Legal Resources & Self-Help
Pursuant to Florida Statutes, the Clerk of Court shall provide ministerial assistance* (*procedural information needed to insure that litigants representing themselves -- "pro se" -- have meaningful access to the civil justice system). Assistance shall NOT include the providing of legal advice.
If you are a low income resident and you have questions that require legal advice, please contact an attorney, or reach out to one of the free legal aid centers in our area that is available to you - Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida or St. Michael's Legal Center.
You can also get free help by downloading a free app to your mobile device from the Florida Courts that contains help for people representing themselves in Family Law cases (divorce, adoption, orders of protection, name change, and other family law issues), including Court-approved family law forms that can be filled out on the device; links and contact information for help centers all around Florida; plain-language instructions and descriptions of first steps and next actions; links for a full range of legal help from multiple online resources, free and low-cost legal services, lawyer referrals and other information, including eligibility criteria; and user-friendly instructions for initial steps and pointers about what happens next.
Additional resources are available for pro se parties on the 5th Judicial Circuit Court's website
File without an Attorney (Pro Se)
A Self-Represented Litigant (Pro Se) is a person who appears in court without the assistance of a lawyer. Read the Florida Bar's "Pro Se Handbook: Representing Yourself on Appeal" and the Florida Court's "Preparing for Court: Courtroom Expectations".
Where do you get the forms that you need to create a filing?
You can find the forms you need on our forms page. You can also download a free app to your mobile device from the Florida Courts that contains help for people representing themselves in Family Law cases (divorce, adoption, orders of protection, name change, and other family law issues), including Court-approved family law forms that can be filled out on the device; links and contact information for help centers all around Florida; plain-language instructions and descriptions of first steps and next actions; links for a full range of legal help from multiple online resources, free and low-cost legal services, lawyer referrals and other information, including eligibility criteria; and user-friendly instructions for initial steps and pointers about what happens next.
How can you prepare a filing?
Paper form packets can be downloaded here. After completing the forms, you can e-File them through the FCCC ePortal, or visit us in person at any of our locations.