Orders of Protection

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What an Order of Protection Does:

• Prohibits further abuse or threats of abuse
• Removes or exclude the abuser from the residence
• Orders the abuser to stay away from the victim, children and from the victim’s place of employment, children’s school, etc.
• Prohibits destruction or disposal of property
• Prohibits the removal or concealment of the child(ren), or order the return of the children
• Orders payment of child support, medical costs, and legal expenses
• Awards temporary custody
• Provides for visitation for the abuser
• Orders the abuser into counseling
• Prohibits alcohol/drug use in the home
• Provides other relief as necessary or appropriate

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Physical Abuse:

• Hitting, punching, slapping, pushing, kicking, and other forms of physical harm
• Confinement or restraint
• Sleep deprivation
• Sexual abuse
• Conduct that creates an immediate risk of physical harm

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Harassment:

• Telephoning repeatedly and leaving too many voice mails or text messages
• Repeatedly keeping petitioner under surveillance
• Creating a disturbance at the the victim’s place of work
• Repeatedly following petitioner about in public
• Peering in petitioner’s windows
• Repeatedly threatening to remove child(ren) from jurisdiction of the court
• Concealing the child(ren)
• Use of physical force, confinement or restraint. Sleep deprivation. Conduct that creates an immediate risk of physical harm
• One such threat after an actual removal:
  • Subjecting a person who is a dependant because of age, health or disability to participation in or witnessing of physical abuse
  • Interference with personal liberty – confinement
  • Threatening abuse
  • Willful deprivation of necessities, such as food and medical attention
  • Denial of medication, medical care, shelter, food, therapeutic device or their physical assistance which exposes a person to risk of physical, emotional or mental harm

* Harrassment is an action by the abuser that causes the victim emotional distress.