No contact orders, commonly known as restraining orders, are directions from a court specifying the type of contact a person can make with another person, family home, or child. No contact orders are often issued in cases of domestic violence or assault on family member. Understanding how no contact orders are created and enforced are important to the protected person and the restrained person.
If the accusations that lead to a no contact order are false, the domestic violence lawyers in Houston at Lisa Shapiro Strauss Law Firm can help fight the charges.
Obtaining A No Contact Order
The most common steps for obtaining a no contact order are:
- Apply to the court for a temporary restraining order. This requires an application in the county where you live or the abuser lives.
- Complete the application forms. An attorney can check your forms for accuracy.
- Judge reviews petition. The judge may wish to ask question about your application for no contact. If the application is for a temporary order, the judge can issue a short-term no contact that lasts 15 days. A permanent order requires a court hearing.
- Court clerk issues a Notice of Application for a Protective Order. This allows the accused to get an attorney and defend himself/herself against the allegations.
- Court hearing. At this hearing, the judge can grant a permanent protective order if the judge believes that it is likely the accused committed violence against you and will likely repeat.
False Allegations
No contact orders serve the important role of protecting men and women who feel threatened by others. However, these orders are also opportunities for false allegations. Not all accusations are valid, and some will abuse the trust of the court system. Sometimes a spouse or family member will use a non-contact order as revenge for a nonviolent act, like adultery. Others will use non-contacts as an attempt to gain child custody.
Don’t fight false allegations alone. The courts will decide if the claims of assault on family member are valid, but the presence of a domestic violence lawyer in Houston can be helpful. Contact the offices of Lisa Shapiro Strauss for a free consultation of your case. False allegations and cheating the legal system are serious violations of the law.
What To Do If Served With A No Contact Order
No contact orders start as temporary but can quickly become permanent. Before the courts rule on the order, insist on the help of an experienced domestic violence lawyer in Houston. A permanent no contact order can shatter your life, deny you access to your children, and leave your finances in a mess. Time is not on your side, and you must act quickly.
