In Dunwoody, a DeKalb County hub built around the Perimeter office district where so many people spend their days in large workplaces, the fear that someone could find you at the office can weigh as heavily as what happens at home. We offer clear, private information about protective orders so you can think through your options safely.
Daniels & Taylor serves Dunwoody families from our office in Lawrenceville.
Choose an option above to see information for your situation.
Whatever you choose is not saved, and reloading this page clears it. The
emergency help above stays available either way.
For many in Dunwoody, the day is spent inside a large office complex, a parking deck, or a building full of coworkers, so safety has to mean more than the home. Could a protective order limit contact at work, not only where you live? Could it help if shared finances are being used to keep you in place? These are questions you can raise discreetly, before deciding anything. We start from where your day actually happens and build the legal picture around it.
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 Dunwoody
Can a protective order reach my workplace, not just my home?
It can address contact in more than one place, and we explain what may be possible for your situation.
Can I ask about this without it reaching my employer?
You can seek information privately. We help you understand your options before any step is taken.
What if I am not sure it qualifies?
Describe what happened and your relationship to the person. You do not need a legal label to ask.
You can ask about your options without committing to file or to hire anyone. Reach out from a safe device whenever you are able.
Call (770) 285-1673 for a free case evaluation.
You may worry about your standing in a close professional world as much as the order itself, or feel it arrived amid a separation or custody dispute. What contact is still allowed? When is the hearing? How do you respond without making things worse? Taking the order seriously does not mean accepting every claim.
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
Can I keep this from reaching my employer?
No outcome is promised, but avoid public conflict, follow the order exactly, and let the legal response speak for you.
What records should I gather?
The order, the hearing notice, work correspondence, messages, and the names of any witnesses.
Could this carry into a custody case?
It can be one factor among many, but settles nothing on its own. Custody is decided on its own record.
Have the order and hearing date in hand. A free case evaluation can help you map the deadlines and records that need attention now.
Call (770) 285-1673 for a free case evaluation.