No person deserves to be abused by their spouse. If you don’t feel safe in your house and want to legally prohibit your abusive spouse from contacting or abusing you further, you can get a protective order from a court. A skilled family lawyer in Ridgeland can guide you through the process and take care of the required paperwork and hearings to make sure you and your children are safe.

When to Obtain a Protective Order

A protective order is meant to protect spouses from abuse as state law defines. Your attorney will explain to you if your situation is considered a form of abuse and help you get the protective order you need.

A protective order can be obtained in a municipal court by completing the necessary paperwork. When you request this order, the court will notify you of when you should appear for a hearing. If you emphasize that you need an emergency order, the court will schedule the earliest hearing possible. During the hearing, you will be asked to provide evidence of violence, abuse, or threatened injury you have experienced that has forced you to request this order. If the judge is satisfied with the evidence presented, they may issue a temporary protective order that can give you protection against your abuser for ten days. But, you can request for this to be extended up to a year.

To finalize the temporary order, the judge must hold a hearing that lets you and your spouse tell your sides of the story. You must satisfy testify about the reason you think the protective order must be made final. Also, your abusive spouse will be allowed to argue why the order must be lifted. It is important to have a lawyer for this stage to handle the paperwork and form arguments for you.

What to Expect from a Protective Order?

Protective orders make it illegal for abusive spouses to have any contact with their spouse or children if included in the order. They can keep them away from the abused spouse’s workplace and house and any school or of their kids. Under a protective order, the abused spouse can request that they can be accompanied by police officers as they retrieve personal belongings from the house they shared with their abuser. Once granted, a judge can order the abuser to pay spousal or child support. Also, the abused spouse can order their abuser to pay for any medical care they need because of the abuse.