• -Order the abuser to stop abusing you.

• -Order the abuser to stay away from you and to not try to contact you or harass you at your home, school, job, the place where you may be staying, from your children’s school(s), and from your family members’ homes.

• -Order the abuser to stay out of your house.

• -If you are married to the abuser AND you were living with your abuser at the time of the abuse, the court can order him to leave the home where the two of you live.

• -If you are not married to the abuser, but were living with him at the time of the abuse AND your name is on the lease or deed for the house OR you lived with the abuser for at least ninety (90) days within the past year, the court can order him to leave the home.

• -Order that you be given temporary custody of any children that you have with the abuser.

• Take pictures of any visible bruises.

• Get copies of any police reports.

• If anyone else saw the abuse, talk to them about going back to court with you.

• Talk to the police about filing criminal charges if you have not already done so.

• If you are seeking financial relief, get copies of your most recent pay stub and any income information about the abuser you can.

• A checklist for Preparing for a Final Protective Order Hearing.

 At the Final Protection Order hearing, you and the abuser will likely be present.  They may or may not have a lawyer.  (If the abuser has been given a copy of the temporary order but chooses not to appear, you should ask the judge to enter the protection order against him anyway. This is called a Default Order.)

You and the abuser will each have a chance to tell the judge what happened. (The judge may, or may not, be the same judge as the one at the first hearing.) You should repeat what you told the judge the week before.  The judge will also allow you to present any evidence that you have brought to court with you.

If you are afraid of the abuser or if he has attempted to contact you within the past week, you should let the judge know.  Do not be surprised or upset if the abuser lies about what happened.

The judge will decide whether or not the abuse occurred. See the section on Going to Court.

What the Judge Can Order
 If the judge finds that the abuse did occur, s/he may order one (or all) of the following for up to one year:

• -Order the abuser to stop abusing you.

• -Order the abuser to stay away from you and to not try to contact you or harass you.

• -Order the abuser to stay out of your house.

• -If you are married to the abuser AND you were living with your abuser at the time of the abuse, the court can order him to leave the home where the two of you live for up to one year.

• -If you are not married to the abuser, but were living with him at the time of the abuse AND your name is on the lease or deed for the house OR you lived with the abuser for at least ninety (90) days within the past year, the court can order him to leave the home for up to one year.

• -Order the abuser to stay away from your job, your school, the place where you may be staying, from your children’s school(s), and from your family members’ homes.

• -Order that you be given temporary custody of any children that you have with the abuser for up to one year.

• -Order visitation between the abuser and the children unless your safety or the safety of the children is at risk (if you believe that it is, you should let the judge know).

• -If you are married, order the abuser to pay money to help support you during the order.

• -If you have children with the abuser, order the abuser to pay support for the children.

• -If you own a car with the abuser, the court may order that you have sole use of the car for the period of the order (you must tell the judge that the car is necessary in order to get you to work or to transport a child).

• -Order the abuser or you to participate in a counseling program.

• -Order the abuser to surrender firearms.

You and the abuser will each receive a copy of the protective order. You should keep a copy of the order with you at all times.

If the abuser continues to harass you or contacts you, you should call the police immediately!  If your abuser does not follow the order, he may be found guilty of a misdemeanor and be subjected to a fine of up to $500 or a jail sentence of up to ninety (90) days. What to do if your protective order is violated.