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

If you're in immediate danger, call 911. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-7233. Florida's statewide hotline is 1-800-500-1119.

Putnam County has something many rural counties lack: the Seventh Judicial Circuit's Family Self-Help Program sits in the same building as the courthouse, at 410 St. Johns Ave., Rm. 126, in Palatka. It's open Monday through Friday, 8am to noon and 1 to 5pm, at (386) 329-1911.

Filing for any of the five injunction types costs nothing: domestic violence, repeat violence, dating violence, sexual violence, or stalking. That's different from Putnam County's $408 dissolution filing fee.

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 Florida law requires a full hearing 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 Putnam 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 Putnam County, FL

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

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

Local notes for Putnam County, FL

The Family Self-Help Program operates inside the Putnam County Courthouse instead of a separate location. A petitioner filing here can get help with paperwork on the same trip as filing. Staff still cannot give legal advice or tell you what to write.

Once a judge signs the order, the Putnam County Sheriff's Office serves the respondent. This costs the petitioner nothing; the clerk pays for the service directly.

circuit7.org's general resources don't name a specific certified domestic violence center for Putnam County. Call the statewide hotline, 1-800-500-1119, for the most direct route to current local services if you live in Palatka.

Putnam County's population centers around Palatka, so the courthouse there serves the whole county from one location. The Family Self-Help Program sits in the same building, so you don't need a separate trip.

The same statewide injunction rules apply across Putnam and its Seventh Circuit neighbors: Flagler, St. Johns, and Volusia. Putnam's in-building self-help program is more convenient than what some neighboring counties offer.

For general background on the injunction process before visiting the Palatka courthouse, check Florida Courts Help. It's a statewide resource separate from the Seventh Circuit's own family court materials.

Bring photo identification and any prior police reports related to the incident when you file at the Palatka courthouse. These often speed up intake.

Official injunction resources in Putnam County, FL

Putnam County Courthouse handles restraining-orders filings, located at 410 St. Johns Ave., Rm. 126, Palatka 32177.

The filing fee is $0. E-filing is available through https://www.myflcourtaccess.com. Statewide Florida Courts E-Filing Portal applies. The Seventh Circuit's Family Court Self-Help Program assists self-represented parties with forms in person, right in the same courthouse.

Seventh Judicial Circuit Family Self-Help Program (https://circuit7.org/family-court-services/) can help with procedure and paperwork. Located at the Putnam County Courthouse, 410 St. Johns Ave., Rm. 126, Palatka, (386) 329-1911, Mon-Fri 8am-noon and 1-5pm. Assists self-represented litigants with proper court procedures and forms; cannot give legal advice.

• Seventh Judicial Circuit - Family Court Services
• Fla. Stat. 741.30 - Domestic Violence Injunction
• Form 12.980(a) - Petition for Injunction Against Domestic Violence
• Florida Courts E-Filing Portal

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

Putnam County, FL Injunction for Protection FAQs