matters involving the children or their parents or guardian.

Domestic Violence Intake Unit

Operated through the joint efforts of the Clerk of Courts (COC) and the Department of Human Services (DHS) Advocacy unit, the Intake Unit is comprised of intake counselors and support staff dedicated to providing efficient and responsive services to the court and the community.

Department of Translation and Interpretation

Court Interpreters interpret and translate verbal and written communications from a non-English to English language in court proceedings.

Miami-Dade County Domestic Violence Fatality Review Team

Domestic Violence Fatality Review Team goal is to more fully understand the dynamics of domestic violence-related and child deaths through multi-disciplinary review, develop inter-system policies and protocols geared towards prevention, and thereby reduce future fatalities.

Children in Need of Service

Caregivers, parents, guardians seek assistance from the court in order to try to find services to help with their families and children.

Mediation

Mediation is a service provided by the courts that allows litigants to solve their disputes without having to go to trial.

Court Reporting Services

Court reporting provides "word-for-word" record of everything said in criminal, juvenile and domestic violence case proceedings.

Paws in the Court

Paws in the Court is the Juvenile Division’s pet therapy program aimed to reduce anxiety and provide comfort for individuals involved in the court process.