Domestic Violence Department

Silvia Chestnut Evans, Manager
(561) 355-4864
E-Mail Us

Mission Statement

The employees of the Domestic Violence/Repeat Violence Division work effectively as a team to provide accurate and timely services to its customers by accepting and processing cases, documents and fees relating to Domestic Violence/Repeat Violence Injunctions, in keeping with statutory guidelines. The department maintains court files and an electronic docket and promptly provides information to its customers from those records.

The duties are accomplished while maintaining a workplace characterized by cooperation, professionalism, integrity, high ethical standards and a commitment to developing employees to their fullest potential.

About the Department

The Domestic Violence/Repeat Violence Department (DV/RV) assists petitioners in the following manner:

• Filing for Injunctions for Protection Against Domestic Violence or Injunctions for Protection Against Repeat Violence or Injunctions for Protection Against Dating Violence.
• Providing simplified forms and instructions for completion and filing
• Assisting in filing Affidavits describing a violation of an injunction.
• Providing the Petitioner (the person filing) with two (2) certified copies of the Injunction entered by the Court, one of which is serviceable.

What Is Domestic Violence?

Domestic Violence as used in F.S. 741.28 - 741.31: "Domestic Violence" means any assault, aggravated assault, battery, aggravated battery, sexual assault, sexual battery, stalking, aggravated stalking, kidnapping, false imprisonment or any criminal offense resulting in physical injury or death of one family or household member by another who is or was residing in the same single dwelling unit.

"Family or household member" means spouses, former spouses, persons related by blood or marriage, persons who are presently residing together as if a family or who have resided together in the past as if a family, and persons who have a child in common regardless of whether they have been married or have resided together at any time.

What is Repeat Violence?

Violence as used in Florida Statute 784.046, means any assault, battery, sexual battery, or stalking by a person against any other person. "Repeat Violence" means two incidents of violence or stalking committed by the respondent, one of which must have been within 6 months of the filing of the petition, which are directed against the petitioner or the petitioner's immediate family member.

What is Dating Violence?

Dating violence means violence between individuals who have or have had a continuing and significant relationship of a romantic or intimate nature.

When you wish to file a complaint, bring the following with you:

• Police reports or referral card furnished to you by the law enforcement officer, if any.
• Drivers license or identification which includes your picture and signature.
• Specific dates of abuse or threats of abuse.
• Specific locations where abuse or threats occurred.
• Mailing address of a friend or relative if you choose to keep your residence address "confidential" as provided by law.
• Picture of Respondent to provide to Sheriff's Department for service purposes.

In addition, you must know:

• Full legal name of respondent (alleged abuser).
• Physical description of respondent, including height, weight, scars, date of birth, etc.
• Current residence address of respondent, including telephone number, social security number, if possible, and drivers license number.
• Respondent's employer and employer's address and phone number, if possible.
• Respondent's vehicle information including make, model, color , year and tag number.

Filing Information:

There is no filing fee for an Injunction for Protection Against Domestic Violence, Repeat Violence or Dating Violence.

If the respondent is outside the State of Florida and service must be effected outside the State of Florida, you must be prepared to supply the Clerk with the following information:

• Name, address and phone number of Sheriff's Department who has jurisdiction over where respondent may be found
• Service fee for that jurisdiction to serve a Temporary Injunction; and if that jurisdiction will accept a personal check from Petitioner for payment of service .
• Petitioner will be responsible for payment of any sheriff service fees outside the State of Florida.

Request assistance as early in the day as possible, preferably before noon, to allow sufficient time to complete paperwork, and for the Court to review your paperwork.

LOCATIONS:

Palm Beach County Courthouse 205 North Dixie Highway West Palm Beach, FL 33401 (561) 355-2277	South County Courthouse 200 West Atlantic Avenue Delray Beach, FL 33444 (561) 274-1400
North County Courthouse 3188 PGA Blvd. Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410 (561) 624-6528	West County Courthouse 38844 State Road 80 Belle Glade, FL 33430 (561) 996-4843 or Toll Free (561)888-760-9208

County Civil Division Information:

Domestic Violence Information Injunction for Protection Against Domestic Violence

Injunctionfor Protection Against Repeat Violence

Divisions within Court Services:

Circuit Civil Domestic Violence Circuit Criminal Family Division County Civil Eviction

Juvenile County Criminal Probate/Mental Health P.B. County Locations Fees

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