Family Law Dictionary - F

Family Law Intake Staff - a court's employee(s) who is (are) available to assist you in filing a family law case.

Family law intake staff are not attorneys and cannot give legal advice. They may only assist you with filling out the form(s). Your local clerk's office can tell you if your county has such assistance available.

Filing - delivering a petition, response, motion, or other pleading in a court case to the clerk of court's office.

Filing Fee - an amount of money, set by law, that the petitioner must pay when filing a case. If you cannot afford to pay the fee, you must file an Application for Determination of Civil Indigent Status, to ask the clerk to file your case without payment of the fee.

Final Hearing - trial in your case, may be uncontested or contested and may include presentation of witnesses and evidence or simply the judge signing a final order in an uncontested case.

Financial Affidavit - a sworn statement that contains information regarding your income, expenses, assets, and liabilities.

Final Judgment - a written document signed by a judge and recorded in the clerk of the circuit court's office that contains the judge's decision in your case.