INSTRUCTIONS FOR FLORIDA SUPREME COURT APPROVED FAMILY LAW FORM 12.980(n) PETITION FOR INJUNCTION FOR PROTECTION AGAINST DATING VIOLENCE (11/15) When should this form be used? If you are a victim of dating violence, and have reasonable cause to believe you are in imminent danger of becoming the victim of another act of dating violence, or if you have reasonable cause to believe that you are in imminent danger of becoming a victim of dating violence, you can use this form to ask the court for a protective order prohibiting dating violence. Dating violence means violence between individuals who have or have had a continuing and significant relationship of a romantic or intimate nature. The dating relationship must have existed within the past six months, the nature of the relationship must have been characterized by the expectation of affection or sexual involvement between the parties, and the frequency and type of interaction must have included that the persons have been involved over time and on a continuous basis during the course of the relationship. Dating violence does not include violence in a casual acquaintanceship or violence between individuals who have only engaged in ordinary fraternization in a business or social context. Dating violence includes assault, aggravated assault, battery, aggravated battery, sexual assault, sexual battery, stalking, aggravated stalking, kidnapping, or false imprisonment, or any criminal offense resulting in physical injury or death. Because you are making a request to the court, you are called the petitioner. The person whom you are asking the court to protect you from is called the respondent. If you are under the age of eighteen and have never been married or had the disabilities of nonage removed by a court, one of your parents or your legal guardian must sign this petition on your behalf. If you are filing on behalf of a child or children The parent or legal guardian of any minor child who is living at home may seek an injunction for protection against dating violence on behalf of the minor child. With respect to a minor child who is living at home, if the party against whom the protective injunction is sought is also a parent, stepparent, or legal guardian, you, as the parent or legal guardian filing the petition, must have been an eyewitness to, or have direct physical evidence or affidavits from eye-witnesses of, the specific facts and circumstances that form the basis of the petition. if the party against whom the protective injunction is sought is a person OTHER THAN a parent, stepparent, or legal guardian of the minor child, you, as the parent or legal guardian filing the petition, must state why you have reasonable cause to believe that the minor child is a victim of dating violence. Additional Information If the respondent is your spouse, former spouse, related to you by blood or marriage, living with you now or has lived with you in the past (if you are or were living as a family), or the other parent of your child(ren), whether or not you have ever been married or ever lived together, you should use Petition for Injunction for Protection Against Domestic Violence, Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Instructions for Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.980(n), Petition for Injunction for Protection Against Dating Violence (11/15) American LegalNet, Inc. www.FormsWorkFlow.com Form 12.980(a), rather than this form. This form should be typed or printed in black ink. You should complete this form (giving as much detail as possible) and sign it the presence of a notary or in front of the clerk of the circuit court in the county where you live. The clerk will take your completed petition to a judge. You should keep a copy for your records. If you have any questions or need assistance completing this form, the clerk or family law intake staff will help you. What should I do if the judge grants my petition? If the facts contained in your petition convince the judge that an immediate and present danger of dating violence exists, the judge will sign a Temporary Injunction for Protection Against Dating Violence, Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.980(o). A temporary injunction is issued without notice to the respondent. The clerk will give your petition, the temporary injunction, and any other papers filed with your petition to the sheriff or other law enforcement officer for personal service on the respondent. The temporary injunction will take effect immediately after the respondent is served with a copy of it. It lasts until a full hearing can be held or for a period of 15 days, whichever comes first. The court may extend the temporary injunction beyond 15 days for a good reason, which may include failure to obtain service on the respondent. The temporary injunction is issued ex parte. This means that the judge has considered only the information presented by one side--YOU. Section I of the temporary injunction gives a date that you should appear in court for a hearing. You will be expected to testify about the facts in your petition. The respondent will be given the opportunity to testify at this hearing, also. At the hearing, the judge will decide whether to issue a Final Judgment of Injunction for Protection Against Dating Violence (After Notice), Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.980(p), which will remain in effect for a specific time period or until modified or dissolved by the court. If you and/or the respondent do not appear, the temporary injunction may be continued in force, extended, or dismissed, and/or additional orders may be granted, including entry of a permanent injunction and the imposition of court costs. You and respondent will be bound by the terms of any injunction or order issued at the final hearing. IF EITHER YOU OR RESPONDENT DO NOT APPEAR AT THE FINAL HEARING, YOU WILL BOTH BE BOUND BY THE TERMS OF ANY INJUNCTION OR ORDER ISSUED IN THIS MATTER. If the judge signs a temporary or final injunction, the clerk will provide you with the necessary copies. Make sure that you keep one certified copy of the injunction with you at all times! What can I do if the judge denies my petition? If your petition is denied on the grounds that it appears to the court that no immediate and present danger of dating violence exists, the court will set a full hearing on your petition. The respondent will be notified by personal service of your petition and the hearing. 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