Restraining Orders

Fort Lauderdale Attorney Handling Domestic Violence Restraining Orders

In Broward County, restraining orders (also known as no-contact or protective orders) may be issued in cases of suspected domestic violence. However, they can also be ordered in cases where the two parties are not married or involved in a relationship. If you have a realistic fear of another person—a co-worker, a stalker or anyone else –you can apply a restraining order against that person.

At the Law Offices of Patric L. Jones in Fort Lauderdale, we offer a free initial consultation by phone or in person to answer your questions about restraining or no-contact orders and to explain your legal options.

If someone is physically abusing or threatening you, call 911 the next time that person hurts or threatens you and allow the police to determine whether or not to have him or her arrested. You may also want to file for a restraining order.

An attorney cannot fill the paperwork for you to get a restraining order, but attorney Patric Jones will explain how the process works and where to go in the Broward County courthouse to fill out the paperwork. He will explain what evidence you need to obtain a restraining order (“the standard of proof”) and help you present it effectively. In a case of domestic violence, you will need to establish that you have been a victim of physical violence on at least two occasions and that you have a realistic fear of that person.

When the judge is satisfied that you have met the standard of proof, he or she will issue a temporary restraining order. Then, in approximately 15 days, there will be a hearing in which a judge will decide whether to keep the restraining or no-contact order in effect permanently or dismiss it.

While you don't need a lawyer to apply for a restraining order, you  may want to have a lawyer for the hearing. Attorney Patric Jones represents clients who need restraining orders as well as people who have had a restraining order filed against them.

Restraining orders usually remain in force for six months to a year, but they can be made permanent. If someone gets a restraining order against you, it will have very specific language that will require you:

• To keep a certain distance form the person's home, their place of employment, and their children (even if you are the father)
• To surrender firearms and any concealed weapons permit you may have

If you violate a restraining or no-contact order, you can be charged with a criminal offense and jailed for up to a year. If the protective order was issued in a divorce situation, it can be used against you in a child custody dispute.

Free consultation with a lawyer by phone or in person: To discuss a restraining order with attorney Patric L. Jones, call 954-779-1994 or contact our law firm by e-mail. We serve clients throughout Broward County, Florida, from our office in Fort Lauderdale and our satellite office in Coral Springs.