Is a Protective Order right for you?

Each situation is different. Protective orders can provide you with legal
protection, but they cannot necessarily protect you from violence. In
order to help protect yourself from a violent act, you can contact a
domestic and sexual violence advocate to assist you with figuring out
what you need to stay safe and to develop a plan. It is important to
get further information from local resources, such as your local victim/
witness program, domestic violence service agency, sexual assault crisis
center, Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court Intake Office,
and/or the General District Court.

Where do I go to request a Protective Order?

It depends.
The type of relationship you have (or had) with the person who is
harming or threatening you determines where you can request a protec-
tive order. If that person is a family or household member (defined on
the following page) you can request a family abuse protective order
through your local intake office for the Juvenile and Domestic Relations

Protective Orders District Court. You can also request a protective order via the Juvenile
and Domestic Relations District Court if either the petitioner (person
requesting the protective order) or the respondent (person committing
in Virginia– acts of violence or threatening behavior) is under the age of 18. Staff in
the intake office can provide additional information.

A Guide for Victims All other requests for protective orders that do not meet the definition
of family or household member (including but not limited to dating
or same-sex partners who do not live together) are made through the
General District Court. The General District Court Clerk’s Office can
provide additional information about local procedures.
Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services
Definition of Family Abuse and
www.dcjs.virginia.gov
Family or Household Member (§16.1-228)
Family abuse is any act involving violence, force or threat that results
This brochure is intended to provide summary in bodily injury or places one in reasonable fear of death, sexual assault,
or bodily injury and that is committed by a person against a family/
information regarding family abuse protective orders
household member. This includes, but is not limited to, any forceful
and protective orders covering other non-family abuse detention, stalking, or criminal sexual assault.
circumstances. Family or household members include the following:
Spouse, ex-spouse, parents, children, step-parents and step-children,
What is a Protective Order? siblings, half-siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, persons who have
a child in common, regardless of residence; in-laws, who live in the
It is a legal order issued by a magistrate or judge to protect the health
same home; and co-habitants and those who have co-habited in the
and safety of an abused person and his/her family or household
past year and their children.
members. The person filing for a protective order is called the “peti-
tioner” and the person the protective order is filed against is called the There are three types of Protective Orders
“respondent”.
1. Emergency Protective Orders (EPO)
Who is eligible to ask for a Protective Order? A law enforcement officer or the abused person may petition for
In order to be eligible for a protective order, you must have been, within (request) an EPO. This order will most likely be requested by a
a reasonable period of time, subjected to an act involving violence, law enforcement officer if an arrest has been made or if the officer
force, or threat that results in bodily injury or places you in reason- finds that there is probable danger of further acts of family abuse, or
able fear of death, sexual assault, or bodily injury. (See Code of Virginia violence, force or threat. An EPO can only be issued by a magistrate
§19.2-152.10). or a judge. The person being abused can also petition for an EPO
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 at the magistrate’s office, even if an arrest has not been made. An 3. “Permanent” Protective Order (PO)
EPO lasts for 72 hours or until the next session of court, whichever A judge can grant a PO that lasts for up to two years. In order to
is later. The date and time the EPO ends can be found on the order. obtain this PO, you must attend the final Protective Order hearing,
In order to protect your health and safety, an EPO, in all cases, can which is scheduled at the time of your PPO hearing. The judge will
impose the following conditions on the respondent (abuser): subpoena the respondent (abuser) to be at the PO hearing. Both you
✦✦ Prohibiting all contacts by the respondent with the victim or and the respondent will be asked to describe what happened. This
the victim’s family or household members; PO can also be extended for an additional two years, if the peti-
tioner requests an extension, and a judge finds that there is a need
✦✦ Prohibiting acts of violence, force, or threat or criminal offenses
to extend protection. There is no limit to the number of protective
resulting in injury to person or property;
order extensions that can be granted by a judge.
✦✦ Possession of a companion animal if the petitioner meets the
In order to protect your health and safety, a PO can impose all of the
definition of owner (See Code of Virginia §3.2-6500) and;
same conditions on the respondent (abuser) as are detailed in the
✦✦ Other conditions the judge or magistrate deems necessary to
PPO section, for a period of up to two years at a time.
protect you and family/household members.
In addition, in cases of family abuse, a PO can:
In cases of family abuse, an EPO can also:
✦✦ Require respondents to participate in treatment, counseling, or
✦✦ Grant temporary possession of the residence to family/
other programs required by the court.
household members.
✦✦ Provide for temporary custody or visitation of a minor child.
2. Preliminary Protective Orders (PPO)
Only a judge can issue a PPO. You must obtain a PPO within a short Family Abuse Permanent Protective Order:
time after you have been the victim of family abuse or other acts Firearm Possession Prohibition (§18.2-308.1:4)
of violence, force or threat. A judge will decide if the PPO will be A person subject to a permanent family abuse protective order, issued
granted, based on your sworn statement. You do not have to have since July 1, 2016, is prohibited from possessing a firearm. The Code
an EPO to get a PPO, and the respondent (abuser) does not have to of Virginia does allow the person to possess and transport a firearm for
be at the hearing. If a PPO is granted, it will last 15 days, or until the 24-hours from the time the order is served, solely for the purpose of
final Protective Order hearing. The judge will give you the date for transferring or selling the firearm to another person who is not prohib-
the final hearing and it will also be included on the PPO. ited by law from possessing it. Virginia’s firearm possession prohibi-
In order to protect your health and safety, a PPO, in all cases, can tion applies only to family abuse permanent protective orders issued
impose the following conditions on the respondent (abuser): pursuant to Code of Virginia §16.1-279.1. It does not apply to emer-
gency, preliminary, or other protective orders.
✦✦ Prohibiting all contacts by the respondent with the victim or
the victim’s family or household members; For more information, please see the DCJS Brochure: Family Abuse
Permanent Protective Order: New Firearm Prohibition at www.
✦✦ Prohibiting acts of violence, force, or threat or criminal offenses
dcjs.virginia.gov/sites/dcjs.virginia.gov/files/publications/victims/
resulting in injury to person or property;
brochure-family-abuse-permanent-protective-order-new-firearm-
✦✦ Possession of a companion animal if the petitioner meets the prohibition.pdf.
definition of owner (See Code of Virginia §3.2-6500) and;
✦✦ Other conditions the judge deems necessary to protect you and Protective Orders are free
family/household members. There is no charge for petitioning for a protective order, filing copies of
In cases of family abuse, a PPO can also: a protective order, or having the order served on the respondent.
✦✦ Grant temporary possession of the residence to family/
Do I need legal representation for a
household members.
Protective Order?
✦✦ Require that the respondent maintain utility services for the
No. You do not need an attorney to file for a protective order. However,
household, or if appropriate, order respondent to restore such
there are often free legal services available for low income victims who
services.
would like to obtain a protective order. Many area domestic violence
✦✦ Grant temporary possession of a jointly owned vehicle. service agencies have free attorneys and victim advocates available to
✦✦ Require the respondent to provide suitable alternative housing assist victims who would like a protective order. Local Legal Aid offices
for the family/household members. also assist victims in obtaining protective orders. All local Juvenile and
✦✦ Require any other relief necessary for the protection of the Domestic Relations District Courts have court services units to assist
victim and family/household members of the victim. victims in obtaining protective orders. To find out more about the
services available in your area, please call the toll-free Victim Assist

