What is a protective order and how does one go about obtaining one?
A protective order is an order issued by a judge which protects the person or family from acts of harassment or family violence by another person. There are two types of orders: • Final Protective Order: issued by a District judge to protect the victim of certain offenses (most typically Family violence) and is in effect for 2 years. The person interested in obtaining such an order should contact the District Attorney’s Office and request to meet with their representative about applying for the order. • Magistrate’s Order for Emergency Protection: issued by a Magistrate who arraigns a person after an arrest for family violence. When a person appears before a judge, after an arrest for family violence, the judge, the victim of the assault, the officer making the arrest or a prosecutor may request a protective order be issued on behalf of the victim. This type of order is effective for either 61 or 91 days depending on the circumstances of the arrest.
