Due to a family law matter, you may receive threats of violence from someone with whom you have, or used to have, a relationship. If you feel that you are in danger, you can request a protection order from the court.
A judge can issue a civil court order prohibiting a certain individual from coming to your home or other locations or making any contact with you at all. However, there are limits to the protections they provide.
What protection orders cannot do
You cannot get a protection order against just anyone. You have to have a certain relationship with the individual. Protection orders cannot change orders for child custody or visitation, nor can they resolve disputes between landlords and tenants.
A protection order does not guarantee your safety. It informs the individual that he or she faces legal consequences if he or she attempts to contact or threaten you in violation of the order.
What protection orders can do
While protection orders do not guarantee your safety, they do provide you with legal recourse in the event of a violation of the order by the other individual. It is illegal for a person under a protection order to have any sort of contact with you, whether that be direct physical contact or communication by some remote means, such as by telephone or over the internet. It can be a deterrent against harassment or acts of violence.
The court typically serves your protection order within 24 hours of its approval by a judge. It has up to 72 hours to service the order once the judge grants it.