Florida restraining orders, also referred to as orders for protection, temporary restraining orders (TROs), or injunctions, significantly restrict you from coming within a certain distance of another person for a specific amount of time or from contacting them by phone, email, or social media.
If you are facing this type of court order, contact a West Palm Beach restraining order lawyer to review your situation. Contact a skilled domestic violence lawyer can help you evaluate whether the underlying reasons for the Order are valid, and determine what legal options are available to you.
How Do Restraining Orders Work in West Palm Beach
Restraining orders are essentially civil proceedings in which one person seeks to have a court order for protection against another person. In most situations, some sort of violence or threat of violence precipitates a restraining order and the party seeking it feels physically threatened by the other.
The duration and scope of an order of protection will vary depending on the facts and circumstances of every situation. However, as the threat of violence may be a concern, many restraining orders are processed quickly. While that can help accusers, it can also hurt the subject of this order when they have been falsely accused. This is especially disheartening when children are involved as it can affect parenting abilities and bonds. An attorney in West Palm Beach could explain what someone should expect if they are facing a restraining order. Orders of protection can have significant consequences on the alleged accuser’s rights, including:
- Appearing on criminal record background checks, even though it is a civil procedure
- Being enforced nationwide
- Engaging in further contact with the petitioner, which can result in arrest if the order is violated, despite the best of intentions
- Limiting the ability to buy firearms or having to surrender those already owned
- Moving out of a home, if the petitioner lives in the same household
- Being subjected to supervised visitation with children
- Losing a job, if the petitioner is a co-worker
- Altering child support obligations
- Reporting the restraining order to professional licensing groups
- Affecting military status and citizenship under certain circumstances
Penalties for a Restraining Order Violation
A restraining order goes far beyond the parties directly involved in the underlying dispute and can seriously affect the alleged abuser’s livelihood and outside relationships. A West Palm Beach lawyer can challenge a restraining order by finding inconsistencies in the alleged victim’s story and discredit the accuser’s witnesses.
Anyone subject to an order of protection must keep in mind that the penalties for violating this document, whether they believe it is valid or not, can have serious consequences. These include Jail and even State Prison under some circumstances.
Get Help from a West Palm Beach Restraining Order Attorney
Restraining orders can place an enormous strain on relationships and families – especially when they are issued based on allegations that are not true or exaggerated. It is important to recognize that there are two sides to every story and a West Palm Beach restraining order lawyer can make sure that your story is considered equally so that you have the best chances of avoiding having an order of protection on your record.
If you are facing this type of court order, contact an experienced lawyer to review your situation and determine your legal options for fighting it or getting it mitigated. Keeping these off of your record will go a long way towards protecting your reputation.
