The Office of the Palm Beach County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller has officially implemented the Hope Card Program, joining a statewide initiative to enhance safety for individuals with protective court orders.
This easy-to-read digital or wallet-sized card clarifies and streamlines how victims can verify protective order status with law enforcement.
“The Hope Card Program is a crucial step forward in protecting vulnerable members of our community,” Palm Beach County Clerk & Comptroller Joseph Abruzzo said. “By providing an easily accessible verification tool like the Hope Card, we are empowering people to assert their rights and ensure their safety more effectively.”
The Palm Beach County Hope Card Program is available to individuals with final injunctions for protection against various forms of violence and abuse. Information included is the protected person’s name and birth date, the respondent’s name and birth date, type of order and expiration date. The Hope Card is valid for two years or until the injunction expires, whichever comes first, but is renewable if the injunction remains in effect.
Anyone with a final injunction for protection issued in Palm Beach County can visit or contact the clerk’s office to request either a physical or electronic version of the Hope Card. They will then receive the card within three business days, free of charge.
Filing a petition for injunction for protection no longer requires a notarized signature as of Oct. 1, and may be submitted online through www.mypalmbeachclerk.com. Petitions can also be submitted in person at the main courthouse in downtown West Palm Beach, or at branch locations in Delray Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Royal Palm Beach and Belle Glade.
The Hope Card Program was developed in coordination with the Florida Court Clerks & Comptrollers and the Florida Attorney General’s Office.
For more information on the program in Palm Beach County, visit www.mypalmbeachclerk.com/domestic-violence.
