Injunctions (Restraining Orders)
Intimate partner violence is considered a silent epidemic in our society. It occurs behind closed doors, and rarely does anyone talk about the fact that their abuser is hurting them. Victims of intimate partner violence can be men, women, or children whose perpetrators exert physical violence, sexual violence, stalking, or other forms of power and control over their victims. Perpetrators can be spouses, parents, siblings, children, relationship partners, or sometimes other people in whom you have placed your trust. Â Â
You do not have to tolerate abuse. There are ways to protect yourself and your family from the person who is hurting you. You can request an injunction for protection through the court system, which will prohibit your perpetrator from contacting you and causing further harm to you. We understand that the court process can be intimidating. Our attorney has an extensive background in working with victims of intimate partner violence and helping them maneuver through the court process, and she is ready and willing to help you ask for the protection you are looking for.Â
If you need to request an injunction for protection (restraining order), or would like to discuss your legal options, call us today at (904) 510-5341.
Jacksonville Criminal Law Firm: Your Trusted Restraining Order Lawyer
Society considers intimate partner violence a silent epidemic. Most commonly occurring behind closed doors, partner abuse is rarely discussed and includes relationships such as:
- Wife/Husband
- Same-sex partners
- Romantic Relationship Partners
- Former Romantic Relationship Partners
- Parents of a shared child
- Parent/Child Relationship
- Former Domestic Partnership Participants
Victims are men, women, children and anyone who has experienced physical and/or sexual violence, stalking and other forms of power control at the hands of their abuser. Perpetrators are spouses, parents, siblings, children, relationship partners or anyone in whom you have placed your trust who exploits that trust in order to exert power and control over you. Their tactics can also be psychologically damaging, often involving financial, sexual and/or emotional abuse. Scenarios which could qualify as domestic violence:
- Repeated harassment/bodily injury or fear of potential bodily injury
- Conduct which torments, terrorizes, or terrifies a person
- Causing bodily injury or attempted bodily injury
- Sexual offense such as rape
Domestic violence victims are protected by criminal and civil laws. No one should ever tolerate abuse for any reason. While there are several ways in which you can protect yourself and your loved ones, an injunction for protection (also known as a protective order or a restraining order) through the court system is the most common means.Â
An injunction is a court order that prohibits an abuser from:
- Contacting the victim.
- Committing future acts of violence against the victim.
- Publicly or privately harassing or abusing the victim or member of the victim’s household.
- Entering the victim’s property, or coming withing 500 feet of the victim’s property.
- Vandalizing the victim’s property/contents.
- Possessing firearms while the injunction is in place, in most cases..
While there are several types of injunctions, the most common cases involve protection against abusive family members, roommates, intimate partners and former partners.Â
The length of an injunction is often determined by the type of abuse exacted on a victim or victims, the brevity of inflicted harm and whether or not future abuse is likely. The perpetrator’s past criminal history, if applicable, is taken into consideration as well as other varying factors. Â
When you file a petition for an injunction, the judge may issue a Temporary Injunction pending the hearing in your case. Temporary injunctions are intended to provide protection to you while awaiting the hearing to determine if a permanent injunction is warranted. The length of time a permanent injunction is valid varies, usually from a one-year period and up to a lifetime.. Violation of an injunction carries heavy consequences such as:
- Criminal charges
- Contempt of Court
- Jail time
- Fines
Injunctions are serious business and the court process can be intimidating. Eilert Law has extensive experience working with victims of intimate partner violence, helping them maneuver through the court process. If you believe you need to obtain an injunction, Eilert Law is a preferred domestic violence lawyer in Jacksonville and can advise you regarding ways to protect yourself, your loved ones, and your assets.
Know your legal options. Call today to speak with your domestic violence attorney in Jacksonville.
(904) 510-5341
