Why families come to Connect Attorneys
Connect Attorneys is a Miami law firm serving clients throughout South Florida. Our family law attorneys focus on giving clients clear information and steady guidance, explaining how Florida law may apply and what to expect at each stage. Every client works directly with an attorney, and we serve South Florida families in English and Spanish.
Injunctions for Protection in Florida
Florida law allows a person to petition the court for an injunction for protection against domestic violence, sometimes called a restraining order. An injunction can set terms intended to protect the petitioner, and it can carry serious consequences for the respondent. Because these cases move quickly and the stakes are high on both sides, it helps to have an attorney explain the process.
(Source: Fla. Stat. § 741.30.)
How the Process Works: Temporary and Final Injunctions
The process is built for speed. A family or household member files a petition, and if the judge finds an immediate and present danger of domestic violence, the court can issue a temporary injunction the same day, without the other side present. That temporary order lasts up to 15 days, and the court sets a full hearing before it expires. At the hearing, both sides can present evidence, and the judge decides whether to enter a final injunction.
There is no filing fee for a petition for protection against domestic violence; Florida law prohibits one.
(Source: Fla. Stat. § 741.30.)
What a Final Injunction Can Include
A final injunction is not a single standard order; the judge shapes its terms to the situation. Depending on the case, it can bar contact and communication, keep the respondent away from a home, workplace, or school, make temporary arrangements for time-sharing with children, and require participation in programs the court deems appropriate. Because those terms can shape daily life on both sides for a long time, the details argued at the hearing matter as much as the outcome itself.
(Source: Fla. Stat. § 741.30.)
If You Are Responding to an Injunction
An injunction case has two sides, and we also advise people who have been served with one. A temporary injunction can restrict where you go, how you communicate, and other parts of daily life, and violating it carries serious consequences even if you believe the allegations are wrong. The full hearing is your opportunity to be heard, and preparing for it matters: the outcome can affect your home, your reputation, and any related family law case.
How an Injunction Affects Family Law Matters
An injunction can overlap with a divorce or a time-sharing case. For example, it may affect where a parent can go and how the parents communicate, and it can be one of the circumstances a court considers when deciding what is in a child's best interest. We help clients understand how an injunction fits with their other family law matters, including time-sharing and divorce.
(Source: Fla. Stat. § 61.13.)
Getting Help in Miami-Dade
If you are in immediate danger, call 911 first. For the court process, Miami-Dade has a Domestic Violence Intake Unit at the Lawson Thomas Courthouse that handles injunction filings, and the National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-7233) is available at any hour. From our Brickell office, we help clients on either side of an injunction understand the process in English and Spanish; our family law overview covers how these cases connect to the rest of family court.
(Source: Miami-Dade Clerk.)
This is general information about Florida law, not legal advice. How these rules apply depends on the details of your situation. Talking with an attorney is the clearest way to understand what they mean for you.