How to Fight a Protective Order in Illinois

 Posted on January 15,2018 in Domestic Violence

An Illinois protective order (also commonly referred to as an “order of protection” or a “restraining order”) is a court ordered civil decree that is designed to prevent future acts of domestic violence from occurring by requiring the individual listed on the order to refrain from engaging in certain enumerated acts (for example, coming within a certain distance of the petitioner, possessing a firearm, harassing, stalking, or intimidating the petitioner, etc.).

If a protective order has been issued against you, it is criticalto carefully abide by each provision listed in the order. Failing to do so can land you in a world of legal trouble. To begin, you will have likely committed a Class A misdemeanor and may be sentenced to spend up to one year in jail, and pay a fine of up to $2,500. Therefore, even if you feel that the order of protection that has been issued against you is not justified, it is critical that you abide by its terms and fight the order through the appropriate legal channels.

Fighting an IL Protective Order: The Process

Upon receiving notice that a protective order has been issued against you, there are two options at your disposal; you can either fight the order in court or not. If you choose not to go to court, then you are essentially letting the order stand—the presiding judge will decide the case based solely on evidence presented by your accuser and no one will be there to tell your side of the story.

Alternatively, you can decide to fight the protective order by responding to the court papers that you were served with and telling your side of the story in court. If you decide to take this route, then you will need to progress through the following steps:

• Step 1 – Read Through Each Document: Start by reading through all of the paperwork that you have been served with and immediately start abiding by each provision contained in the emergency order of protection, if one has been issued against you. Be sure to follow any and all instructions contained in the paperwork that you were served with.

• Step 2 – Go to Court: When you were served with notice that a protective order petition was filed against you the paperwork that you received indicated the time and place of your court hearing. Go to court as instructed, be sure to arrive early, dress well, and bring your lawyer with you if you have hired one. During the hearing you will have the opportunity to tell your side of the story.

• Step 3 – Wait for the Court’s Decision: After considering all of the evidence presented the presiding judge will decide whether or not to issue an order of protection against you. The judge may make this decision during the hearing or he or she may take the matter under consideration and inform you of their decision at a later date.

Has a Protective Order Been Issued Against You? Give Us a Call!

If an Illinois protective order has been issued against you, passionate Rolling Meadows criminal defense lawyer Christopher Cosley isavailable to help. At The Law Offices of Christopher M. Cosley, we understand that domestic violence is an emotionally charged issue and that there are always at least two sides to every story surrounding an allegation of domestic abuse. If you are interested in fighting a protective order that has been issued against you we would be happy to evaluate the circumstances surrounding the order and discuss your legal options with you.

Source:

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/fulltext.asp?DocName=072000050K12-3.4