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Virginia Helpline at 1-888-887-3418 or the toll-free Virginia Family Resources that may be helpful to you:
Violence and Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-838-8238.
I-CAN! Virginia
Do I have to press charges to get a Virginia has an Online Forms Completion Program for protective
Protective Order? orders called I-CAN! Virginia. It is a free online program that helps
No. A protective order is a civil order, and is not the same as pressing individuals complete the forms necessary to ask the courts for protec-
criminal charges. You may press criminal charges against the abuser, tive orders. I-CAN! Virginia is available on Virginia’s Judicial System
in addition to petitioning for a protective order, but you do not have to Website at the following link:
press charges in order to get a protective order. www.courts.state.va.us/courtadmin/aoc/judpln/programs/afapo/
home.html
Once a protective order has been served on the respondent (abuser)
it can be enforced. It is the respondent’s responsibility not to violate
the terms of the protective order. Violation of certain protective order For additional information, assistance, and referrals you may
conditions by the respondent is a crime. If the respondent is convicted call the following statewide toll-free numbers and/or view the
of violating a protective order, he or she must serve some time in jail. listed websites:
Additionally, the court must issue a new protective order. Virginia Victim Assistance Network
www.vanetwork.org
Is a Protective Order from another Victim Assist Virginia Helpline
state valid in Virginia? 1-888-887-3418
If I go to another state, will my Virginia Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance
Protective Order be valid in that state? www.vsdvalliance.org
Statewide Hotline
The answer to both questions is yes. Federal law requires states to 1-800-838-8238
enforce each other’s protective orders. To prevent confusion or delay
Virginia Legal Aid
in enforcing the order by law enforcement, you can register a certified www.valegalaid.org
copy of your order with the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District 1-866-534-5243
Court or the General District Court in the city or county where you will
Virginia Poverty Law Center (Family & Sexual Violence)
be visiting or residing. www.vplc.org
1-800-868-8752
How to make sure
Protective Orders work for you Virginia State Bar Lawyer Referral Service
www.vsb.org/vlrs/index.php/public/vlrs
✦✦ Follow all the conditions and terms stated in your protective 1-800-552-7977
order.
Virginia Victims Fund
✦✦ Go to all the scheduled hearings. (Officially the Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund)
✦✦ Report any violations of the protective order to law www.virginiavictimsfund.org
enforcement immediately. 1-800-552-4007
✦✦ Carry a copy of the protective order with you at all times and
show it to law enforcement, if it is violated. The information from this brochure is available on the internet. You
may download it from the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice
✦✦ Avoid deliberate contact with the respondent (abuser). Services website at:
✦✦ Develop a safety plan with your victim/witness program or www.dcjs.virginia.gov/sites/dcjs.virginia.gov/files/publications/victims/
domestic violence or sexual assault agency (if applicable). protective-orders-virginia-guide-victims-english.pdf

This project is supported by Grant #16-N3957VW15 awarded to the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services.

Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services

www.dcjs.virginia.gov January 2017