INSTRUCTIONS FOR FLORIDA SUPREME COURT APPROVED FAMILY LAW FORM 12.950(g) MOTION FOR CIVIL CONTEMPT AND/OR RETURN OF CHILD(REN) (11/15) When should this form be used? You may use this form to ask the court to enforce a prior court order, final judgment or to request the return of a child(ren) who has been relocated in violation of Section 61.13001, Florida Statutes . What should I do next? To initiate a civil contempt/enforcement proceeding against a party who has relocated with a child contrary to the requirements of a prior court order, or is otherwise not complying with a prior court order concerning relocation, or in the event there has been a relocation in violation of Section 61.13001, Florida Statutes, you must file a motion with the court explaining what the party has failed to do. This form should be typed or printed in black ink. After completing this form, you should sign it before a notary public or deputy clerk. You should then file the original with the clerk of the circuit court in the county where your case was filed and keep a copy for your records. IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING E-FILING The Florida Rules of Judicial Administration now require that all petitions, pleadings, and documents be filed electronically except in certain circumstances. Self-represented litigants may file petitions or other pleadings or documents electronically; however, they are not required to do so. If you choose to file your pleadings or other documents electronically, you must do so in accordance with Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 2.525, and you must follow the procedures of the judicial circuit in which you file. The rules and procedures should be carefully read and followed. IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING E-SERVICE ELECTION After the initial service of process of the petition or supplemental petition by the Sheriff or certified process server, the Florida Rules of Judicial Administration now require that all documents required or permitted to be served on the other party must be served by electronic mail (e-mail) except in certain circumstances. You must strictly comply with the format requirements set forth in the Rules of Judicial Administration. If you elect to participate in electronic service, which means serving or receiving pleadings by electronic mail (e-mail), or through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal, you must review Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 2.516. You may find this rule at www.flcourts.org through the link to the Rules of Judicial Administration provided under either Family Law Forms: Getting Started, or Rules of Court in the A-Z Topical Index. SELF-REPRESENTED LITIGANTS MAY SERVE DOCUMENTS BY E-MAIL; HOWEVER, THEY ARE NOT REQUIRED TO DO SO. If a self-represented litigant elects to serve and receive documents by e-mail, the procedures must always be followed once the initial election is made. To serve and receive documents by e-mail, you must designate your e-mail addresses by using the Designation of Current Mailing and E-mail Address, Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form Instructions for Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.950(g), Motion for Civil Contempt and/or Return of Child(ren) (11/15) American LegalNet, Inc. www.FormsWorkFlow.com 12.915, and you must provide your e-mail address on each form on which your signature appears. Please CAREFULLY read the rules and instructions for: Certificate of Service (General), Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.914; Designation of Current Mailing and E-mail Address, Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.915; and Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 2.516. A copy of this form must be personally served by a sheriff or private process server or mailed*, e-mailed* or hand delivered to any other party(ies) in your case. *Please note that if notice is mailed or e-mailed, the court in certain circumstances may not consider mailing or e-mailing to be adequate notice. If you want to be sure, you should have the motion personally served. This is a technical area of the law; if you have any questions about it, you should consult a lawyer. For more information on personal service, see the instructions for Summons: Personal Service on an Individual, Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure Form 12.910(a). The court will then set a hearing. You should check with the clerk of court, judicial assistant, or family law intake staff for information on the local procedure for scheduling a hearing. Once you know the time and date of the hearing, you will need to complete Notice of Hearing on Motion for Contempt/Enforcement, Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.961, Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.921, or Order of Referral to General Magistrate, Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure Form 12.920(b), which will specify a time and place for a hearing on the issue. A copy of the form you used to schedule the hearing must be mailed, e-mailed, or hand-delivered to the other party. Again, if notice is mailed or e-mailed, the court in certain circumstances may not consider that to be adequate notice. If you want to be sure, you should have the notice personally served. This is a technical area of the law; if you have any questions about it, you should consult a lawyer. For more information on personal service, see the instructions for Summons: Personal Service on an Individual, Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure Form 12.910(a). At the hearing, as in other civil proceedings, you, as the party seeking contempt or return of children, will have the burden of proof. The other party will have an opportunity to put on defenses, if any apply. If the judge finds the other party to be in willful contempt or in violation of Section 61.13001, Florida Statutes, the judge may order appropriate sanctions to compel compliance or return of the child(ren) by the other party, including jail, payment of attorneys' fees, suit money, court costs, coercive or compensatory fines, and may order any other relief permitted by law. Where can I look for more information? Before proceeding, you should read "General Information for Self-Represented Litigants" found at the beginning of these forms. See also section 61.14, Florida Statutes and rule 12.615, Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure. Remember, a person who is NOT an attorney is called a nonlawyer. If a nonlawyer helps you fill out these forms, that person must give you a copy of Disclosure from Nonlawyer, Florida