In Madison, the person you fear may not need to be in the room to control you, when your phone, your location, and your accounts are being watched. We offer private information about protective orders, with care for how closely you may be monitored.
Daniels & Taylor serves Madison families from our office in Lawrenceville.
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You may feel that every call, message, and trip is tracked, which can make even looking for help feel dangerous. A protective order can address your safety and prohibit unwanted contact, including this kind of monitoring. Reaching out safely is the first hurdle, and we can help you plan it using a device the other person cannot see. Tell us what is being watched, and we will work 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 Madison
What if my phone or location is being tracked?
Use a device the other person cannot access, like a friend's phone or a library computer. We help you reach out without being seen.
Should I try to save proof of the monitoring?
Only if you can do it safely. A record of tracking or threats can help later, but your safety comes first.
What if I am unsure it qualifies?
Watching, following, and tracking can be part of it. Tell us what has been happening, and the legal label is our job.
You can ask about your options without committing to file or to hire anyone. Use a safe device whenever you are able.
Call (770) 285-1673 for a free case evaluation.
You may feel the account is one sided, or that what felt like staying in touch is being described as something else. The order controls your contact now, and that can include calls, messages, and tracking. The hearing is where you respond. Cutting off all contact until then protects you. Taking the order seriously does not mean conceding 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
Does no contact include texts, calls, and location apps?
Yes, assume it covers every form of contact, including digital. Do not call, message, or track. Respond only at the hearing.
What should I gather?
The order, the hearing notice, your own records and messages, and the names of anyone with direct knowledge.
Will this decide custody or a divorce?
It can overlap, but resolves neither alone. Each follows its own track and its own facts.
Have the order and the hearing date ready. A free case evaluation can help you understand what counts as contact and prepare your response.
Call (770) 285-1673 for a free case evaluation.