DuPage County Protection Order Attorney

Lawyer For Help With Stopping Domestic Violence in Elmhurst, Hinsdale and Surrounding Areas

In Illinois, an order of protection is available to protect an individual against violence at the hands of another person. It generally applies to domestic violence cases, where the abusing party and the victim have a previous relationship.

What will Orders of Protection do?

Orders of protection may forbid a person from contacting the complainant, phoning or texting the complainant, or coming within a certain distance of the complainant. These orders may result from a separate civil filing or may be entered in conjunction with a pending criminal proceeding. If you have been served with such an order, you should obtain the services of an attorney to protect you from consequences arising from an inadvertent or purposeful violation of the order. If you are being threatened or assaulted, and you need to protect yourself or your children from someone else, it is time to seek a DuPage County protection order lawyer for assistance.

There are different types of orders of protection in Illinois:

Emergency Order of Protection: This order is usually granted by a judge immediately with the purpose of stopping the abuse. It only lasts 14 to 21 days. A judge can impose the order without having to notify the person the order is filed against.

Plenary Order of Protection: Generally, this order is entered only after notice to all parties has been given and there has been an opportunity to have a full hearing, which can last for as long as two years.

Interim Order of Protection: This order, lasting as long as 30 days, is temporary and usually given while the accused awaits a hearing or trial.

Orders of protection are filed for various reasons. It is up to the complainant to prove that the order is warranted. Reasons for filing include:

• Physical abuse;
• Not allowing someone to leave the premises;
• Forced sex;
• Harassment;
• Following or stalking someone;
• Forcing another person to watch abuse; and
• Denying care to a disabled person.

Orders of protection typically forbid the accused from coming within a certain distance of the protected parties. An order of protection aims to protect the victim by enforcing the following issues:

• Bringing abusive behavior to a halt;
• Keeping the accused away from the victim's home or workplace;
• Ending contact altogether; and
• Forcing the accused to move out of a shared residence.

A hearing on an order of protection will allow or require both sides to testify before a judge to state their cases. This means knowing what to say and what not to say. To prepare for your day in court, trust the experience of a domestic violence attorney with in-depth knowledge of orders of protection cases.

Contact a Westmont Protection Order Attorney

If you need assistance with a restraining order or an order of protection, contact our office at 630-472-9700 for a free consultation. Our law office represents clients for family law and criminal cases in Elmhurst, Hinsdale, Oak Brook, Clarendon Hills, and surrounding DuPage County communities.