A petition for domestic violence injunction β sometimes called a restraining orderβ can be filed by anyone who is the victim of any act of domestic violence including repeat violence, dating violence and sexual violence or has reasonable cause to believe he or she is in imminent danger of becoming the victim of any act of domestic violence.
Florida Statutes outline what a petitioner may seek protection from in various types of petitions:. If you believe you need an injunction, an attorney is not required. You are always free to retain an attorney to provide you additional assistance with the procedure. The Court cannot provide legal advice. However, to inform petitioners about the injunction process, the Office of State Courts has created a brochure for petitioners that discusses many important issues. Additionally, the Office of Court Improvement has produced two videos that discuss the injunction process and what to expect at a domestic violence injunction hearing.
These videos can provide additional information about what to expect while involved in the domestic violence process. In addition, the Victim Services Offices are available to assist victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, homicide and other violent crimes through crisis response, advocacy, therapy and community awareness.
They will help with referrals to social service agencies in the community, safety planning, and procedural information about the court process. View a list of locations for Victim Services. There are procedures in place to make it possible to obtain an injunction in Palm Beach County 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The Office of State Courts Administrator has forms that pertain to petitioners and respondents. The Office of Court Improvement does not record or save any of the information inputted into the form. The injunction process begins when you file for an injunction at one of the locations listed above.
