If you are in immediate danger, call 911.
For free, confidential support 24 hours a day, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (1-800-799-SAFE), or text START to 88788. Help is available in many languages, and your call does not create any court record.
Updated July 2026
Injunction for Protection (Restraining Order) in Escambia County, Florida
How to ask for an injunction for protection against domestic violence in Escambia County, FL, from the forms you file at the First Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, Escambia County to temporary orders, the hearing, and where to find local help. There is no fee to file, and you do not need a lawyer to start.
If you are in immediate danger, call 911. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-7233. Florida's statewide hotline is 1-800-500-1119.
To file an injunction for protection in Escambia County, start at the Clerk's Family Law Division, second floor of the M.C. Blanchard Judicial Building, 190 W Government St, Pensacola. Filing costs nothing, whether the petition covers domestic violence, repeat violence, dating violence, sexual violence, or stalking. Florida law bars the clerk from charging a fee.
A judge can review the petition and sign a temporary injunction the same day, before the respondent gets notice, if the facts show immediate and present danger. That temporary order lasts up to 15 days, and Florida law requires a full hearing, with both people present, before it expires.
Once the judge signs the order, the Escambia County Sheriff's Office serves the respondent at no charge. The clerk pays the agency directly instead of billing the petitioner.
How an injunction for protection works in Florida
An injunction for protection against domestic violence (Fla. Stat. 741.30) is for someone you have a close relationship with, such as a spouse or former spouse, someone you live with or used to live with as a family, a co-parent, or a close relative. Florida has related injunctions for repeat violence, dating violence, sexual violence, and stalking that may apply instead if the relationship does not fit the domestic violence category.Florida uses the same statewide forms in every county, including Escambia County, FL. The basic steps are:
- File a Petition for Injunction for Protection Against Domestic Violence (Florida Supreme Court approved family law form 12.980(a)) at the courthouse. There is no filing fee.
- A judge reviews your petition, often the same day, and can grant a temporary injunction that lasts until your hearing.
- The other person is served with the paperwork and can respond.
- You attend a full hearing, generally within about 15 days of a temporary injunction.
- If the judge grants a final injunction, it can last a fixed term or until further order of the court, and can be extended.
An injunction for protection can do more than order someone to stay away. It can set temporary time-sharing with children, require the other person to leave a shared home, and require them to surrender firearms. Local domestic violence advocates and the clerk's office can help you fill out the forms, often at no cost.
Where to file in Escambia County, FL
Injunction requests in Escambia County, FL are filed with the First Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, Escambia County. Because courthouse locations, hours, and local domestic violence resources change over time, confirm current details using the Florida court clerk directory:
Find the Escambia County, FL Clerk of Court (Florida court clerk directory)
Local notes for Escambia County, FL
Escambia County uses five separate petition forms, matched to the relationship and the type of violence involved: 12.980(a) for domestic violence, 12.980(f) for repeat violence, 12.980(n) for dating violence, 12.980(q) for sexual violence, and 12.980(t) for stalking. The Family Law Division keeps all five on hand and can confirm which one fits a given situation, though staff cannot tell someone which facts to include or how to argue their case.
FavorHouse of Northwest Florida has served as the certified domestic violence center for both Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties since 1980. Its 24-hour line, 850-434-6600, can walk a caller through shelter, safety planning, and what to expect at the courthouse before a petition is even filed.
Mail for the Family Law Division goes to PO Box 333, Pensacola FL 32591-0333. An injunction petition, especially one that needs same-day attention, should be brought in person to the Government Center counter rather than mailed.
Official injunction resources in Escambia County, FL
M.C. Blanchard Judicial Building handles restraining-orders filings, located at 190 W Government St, Pensacola 32502.
The filing fee is $0. E-filing is available through https://www.myflcourtaccess.com. Florida Courts E-Filing Portal is available statewide; a petitioner can also walk the paperwork straight to the Family Law Division counter, which is the more common route for an injunction filed the same day as an incident.
Escambia County Clerk Family Law Division (https://escambiaclerk.com/189/Family-Law-Forms) can help with procedure and paperwork. Family Law Division, M.C. Blanchard Judicial Building, 190 Governmental Center, 2nd Floor, Pensacola FL 32502 (mailing: Family Law, PO Box 333, Pensacola FL 32591-0333). Clerk staff can hand over injunction packets and confirm forms are complete, but cannot give legal advice.
- Escambia County Clerk - Family Law Forms
- Fla. Stat. 741.30 - Domestic Violence Injunction
- Form 12.980(a) - Petition for Injunction Against Domestic Violence
- FavorHouse of Northwest Florida
Local details reviewed August 2026. Offices and locations can change, so confirm with the official sites above before you file.
Escambia County, FL Injunction for Protection FAQs
Where do I file for an injunction for protection in Escambia County?
File at the Clerk's Family Law Division, 2nd floor of the M.C. Blanchard Judicial Building, 190 W Government St, Pensacola FL 32502. Staff there can hand over the correct petition form and confirm it is complete, though they cannot give legal advice or help decide what to write.
Does it cost anything to file for a restraining order in Escambia County?
No. Fla. Stat. 741.30(2)(a) prohibits a filing fee for a domestic violence injunction, and 784.046(3)(b) does the same for repeat, dating, and sexual violence petitions. Service on the respondent by the Sheriff's Office is also free, since the clerk covers that cost directly.
How fast can I get a temporary order in Escambia County?
If the petition shows immediate and present danger, a judge can sign a temporary injunction the same day, without first notifying the respondent, under Fla. Stat. 741.30(5)(a). That order holds for up to 15 days while the case moves toward a full hearing.
When is the full hearing after a temporary injunction is issued in Escambia County?
State law requires the full hearing, where both the petitioner and respondent can appear, to happen before the temporary injunction expires, no later than 15 days after it was signed. The court clerk's notice states the exact date and time.
Who serves the respondent in an Escambia County injunction case?
The Escambia County Sheriff's Office serves the respondent once a judge signs the order. This costs the petitioner nothing, because the clerk pays the agency directly, capped at $20 per Fla. Stat. 741.30(2)(a), rather than billing the person who filed.
Is there a domestic violence shelter or hotline for Escambia County?
FavorHouse of Northwest Florida has been the certified domestic violence center for Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties since 1980, offering shelter and safety planning. Its 24-hour hotline is 850-434-6600, and Florida's statewide hotline, 1-800-500-1119, can also connect a caller to local services.
This page is general information about Florida domestic violence injunction procedure in Escambia County, FL, not legal advice for your situation, and it is not a substitute for help in an emergency. If you are in danger, call 911, or reach the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233. Court locations, forms, and resources change; always confirm current details with the First Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, Escambia County, a local domestic violence advocate, or the official Florida family court self-help program resources. Virdix is not a law firm and is not a substitute for an attorney.
Restraining order guides for nearby counties
Preparing family court paperwork in Escambia County, FL
If your situation also involves divorce, custody, or support, Virdix can help you prepare the related Florida Supreme Court approved family law forms so your paperwork is complete and consistent. For the injunctionitself, the court and local advocates provide the forms at no cost.
If the court clerk rejects a document we prepared, we fix it for free until it's accepted. See how the guarantee works