Domestic Violence & Protection Orders

At their most basic, protection orders are legally-enforced court orders that disallow someone from being near or communicating with another person. Protection orders are more commonly known as restraining orders. Protection orders are legally required to be enforced by every law enforcement agency and court, regardless of the state of origin. That means if you have a protection order against a person in Georgia, and you move to California, the protection order still applies in every way.

Protection orders, in the context of domestic violence, empower victims by legally validating their concerns. While a protection order is ultimately paperwork that must be backed by police, it is a powerful symbol to your abuser that the state is holding them accountable for their behavior. It also keeps them at a real, enforceable distance. For emotionally manipulative abusers, protection orders also forbid communication of any kind. However, this behavior must be reported for it to be enforced. Fortunately, the majority of people who have orders against them do not violate the terms of protection.