Houston Protective Order Attorney
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Protective Order
If you are a victim of domestic violence, there are ways out. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1 (800) 799-7233 for help if you are in immediate danger. Once you are in a safe place, you’ll want to get a protective order.
A Houston protective order helps protect people from anyone who might want to cause them harm, which is often an abusive partner. Realizing that someone you love is dangerous to you can be incredibly difficult and emotional, and we understand that. We also understand that your safety is the priority. Call a Houston family law firm right away for help filing legal orders.
Texas Protective Orders
Texas law allows for temporary protective orders, which last up to 20 days, and general orders that last for up to two years; they are restraining orders. These orders can prevent family violence, human trafficking, sexual assault, and stalking.
Family violence includes a range of acts, including serious threats of harm. Family counts as blood relatives, relatives by marriage, ex-spouses, co-parents, foster children, and anyone who has ever lived in the same household.
Additionally, enjoin orders prohibit any contact; other orders exclude the abusive partner from private areas, such as in cases where partners may need to exchange children. Protective orders can prevent abusive parents from contacting their children. Courts can also order an abuser to seek counseling and suspend their firearm license.
If you need a protective order, you can file for one in the county that you or the offender lives in. You can apply with the help of family law attorneys or through legal aid. The Department of Human and Regulatory Services can also file for a protective order.
Filing a Protective Order
There is no fee to file a protective order. The state of Texas believes that your safety is paramount and, therefore, are not allowed to assess any fees for any service related to a protective order. They may require the offender to pay fees. If you are filing for a protective order in Houston or Tomball, we can help you understand this process.
Once a petition is filed, usually, with the help of family law lawyers, the court will set a hearing date. However, if there is a clear and present danger, the court might issue an ex parte order, which is effective immediately.
If someone violates a protective order, you should call the police. A piece of paper cannot protect you from violence, but it does mean that law enforcement will act to arrest the offender. Violating an order is a crime resulting in fines and jail time. If the person who violated the order committed violence, there is an additional punishment.
If you, a member of your family, or a child you know has been a victim of family violence, you may want to file a protective order. Your Houston family law attorneys can help you with this. A lawyer from Eaton Family Law firm can also help you if the order has not been followed and can represent you in court at any hearings related to your protective order. Give us a call today if you need to file a protective order, so that we can help you keep your family safe.
