The Family Law Department handles dissolutions of marriage, child support, paternity, civil injunctions for domestic, repeat, sexual and dating violence, and other family-law related issues. Clerk staff provide assistance to self represented individuals by providing basic information and through referral to the Court’s Self Help Program.
Domestic Violence (including repeat, sexual and dating violence) petitioners are assisted through the process of filing for an Injunction for Protection, by a specially trained Domestic Violence Team. Continuing support for the parties includes providing information regarding court attendance, referral information and assistance with filing subsequent petitions for dismissal, modification, enforcement and affidavits of violation relating to the Injunctions. These cases are handled only in the Polk County Courthouse in Bartow and the main number for Domestic Violence is 863-534-4180.
Court services are available in Bartow at the Polk County Courthouse at 255 North Broadway, phone 863-534-4488, in Lakeland at 930 E. Parker Street, Room 240, phone 863-603-6412; and Winter Haven-Haines City Branch at the Northeast Polk County Government Center, 3425 Lake Alfred Road, 7 Gill Jones Center, Winter Haven, Fl 33881, phone 863-401-2400. All locations are open Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.