The Court Advocacy Department assists clients with the legal aspects of protecting victims of domestic violence and intimate partner violence. Primarily our specialized Court Advocates assist victims of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking with Orders of Protection. Orders of Protection are a “stay away/no contact order” issued by the Court. They are civil in nature but have the potential to become criminal matters when the Respondent (abuser) violates the order. Orders of Protection are intended to stop imminent acts of violence between parties with some type of intimate relationship. These relationships can include spouses or partners both current and past, immediate family members and legal in-law relationship, roommates both past and present and dating relationship both past and present. There are exceptions to the relationship rule when it comes to stalking and sexual assault. Those events do not require a relationship.

If you are able to obtain a legal Order of Protection it will prohibit the abuser from engaging in any direct contact (face to face/ in person), phone calls, text messages, emails, third party messaging, and social media. During the Order of Protection process, the advocates assist you with extensive safety planning for yourself and your family members. We continue to work with you to ensure that you know how to remain safe and what to do in the event the Abuser/Respondent violates the Order of Protection by contacting you.