Family Law

Family Law handles cases which involve dissolution of marriage, name change, domestic violence and repeat violence injunctions, adoptions, paternity issues, and support issues (child or spousal).

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Forms and Assistance

Family Law (click here for the Florida Supreme Court Family Court Self-Help Center)

Affidavit of Direct Payments for NON-IV (DOR) cases
Civil Indigence Application
Family Law Handbook
Kinship Care Legal Handbook: A Guide for Relative Caregivers
Name Change Information
Party Information Sheet
Petition for Annulment of Marriage
Pro Se Case Management
Pro Se Litigant Information
Pro Se Litigant Packets
Where Can I Find Resources and Assistance?
Which Packet of Family Law Forms is Right for Me?

Request for Child Support Audit
Request to Initiate Suspension of Driver's License and Motor Vehicle Registration
Respondent Information Sheet for Injunctions
SDU Direct Deposit



Child Support FAQ'S(850) 606-4150

How can child support be paid?

You may pay online by credit card or electronic check; from your bank checking or savings account; by cash through Amscot, MoneyGram, and Western Union; and by mail. For more information, click here.

How do I enforce my child support order?

  • DOR is the primary public agency to provide public child support enforcement activities. This is a link to the Child Support Enforcement Program section of DOR's website
  • The Florida Supreme Court provides forms for child support enforcement for pro se litigants here.

How do I get information about payments?

You can use DOR's child support eservices online or DOR's SDU Voice Response System at 1-877-769-0251. You will need your social security number and case number to obtain payment information. For more information, click here.

May I get payments by direct deposit or debit card?

Yes, the SDU permits both for IV-D cases. For more information, and the DOR options form, click here. For non IV-D cases, you can still get direct deposit by completing this form and returning it to our office.

What is the State Disbursement Unit?

In 1999, federal law required the State of Florida to collect child support through a state disbursement unit (SDU). Pursuant to Section 61.1824, Florida Statutes; the Federal Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1999 (commonly known as the Welfare Reform Act); and Title IV-D of the federal Social Security Act, the Florida Department of Revenue (DOR) created the SDU to provide one central address for the collection and disbursement of child support payments in cases enforced by DOR (also known as IV-D cases).



Child Support Driver License Suspension FAQ'S (850) 606-4150

How do I qualify for the program?

  • You must have a Leon County child support order and provide the following information to our office:
    • Case Number
    • Payer's date of birth
    • Payer's social security number
    • Payer's last known address
  • You must not currently be under contract with the Florida Department of Revenue Child Support Enforcement Program.
  • Your child support payments must be paid through the State Disbursement Unit.
  • If your child support payments are made monthly, semi-monthly, or biweekly, payment must be 30 days' delinquent. If your payments are made weekly, payment must be 15 days' delinquent.
  • The payer must have a Florida driver license.

How do I sign up?

  • You may fill out a request form in the Family Law Division of the Clerk's Office, located in Suite 100 of the Leon County Courthouse, 301 South Monroe Street, Tallahassee, FL 32301; or
  • You may send us a letter requesting to participate in the program. Please include your case number.

How does the Program work?

  • Upon a delinquency of child support payments, a Notice of Intent to Suspend Driver License is mailed to the payer. Upon receiving the Notice, the payer has three options to avoid driver license suspension:
    • Pay the delinquency.
    • Enter into a written agreement for repayment of the delinquency with the payee.
    • File a Notice to Contest Driver License Suspension if there is a disagreement regarding the amount or if there is a claim of mistaken identity.
  • If the payer fails to select one of these options within 20 days from the date of the Notice, the Family Law Division will mail a request to suspend to DHSMV. Once suspended, the driver license cannot be reinstated until either the delinquency is paid in full or until the payer and payee enter into a written agreement for repayment of the delinquency.

What information will I need to provide to the Family Law Division?

  • Case Number
  • Payer's date of birth
  • Payer's social security number
  • Payer's last known address

What is the Child Driver License Suspension?

Pursuant to FS 61.13016, when a payer is 15 days' delinquent in making a payment in support in non-IV-D cases, and upon the request of the person expecting payment, the Clerk must provide notice to the payer of the delinquency and the intent to suspend by regular United States mail that is posted to the payer's last address of record with the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.



Dating, Domestic, Repeat, Sexual And Stalking Violence Injunctions FAQ'S (850) 606-4150

What community resources are available?

Counseling

  • Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-500-1119 or TDD (800) 621-4202.
  • Refuge House - 24 hour hotline 681-2111
Local Shelters Food and Clothes Rent & Utility Assistance Victim Services

What happens after the judge grants the injunction?

  • A hearing must be scheduled and the respondent must be personally served with a copy of the Petition, Notice of Hearing, and the Temporary Injunction. The hearing will be scheduled for the next available court session.
  • You will be provided with copies of these documents; you must attend the hearing or the injunction will be dismissed.
  • Any injunction granted by the Court will remain in effect until modified or dissolved by the judge. Copies of all injunctions are placed on file with local law enforcement agencies.

What is an injunction?

An injunction is a court order, also referred to as a restraining order, that directs a person not to have any contact with you.

What is the process for getting an injunction?

These statutes provide the requirements for each type of injunction. And this video explains the process in detail.

Where can I obtain an injunction?

  • The Refuge House has a volunteer office in the Leon County Courthouse and can be reached at 850-606-4157. Volunteers with this organization will provide counseling and assist in completing injunction forms and obtaining emergency shelter at the Refuge House.
  • Once the forms are completed, the Petition for Injunction should be filed with our office in the Leon County Courthouse, Suite 100, during normal business hours. Click here for our current hours of operation. Our staff will create the case and take the file to the judge for review; there is currently no filing fee for filing for an injunction. If the judge finds merit to the petition, a Temporary Injunction and Notice of Hearing will be entered.
  • During weekends and holidays, assistance may be sought at the Leon County Jail, located on Appleyard Drive, at 8:00 a.m., where a deputy clerk will be present and judge will be present.


Family Law FAQ'S (850) 606-4150

Are there other websites for me to read more about family law cases and forms I might need?

Please see below for our Forms & Assistance links.

How do I change my name?

Read this information sheet for details.

How do I file for divorce?

There are several divorce actions - simplified dissolution; dissolution of marriage with no children and no property; dissolution of marriage; and dissolution of marriage with children. The forms for your case may be found at this link. The forms provide instructions and the list of all requirements for your case - residency period; other forms that must be filed; etc.

What are family law cases?

Family law cases (also referred to as domestic relations cases) include adoption, child support, dissolution of marriage (divorce), domestic violence injunctions, name change, paternity, and other such cases that are filed with this office.