If the person you fear in Braselton has threatened your pet, the one steady comfort you have, or you cannot picture leaving an animal behind with someone who would hurt them, you are not alone in that, and it is not a small thing. We offer clear, private information about protective orders, including how the law can address a pet, so the fear for your animal does not keep you from safety.
Daniels & Taylor serves Braselton families from our office in Lawrenceville.
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For many people, a pet is the one being that has never let them down, and a threat to that animal is a threat that lands hard. You may be staying because you cannot bear to leave your pet behind, or because harming the animal is how the person controls you. Can a protective order address a pet? Can you find a safe step that does not mean abandoning them? We listen, then connect each legal question to protecting what you love.
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 Braselton
Can a protective order include my pet?
Georgia law allows a protective order to address the care and possession of a pet. Tell us your situation and we will explain how that can work for you.
He says he will hurt the animal if I leave, what do I do?
Threats to a pet are a serious form of control. Reach out and we will help you understand options that keep both of you safer.
I cannot leave without my pet, is there any way?
There can be. Do not let the fear of leaving an animal behind stop you from asking. We will talk through realistic steps.
You can ask about your options without committing to file or to hire anyone, and without him knowing. We will keep your pet in the picture. 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 and it addresses a pet or shared property, the conditions can feel sudden and personal. Until the hearing, follow the order exactly as written, even where you believe it is unfair, including any terms about an animal. 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
The order gives her the pet, what do I do?
Follow it exactly, including any terms about the animal, and raise your side at the hearing. That is where a judge decides what continues. We help you prepare.
Can I come by to get the animal or my things?
No. Going to retrieve a pet or property can violate the order. Arrangements go through the court, not directly. Bring it to the hearing.
What happens next?
A judge reviews the evidence and decides what, if anything, continues. A free case evaluation helps you get ready.
Have the order and the hearing date in hand. A free case evaluation can help you sort what to do first, including anything about property or a pet, and what to avoid.
Call (770) 285-1673 for a free case evaluation.