If you already left the person you fear and the contact, the showing up, the threats only got worse, you are learning what many in Statham learn the hard way: leaving is not always the end of the danger. You deserve protection now, not just before. We offer clear, private information about protective orders for exactly this, when the abuse follows you after you are out.
Daniels & Taylor serves Statham families from our office in Lawrenceville.
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It can feel unfair and frightening when you did the hard thing, you left, and the person still calls, follows, or shows up where you live now. You may wonder whether a court will take it seriously since you are no longer together. Can a protective order help after you have already separated? Can it cover a new address and the places you go now? We listen, then connect each legal question to the danger you are facing after leaving.
You are not alone. Georgia's statewide domestic violence
hotline is 1-800-33-HAVEN (1-800-334-2836),
free, 24/7, and confidential.
What most people pay for a case evaluation to learn
A Georgia protective order can do more than tell someone to stay away. In a
family violence case the judge may grant exclusive use of the home, temporary
custody of the children, temporary support, and can even include the family pet
(O.C.G.A. 19-13-4).
You do not need a police report or a criminal charge to ask for one. It is a
civil petition you file yourself, and the court can issue a same day ex parte
order to protect you right away, followed by a hearing (O.C.G.A. 19-13-3).
Family violence is broader than physical harm. It covers acts like stalking
and criminal trespass between people in the same household, former spouses,
parents of the same child, and others living or formerly living together
(O.C.G.A. 19-13-1). If you were in a dating relationship but never lived together
and share no child, your path is a separate stalking protective order (O.C.G.A.
16-5-94).
How a Georgia family violence protective order works
You file a civil petition, with no police report required, and the court can
grant a temporary ex parte order the same day, then set a hearing (O.C.G.A.
19-13-3). The order can reach beyond no contact to the home, custody, and support
(O.C.G.A. 19-13-4). You file in the superior court of the county where the
respondent lives (O.C.G.A. 19-13-2).
Common questions about protective orders in Statham
We are already split up, can a court still protect me?
Yes. A protective order does not require that you still live together or are still in a relationship. We explain how it applies to your situation now.
He keeps showing up at my new place, what can I do?
A protective order can set distance from your home and the places you go. Tell us what is happening and we will walk through the options.
Does it count if we have been apart a while?
Ongoing contact, threats, or stalking after separation are taken seriously. We help you understand how the law can respond now.
You can ask about your options without committing to file or to hire anyone, and without him knowing. We focus on the danger as it is today. Reach out from a safe device when you are able.
Call (770) 285-1673 for a free case evaluation.
If an order was filed against you after a separation, it may feel strange to be restricted from someone you are no longer with. The order still carries full force. Until the hearing, follow it exactly, even if you believe it is unfair, including staying away from her new home and routines. We help you understand what it requires and how to respond the right way.
If a protective order has been filed against you
Nothing lasting happens without a hearing. An ex parte order is temporary, and
the court sets a hearing, usually within about 30 days, where the petitioner has
to prove family violence by a preponderance of the evidence, and that burden is on
them (O.C.G.A. 19-13-3(b), (c)).
A final order can require no contact, order you to leave a shared home, and set
temporary custody or support; it can last up to one year and may be extended to
three years or made permanent (O.C.G.A. 19-13-4). Knowingly violating a protective
order is a separate crime (O.C.G.A. 16-5-95). A family violence finding can also be
weighed in a later custody case (O.C.G.A. 19-9-3(a)(3)(P), (a)(4)). If the petition
comes from a dating relationship, it may fall under the stalking statute instead
(O.C.G.A. 16-5-94).
Until the hearing, follow the order exactly as
entered, even if you believe it is unfair. The time to be heard is at the hearing,
not by contacting the petitioner.
Common questions if an order was filed against you
We are not even together, why does the order bind me?
It binds you fully regardless of the breakup. Follow every term, including distance from her new address, and raise your side at the hearing. We help you prepare.
Can I contact her to sort out old business?
No. Any contact, even about shared past matters, can violate the order and hurt your case. Bring it to the hearing through the right channel.
What happens next?
A judge reviews the evidence and decides what continues. A free case evaluation helps you understand the order and get ready to respond.
Have the order and the hearing date in hand, and keep your distance from her home and routines now. A free case evaluation can help you sort the first steps and what to avoid.
Call (770) 285-1673 for a free case evaluation.