Injunction for Protection (Restraining Order) in Sumter 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.

Sumter County includes a large share of The Villages retirement community. Still, the courthouse for filing an injunction for protection is the Sumter County Judicial Center, 215 E McCollum Ave, in Bushnell, no matter which part of the county you live in.

None of the five injunction types, domestic violence, repeat violence, dating violence, sexual violence, or stalking, carries a filing fee. Compare that to Sumter County's $397.50 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. That order lasts up to 15 days, and Florida 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 Sumter 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 Sumter County, FL

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

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

Local notes for Sumter County, FL

The Sumter County Self-Help Center now works remotely instead of in person. Reach it at 352-569-6949 or SumterFamilySelfHelp@circuit5.org, Monday through Friday, except for the noon-to-1pm closure. That setup suits reviewing a case you've already filed better than the urgent, first step of filing an injunction.

Once a judge signs the order, the Sumter County Sheriff's Office serves the respondent at no cost to the petitioner. The clerk pays for that service directly.

The Villages spans into neighboring counties, so a Sumter County resident near that border should confirm which county's courthouse covers their specific address before filing. Jurisdiction follows the county line, not the community's name.

Sumter County's population growth, driven largely by The Villages, has outpaced some of the infrastructure built for a smaller, more rural county. That may explain why its self-help center now operates remotely instead of in person.

A petitioner moving between Sumter and its Fifth Circuit neighbors, Citrus, Hernando, Lake, and Marion, will find the same statewide injunction rules apply everywhere, even though each county runs its self-help program differently.

A petitioner unsure which of the five 12.980 forms fits their situation can ask the Bushnell courthouse counter directly. Staff can point to the correct petition, though state law bars them from commenting on the facts of the case.

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

Official injunction resources in Sumter County, FL

Sumter County Judicial Center handles restraining-orders filings, located at 215 E McCollum Ave, Bushnell 33513.

The filing fee is $0. E-filing is available through https://www.myflcourtaccess.com. Statewide portal, also linked directly from sumterclerk.com/online-services/e-filing/; self-represented parties may still file on paper at the counter, and a filing-fee waiver is available via an Affidavit of Insolvency for other case types.

Fifth Judicial Circuit Sumter County Self-Help Center (https://www.circuit5.org/self-help-center/sumter-county-self-help-center/) can help with procedure and paperwork. Mon-Fri 8:00am-5:00pm (closed noon-1pm), currently remote-only service (352-569-6949 / SumterFamilySelfHelp@circuit5.org); provides procedural information and checklists for dissolution, name change, paternity, adoption, and custody matters.

• Fifth Judicial Circuit - Sumter County Self-Help Center
• Fla. Stat. 741.30 - Domestic Violence Injunction
• Form 12.980(t) - Petition for Injunction Against Stalking
• Fifth Judicial Circuit - Domestic Violence Injunctions

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

Sumter County, FL Injunction for Protection FAQs