Atlanta Family Violence Protective Order Attorney
Two Decades of Experience with Georgia Domestic Violence Law
Georgia courts offer family violence protection orders to people who claim to be victims of violence or targets of the threat of violence from a family member. These kinds of orders can be used to disrupt your life. Knowing the risks associated with having a protection order issued against you is important and could be preventable with the help of an Atlanta domestic violence lawyer.
Types of Georgia Protective Orders
FVPOs come in two types—a temporary ex parte order and a standard family violence protective order.
Ex Parte Order
An ex parte order is granted without giving you the chance to show up to court and present your side of the story. In fact, you may not even know that an order has been filed until after the court issues it and notifies you. Ex parte orders are valid only until a hearing can be held and are never longer than 30 days. At the hearing, you will be given an opportunity to fight the order. If the court rules against you, it will issue a standard family violence protective order that can be valid for up to a year. It can later be extended for up to three years if the court finds it necessary.
Family Violence Protective Order
A family violence protective order is designed to protect individuals from assault, battery, stalking, vandalism, trespassing, unlawful restraint, and any conduct that amounts to a felony. Those who can seek this type of order include spouses, ex-spouses, roommates, and any other person that lives with an individual.
Either type of order can prevent you from legally contacting the person who filed the order, retaining custody of your children, living in your own home, using your car, entering or remaining in the vicinity of the complainant or your child, and many other activities. You may be forced to pay temporary alimony or child support payments or attend psychological counseling. You may also have to pay the filer’s legal fees.
What to Do After Receiving a Family Violence Protective Order
Ignoring a family violence protective order is not a good idea. Violating the terms of an order is treated as a serious matter in Georgia. You can be charged with contempt of court even if the complaint later proves to be unfounded.
If convicted, you can be imprisoned for up to a year. Under certain circumstances, you could be charged with a felony and spend even more time in prison. If your violation is characterized as stalking you could face a prison sentence of up to 10 years.
A family violence protection order can seriously disrupt your life and put you at the risk of criminal prosecution. Additionally, receiving one of these orders can be humiliating and damage your reputation in the community. An experienced Atlanta domestic violence attorney will help your voice be heard in the courtroom, so you can share your side of the story.
If you are the subject of a family violence protection order issued by a Georgia court, or if you have been charged with violating one, call Abt Law Firm, LLC at (678) 582-2272 for a free consultation. A member of our team is ready to speak with you 24/7.
