Safety first
Protective orders, and leaving safely
If someone at home frightens you, safety comes before every other question in this practice. This page is for you whether or not you decide to go to court.
If you are in danger now, call 911. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is open day and night at 1-800-799-7233.
A protective order is a court order that tells a person to stay away from you or to stop contacting you. I help people ask for one, answer a request made against someone when it's untrue, and make an order and a parenting plan work together.
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Asking the court for a protective order
Emergency and temporary orders
Preparing for the hearing
Making an order fit a parenting plan
How asking for an order goes
Each court has its own forms and timing. This is the general shape.
- 01
You tell me what happened
In your own words and at your own pace, in a meeting, on the phone or in writing. I write down the dates, the messages and anything you have saved.
- 02
We ask for a temporary order
A judge can often decide the first request on the day you file, without the other person present, and set a hearing after.
- 03
The other person is served
They are given the order and the date of the hearing. Serving is done by someone other than you.
- 04
The hearing
Both sides are heard, and the judge decides whether the order continues and on what terms. I prepare you for it and speak for you.
Questions about safety orders
Do I have to leave my home first?
No. Some people leave, some stay, and the order can address both. We make a plan for your situation, including what to bring and where to go.
Will the other person find out I came to see you?
Not from me. I do not contact them until you tell me to, and I can use whichever phone, address or email is safe for you.
What if the order is against me?
Read it carefully and come in quickly. There are usually deadlines to respond, and what you do next matters. I represent people on both sides of these requests, but never in the same case.
You can come in before you're sure.
Tell me how it's safe to reach you, and I will use only that. If it is not safe to talk at home, say so in your first message.
Please keep confidential details, such as account numbers or what happened at home, out of the contact form.