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Apopka, Florida chose its name from the Indian word for ‘potato eating place’. Although in some Seminole dialects, it means ‘trout or catfish-eating place’. Either is appropriate for this delightful agriculturally based community, surrounded by some of Florida’s finest lakes, rivers, and natural springs.
Apopka was originally home to the Acuera Tribe of the Timucua Confederation when the early Europeans arrived in the 16th century. Later, it became a Seminole village until the Second Seminole War, when the Armed Occupation Act of 1842 brought white settlers into the region, driving the Native Americans into the surrounding swampland. Following earlier inhabitants’ tradition, Apopka grew into a vital agricultural and trading center. By the 1850’s, the Mason influence was strong, and the original town of Apopka, FL grew up around the Orange Lodge #36, which still stands today.
Apopka remains an important commercial hub today, and is one of Orange County's fastest growing cities. Census 2000 recorded Apopka’s population as 26,642, while 2006 estimates show an increase to 35,563. The Greater Apopka Area is home to more than 45,000. Florida’s sprawling family destination city of Orlando lies only twelve miles away, offering Apopka residents all the finest in city amenities. The Disney World/MGM/Epcot Complex and Universal Studios are a 35-mile quick trip on the FL 429 Beltway.
Apopka, FL is a strong producer in Florida’s vast citrus industry. Other types of agriculture also contribute to the economy, but Apopka’s true claim to fame is indoor foliage. First nicknamed “Fern City,” Apopka exports tropical plants, ferns, cut flowers, roses, bulbs and blooming plants for nationwide distribution and growing markets in Canada as well as Europe. Today, Apopka claims the title of "The Indoor Foliage Capital of the World". In honor of their most profitable industry, residents host the Annual Apopka Art and Foliage Festival, attracting folk craftsmen and artists from around the nation and offering bus tours of area nurseries.
Apopka, FL ensures its citizens a promising future by providing some of the best educational opportunities in the region. The public school system is one of the finest in Orange County. The middle and senior high schools receive accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges, Universities and Secondary Schools, which assures that the schools comply with rigid standards in order to prepare students for college. At this time, 22% of Apopka residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Eleven institutes of higher learning lie within a forty-mile radius, including Florida Hospital College of Health Sciences, Stetson University, and the University of Central Florida.
Apopka’s surrounding area abounds in natural beauty. Wekiva Springs State Park is an unspoiled wetlands area, Central Florida’s largest park. The crystal clear waters stay at 72 degrees year round. Quiet canoeing along the Wekiva River provides glimpses of otters, turtles, black bears, an abundance of bird life, and alligators. Rock Springs Run State Reserve offers 17 miles of nature trails through piney flatwoods, mysterious swampland, and pristine shoreline. Equestrian trails wind through shady stands of towering oaks and hickories.
Apopka, Florida is a community based on ferns, foliage, and just plain fun. Its proximity to Orlando, mixed with solid traditions of an agricultural community, make Apopka a fine place to visit or create a quality life.
If you're heading to court in Apopka, the Florida State Court system includes a two-tiered trial court system. Most jury trials in Florida involve one judge sitting as judge of the circuit court. Circuit Courts are courts of general jurisdiction. Almost all criminal and civil cases, including personal injury, originate at this level. There are 20 Circuit Courts, and Apopka is in the 9th Circuit. The Apopka Branch Courthouse is at 1111 N. Rock Springs Road in Apopka.
The Constitution also establishes a county court in each of Florida's 67 counties. The jurisdiction of county courts extends to civil disputes involving $15,000 or less. Most non-jury trials in Florida take place before one judge sitting as a judge of the county court. Apopka is in Orange County. Here is information on the County Clerk's Office for Orange County.
The state's highest appellate court is the Supreme Court, but there are also five district courts of appeal, headquartered in Tallahassee, Lakeland, Miami, West Palm Beach and Daytona Beach. These courts, using three-judge panels, hear most cases appealed from the trial courts.
Florida offers Self-Help Centers and Family Law Forms as well as interpretive services to those with legal problems. A dictionary of common legal terms may also prove helpful.