Before a judge will grant a protective order, you must show that family violence or dating violence has occurred and that family violence or dating violence is likely to occur in the future. Family violence or dating violence is defined as an act intended to result in physical harm, bodily injury, assault, or sexual assault or a threat that places you in reasonable fear of imminent physical harm, bodily injury, assault, or sexual assault. When you go to court, you must be able to show that the person you want the order against has recently committed more than one act of physical violence against you or made threats to physically harm you.
You must also show that you and the person you want the order against meet one of the following relationships:
- Foster parent or foster child
- Have been married
- Have had a child together
- Have had a dating relationship
- Have lived together
- Have or had a dating relationship or marriage with the same individual
- Related by blood
- Related by marriage
You must provide an address where the person can be found during the day because that person will need to have personal notification of your application for a protective order. If you are seeking protection for your children, you will need to provide their dates of birth and school or daycare information.