Injunction for Protection (Restraining Order) in Madison County, Florida

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.

Madison and Taylor Counties share a dedicated line, 850-584-8808, run by Refuge House. It's separate from the main Tallahassee hotline that covers the rest of the Big Bend region, so callers here skip routing through the larger county's number.

To file for an injunction, go to the Madison County Courthouse at 125 SW Range Avenue in Madison. None of the five injunction types, domestic violence, repeat violence, dating violence, sexual violence, or stalking, carries a filing fee under Florida law.

A judge can sign a temporary injunction the same day, without notifying the respondent first, if the petition shows immediate and present danger. The order lasts up to 15 days, and state law requires the full hearing to happen before it expires.

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 Madison County, FL. The basic steps are:

1. 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.
2. A judge reviews your petition, often the same day, and can grant a temporary injunction that lasts until your hearing.
3. The other person is served with the paperwork and can respond.
4. You attend a full hearing, generally within about 15 days of a temporary injunction.
5. 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 Madison County, FL

Injunction requests in Madison County, FL are filed with the Third Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, Madison County. Because courthouse locations, hours, and local domestic violence resources change over time, confirm current details using the Florida court clerk directory:

Find the Madison County, FL Clerk of Court (Florida court clerk directory)

Local notes for Madison County, FL

Madison County's clerk website has no self-help center or family law forms page. The Court Services and Circuit Civil Court pages mostly link out to statewide e-filing and payment portals, so plan to get the 12.980 form from flcourts.gov or ask the courthouse counter directly.

Once a judge signs the order, the Madison County Sheriff's Office serves the respondent. The petitioner isn't billed for that service; the clerk pays for it directly.

Refuge House's separate Madison/Taylor line reflects how this pair of counties, set apart from Tallahassee, gets a more direct connection into the Big Bend region's shelter and advocacy services.

Madison County sits along the Georgia border, roughly equidistant from Tallahassee and Live Oak, which puts it at a natural crossing point between two domestic violence service areas: Refuge House to the west and Another Way, Inc. to the east. Still, Refuge House's dedicated Madison/Taylor line is the one built specifically for this county.

Petitioners filing here can expect the Madison County Courthouse counter to serve as the main source of procedural help, since the clerk's website has no separate self-help portal.

Anyone who wants general background on the injunction process before visiting the Madison courthouse can consult Florida Courts Help, a statewide resource independent of Madison County's limited website.

Official injunction resources in Madison County, FL

Madison County Courthouse handles restraining-orders filings, located at 125 SW Range Avenue, Madison 32340.

The filing fee is $0. E-filing is available through https://www.myflcourtaccess.com. Statewide e-filing portal applies, though most petitioners in Madison County file in person at the Madison courthouse for same-day judicial review.

The self-help center can help with procedure and paperwork. No dedicated self-help center or family law forms page was found on madisonclerk.com. Court Services and Circuit Civil Court pages list case types but link out only to statewide e-filing and payment portals.

• Fla. Stat. 741.30 - Domestic Violence Injunction
• Form 12.980(f) - Petition for Injunction Against Repeat Violence
• Florida Courts E-Filing Portal
• Refuge House

Local details reviewed August 2026. Offices and locations can change, so confirm with the official sites above before you file.

Madison County, FL Injunction for Protection FAQs