You can try to talk to a domestic violence advocate to find out what the problem was. It might just be something wrong in the paperwork. If possible, ask the clerk if you can correct the problem and re-submit the petition. If the judge found that you did not have any allegations of domestic violence (according to its legal definition), you can always reapply if another incident happens.

If you didn’t already have a lawyer, it may be necessary at this point to contact a lawyer to get specific advice on your situation. You will find contact information for legal assistance on the FL Finding a Lawyer page of this website.

You may want to view our Safety Tips page as well, for other ways you can increase your safety.