Orders for Protection

An Order for Protection (OFP) is a court order to stop household or family violence (domestic abuse). It orders the abuser not to hurt you. It can also:

• make the abuser leave your home
• keep the abuser away from you
• order temporary custody or parenting time (visitation)
• order temporary child support or spousal maintenance

An OFP is not a criminal case. It takes place in family court. If the police have been called, they may start a separate criminal matter because it is against the law to hurt or threaten people.

Domestic abuse is when someone in your family or household is hurting you physically or threatening you with immediate physical harm. The following acts are considered domestic abuse:

• Infliction of physical harm, bodily injury, or assault;
• Infliction of fear of imminent physical harm;
• Terroristic threats;
• Acts of criminal sexual conduct; or
• Interference with an emergency call.

Talk to an attorney about whether an OFP is appropriate in your case, and how an OFP can impact any existing or future family law matters.