Protective Orders are important tools in protecting you from family violence, sexual assault and stalking. Their purpose is to:

• prevent future incidents from occurring;
• prohibit behavior which precipitates incidents of violence; and
• reinforce the belief that family violence, sexual assault and stalking are wrong and need to be stopped.

In general, protective orders enter the family law area due to ongoing domestic violence. The most common protective orders restrain a party from harassing, stalking, or contacting the complaining party, and it may also restrict one’s constitutional right to keep and bear arms.