Florida
Other Places to Find Legal Help Resources and Information: The information and links provided below are a compilation of resources that may assist you in addressing your legal issue. The information on this page is not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. It is always best to consult an attorney about your legal rights and responsibilities in your particular case.
To Hire or Consult with an Attorney:
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The Florida Bar Lawyer Referral Service - The Florida Bar Lawyer Referral Service is a public service designed to make it easy for consumers to connect to trusted, verified attorneys. You get matched with a lawyer in minutes. All attorneys have active and verified Florida licensure and malpractice insurance.
Florida Courts HELP App:
- HELP App - Florida Courts Help is your guide to direct you through the court system. Here you will find information about local self-help centers, free and low-cost legal aid, and family law forms. Please note that the information provided through the self-help app or the website is NOT legal advice and should not be considered as such. If you have a question about a specific issue, or do not understand the information presented, please contact an attorney. The Florida Courts Help app works on Apple and Android phones and tablets. The app offers in one place information for people seeking a divorce, adoption, orders of protection, name change, and other family law issues.
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The app also puts help at the fingertips for any mobile device user, with:
- Supreme Court-approved family law forms that can be filled out on the device.
- Links and contact information for help centers all around the state.
- Plain-language instructions and descriptions of first steps and next actions.
- Pointers and contact 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.
- User-friendly instructions for initial steps and pointers about what happens next.
DIY Florida:
What Interviews Are Currently Available Through DIY Florida?
Complaint for Landlord to Evict Tenants - These interviews should be completed by a landlord or landlords seeking to evict tenants only.
Answer to Complaint for Eviction - This interview should be completed by a tenant who has received a complaint for eviction.
Small Claims Statement of Claim – This interview should be completed to justify a right to sue to obtain money, property, or the enforcement of a right against another party. Small claims cases are limited to those where the dollar amount (or the value of the property) involved is $8,000.00 or less, excluding costs, interest, and attorneys' fees. The claims that you can make using this interview are the eight claim types that are included as part of Forms 7.330 through 7.337, Florida Small Claims Rules:
- Auto Negligence
- Goods Sold
- Work Done/Materials Furnished
- Money Lent
- Promissory Note
- Return of Stolen Property from Pawnbroker
- Return of Property from a Government Agency
- Account Stated
Small Claims Answer - This interview should be completed by someone who has received a Statement of Claim, to create an answer to that statement of claim in a small claims case.
Florida Interpersonal Violence Interviews - Nine interviews have been programmed to generate one of the Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Forms that pertain to interpersonal violence after a series of questions are answered by the self-represented litigant. Interviews are available for the following forms:
- 12.980(f) - Petition for Injunction for Protection Against Repeat Violence
- 12.980(a) - Petition for Injunction for Protection Against Domestic Violence
- 12.980(i) - Motion for Extension of Injunction for Protection Against Domestic, Repeat, Dating or Sexual Violence or Stalking
- 12.980(g) - Supplemental Affidavit in Support of Petition for Injunction for Protection Against Domestic, Repeat, Dating, or Sexual Violence or Stalking
- 12.980(j) - Motion for Modification of Injunction for Protection Against Domestic, Repeat, Dating or Sexual Violence or Stalking
- 12.980(n) - Petition for Injunction for Protection Against Dating Violence
- 12.980(q) - Petition for Injunction for Protection Against Sexual Violence
- 12.980(t) - Petition for Injunction for Protection Against Stalking
- 12.980(w) - Petition by Affidavit for Order to Show Cause for a Violation of Final Judgment of Injunction for Protection Against Domestic, Repeat, Dating or Sexual Violence or Stalking
Free Legal Information and Resources:
- Consumer Pamphlets - The Florida Bar offers 47 consumer pamphlets in English and 40 in Spanish as a service for consumers. These pamphlets are not a substitute for hiring an attorney, but they provide basic legal information about the topics they cover.
- Legal Aid Programs: Search for a legal aid program in your county.
- Law Libraries - Law Libraries located around the state are open to the public and offer access to legal research databases. Law Librarians can help you research your case but they are not permitted to give legal advice.
- FloridaLawHelp.org - Ability to select your legal issue, answer a few questions, and be directed to helpful resources.
- Florida Bar's Consumer Pamphlets and Videos - The Florida Bar provides information to the public on certain general areas of law as well as specific issues.
- Self Help Centers Near You - Access to information regarding local self-help programs throughout the state.
- Legal Assistance and Information for Elders - Access to legal assistance, information, elder abuse, and exploitation.
- Older Floridians Handbook - This booklet is intended to be an easy reference source and guide for older Floridians. It contains useful legal and program information on topics of special interest to persons age 60 and older, but by no means is it limited in value only to older adults. Persons of all ages should find this booklet informative and helpful.
- Bankruptcy Forms: Access to bankruptcy forms.
- Family Law Forms - Supreme Court of Florida approved Family Law Forms; petitions, answers, supporting documents, custody and many other forms.
