If you have been seriously threatened or injured by a spouse, a blood relative, a person with whom you share a child or a person with whom you have lived within the last five years, you are entitled to obtain a Civil Protection Order, commonly referred to as a CPO. Such an order will require the respondent to stay away from the petitioner. A CPO is obtained from the Domestic Relations Court. It is important to know that there need not be a pending divorce case or any other legal action in order to seek a CPO.
In addition to ordering the respondent to stay away from the petitioner, a CPO can grant possession of a residence, award temporary custody and establish temporary orders with regard to minor children, require the respondent to provide support of the family or household, require counseling, grant exclusive use of a motor vehicle, and grant any other relief the court considers fair.
If you have been the victim of domestic violence and are in need of a CPO the assistance of an attorney experienced in obtaining Civil Protections Orders can help assure you and your rights are protected to the full extent of the law. While CPOs can offer these various forms of relief it is important to remember that a CPO cannot guarantee the petitioner’s safety. It is therefore important that if you are in need of seeking a CPO you take all necessary steps to ensure your safety.
On the other hand, you may be the victim of false allegations or an otherwise improper CPO. If you are defending against a CPO, you want to be sure that your counsel is experienced and skilled at revealing the truth.
As detailed above, a CPO can also have very serious consequences for the defendant. It is therefore important that if a CPO is filed against you that you understand your rights and can properly defend against the charges. The attorneys at Edward F. Whipps & Associates have extensive experience successfully obtaining as well as defending against Civil Protection Orders.
Contact an Experienced Domestic Violence Lawyer Today
If you need a domestic violence lawyer, please contact Edward F. Whipps & Associates for help. You can arrange a confidential initial consultation at a mutually convenient time by calling our office at (614) 461-6006 or filling out this online contact form.
