Injunctions for Exploitation of a Vulnerable Adult in Pasco County, FL

If you were served with a Petition for Injunction for Protection Against Exploitation of an Elderly Person or a Vulnerable Adult in Pasco County, you must act quickly to protect your rights. Under Administrative Order No. 2026-013, the Sixth Judicial Circuit has established strict procedures for how these cases are handled at the West Pasco Judicial Center in New Port Richey and the Robert D. Sumner Judicial Center in Dade City.

These injunctions are quasi-criminal in nature and carry serious consequences. A judge can freeze your bank accounts, force you to move out of a shared home, and prohibit you from having any contact with the alleged victim.

Procedures for Filing and Service in Pasco County

In Pasco County, these petitions are filed with the Clerk of the Circuit Court. The Clerk is prohibited from assessing an initial filing fee or service charge for these petitions. Petitions are accepted at the West Pasco Judicial Center and the Robert D. Sumner Judicial Center.

Cases are assigned following the procedures for guardianship case assignments as specified in local administrative orders. The Clerk does not process petitions “after hours” (before 8:30 a.m. or after 4:00 p.m.). Any petition filed during these times will be processed on the next working day.

The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office has primary responsibility for service. However, municipal police departments are authorized to effect service if they arrive at a call for service and believe immediate harm might occur.

The Role of the “Section Judge” and Duty Judge

When a petition is filed in Pasco, the Clerk immediately presents it to the section judge. If the section judge is unavailable, the Clerk follows the Pasco County Emergency Duty Schedule to provide the temporary injunction to the duty judge.

The duty judge is responsible for handling “overflow” cases and must maintain enough time on their calendar for return hearings. In Pasco County, the back-up judge for all proceedings under this order is the designated Duty Judge for Pasco County.

The Return Hearing

If a temporary injunction is granted ex parte (without you being present), a return hearing will be scheduled on the section judge’s calendar. At this hearing, the judge will determine whether to:

• Issue a Permanent Injunction;
• Continue the temporary injunction for good cause; or
• Dismiss the petition if the evidence is insufficient under section 825.1035, Florida Statutes.

Consequences of a Violation of the Injunction

Violating an injunction for protection against exploitation is a serious offense. If an affidavit alleging a violation is filed, the Clerk forwards it to the assigned judge. If the judge determines the affidavit alleges a crime, it is forwarded to law enforcement for investigation.

Local law enforcement must complete their investigation within 20 days and forward a report to the State Attorney’s Office. The State Attorney then has 30 business days to decide whether to file criminal charges or a motion for an order to show cause for criminal contempt.

Willful violations—such as refusing to vacate a shared dwelling, coming within 500 feet of the victim’s residence, or communicating with the victim—are generally classified as first-degree misdemeanors. However, a person with two or more prior convictions for violating such an injunction can be charged with a third-degree felony.

This article was last updated on Monday, May 11, 2026.