What Are Orders of Protection?
An order of protection is a legal order that is issued by a court of law. Orders of protection are designed to prevent a person, such as a spouse, from doing something to the person that filed for the order. For example, if a person filed for an order of protection, he/she may wish to prevent the person that is listed on the order from contacting him/her. Once the order has been issued by the court, the person listed on the order of protection must adhere to specified terms. If the person fails to comply with the terms of the order, numerous things could happen. First, he/she may have to pay a fine. Second, he/she may be arrested by law enforcement. Finally, the person may have to serve time in jail. Often times, people that are victims of domestic violence will chose to obtain an order of protection to stop harassment and abuse. They may file for an order against a former spouse, a significant other, someone they once lived with or a relative. The order is meant to protect the person