- Domestic Violence – Information
- Custody / Dependency – Information
- Landlord and Tenant Forms- Access to forms and residential leases.
- The Tenant's Handbook - Tenant Rights Under Florida Law | Bay Area Legal Services (bals.org) - The Tenant's handbook attempts to provide you with an overview of your rights and responsibilities as a tenant under Florida law.
- Probate Information - For more information regarding Probate forms, please see the Florida Probate Code (Chapters 731 through 735 of the Florida Statutes)
- Small Claims - Information relating to Small Claims Actions.
- Guardianship Matters Information
- Power of Attorney – Statutes and Information
- Healthcare Advanced Directives – Forms and Information; To download the individual forms click the following:
- Living Will
- Designation of Health Care Surrogate
- Designation of Health Care Surrogate for a Minor
- Donor Form
- Wallet Card about your Advance Directive
Produced and distributed by the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration. This publication can be copied for public use. To view or print other publications from the Agency for Health Care Administration please visit www.FloridaHealthFinder.gov.
- Self Represented Appellate Handbook - Provided by The Florida Bar Appellate Practice Section.
- Preparing for Court: Court Expectations - Lawyers who appear in court must follow the court’s rules of behavior and conduct. People who appear in court without a lawyer must follow the same rules of behavior. Information on The Process: What Happens in Court.
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: help for homeowners and renters.
- Florida Department of Children and Families - To apply for food assistance, cash assistance (TANF) or Medicaid, individuals should go to https://www.myflorida.com/accessflorida/. If you are an individual with a disability and need help with the application process or other ACCESS services, please find the region point of contact listed at the following website: https://www.myflfamilies.com/service-programs/individual-with-disability/auxiliary-aids-plan.shtml.
- Rights and Duties of Tenants and Landlord - Consumer Pamphlet from The Florida Bar.
- Landlord Tenant Forms - These landlord-tenant forms have been approved by the Florida Supreme Court. However, because the law is continually changing, there is no guarantee that these forms comport with current law. These forms are not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. It is always best to consult an attorney about your legal rights and responsibilities in your particular case.
Hurricane Disaster Information:
- Consumer Pamphlets - The Florida Bar offers 47 consumer pamphlets in English and 40 in Spanish as a service for consumers. These pamphlets are not a substitute for hiring an attorney, but they provide basic legal information about the topics they cover.
- Disaster Mental Heath Services - When disaster strikes, often people react with increased anxiety, worry and anger. With support from community and family, most of us bounce back. However, some may need extra assistance to cope with unfolding events and uncertainties. If you are experiencing emotional distress due to the storm, call the National Disaster Distress Helpline. This toll-free, multilingual, crisis support service is available 24/7 via telephone (1-800-985-5990) and SMS (text ‘TalkWithUs’ to 66746).
- Florida Disaster Website - Florida Division of Emergency Management: Shelters, Evacuation Routes and Zones.
- Disaster Services DCF - Florida Department of Children and Families has many services available to Floridians.
- D-SNAP - D-SNAP gives food assistance to low income households with food loss or damage caused by a natural disaster.
- Legal Aid Programs: Search for a legal aid program in your county.
- FEMA Website - FEMA main website page.
- FEMA Assistance Process - Please select your county and click Apply Online to start your application. But please confirm the Disaster Name and Declared Date for your county. FEMA will only process applications that are linked to the correct disaster.
If you don’t see your county in the list now, please check back again later. Other counties may be added.
- FEMA Mobile APP - FEMA link to mobile app.
- Disaster Recovery Centers - DRC Locator allows individuals to search for DRCs nearest to their location. FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) are accessible facilities and mobile offices you can visit to learn more about FEMA and other disaster assistance programs. You may also visit to ask questions about your case. DRCs are set up in convenient areas after a disaster to make them easier to find.
- Fannie Mae - Fannie Mae disaster relief website.
- Freddie Mac- Freddie Mac disaster website.
- USDA Rural Development - The resource guide outlines USDA Rural Development (RD) programs and services that can help rural residents, businesses and communities impacted by disasters and support long-term planning and recovery efforts.
- Florida Statute Emergency Management - Florida Statutes.
- American Red Cross - Red Cross main website.
ABA Federal Free Legal Answers:
https://abafederal.freelegalanswers.org/
For immigration issues online free legal answers including deportation, asylum, green cards, work permits, DACA, children’s cases, employment-based immigration, citizenship, and other immigration issues. and Veterans federal issues online free legal answer: Including VA benefits, discharge upgrades, and similar veterans’ legal issues.
ABA Home Front:
ABA Home Front provides legal information, resources, and a directory of legal programs for veterans, service members, and military families. Programs listed include military legal assistance offices, legal aid and pro bono organizations, lawyer referral and information services, and military-specific programs where available.
ABA Military Pro Bono Project:
The ABA Military Pro Bono Project accepts case referrals from military attorneys on behalf of junior-enlisted, active-duty military personnel facing civil legal issues, and it works to place these cases with pro bono attorneys.