Emergency Family-Law Resources in Florida
Official starting points for immediate safety, temporary child-related orders, protective orders, and Florida DCF.
Temporary orders involving children
Florida does not promise same-day rulings on any private emergency or temporary filing. Use the circuit court’s emergency / temporary procedure and approved forms, and confirm the receiving court’s local intake and deadlines.
For a parent or relative, a temporary-custody order can be requested under the circuit’s procedure; a parent usually proceeds through the family-division petition and the injunction route where applicable.
Domestic violence injunctions
A domestic violence injunction (protective order) is requested under Fla. Stat. § 741.30 by a family or household member. There is no filing fee. A judge may issue a temporary injunction ex parte pending a hearing. Obey every term; only the issuing court can change it.
Florida DCF and child protective investigations
Reports of abuse/neglect/abandonment go to the Florida Abuse Hotline at 1-800-962-2873 (24/7) or online; call 911 for immediate danger. A report can lead to a DCF child protective investigation and a juvenile dependency case under Chapter 39. A ruled-out or unsubstantiated finding does not prove a report was “false” and does not by itself end time-sharing.
- Fla. Stat. § 741.30 — domestic violence injunction
- Florida Courts — Family Law Forms
- Florida DCF — Abuse Hotline
Always confirm current local forms, fees, and filing procedure with the receiving court.