Domestic Violence Injunctions (Restraining Orders)

I was recently working on a case at my Law Office in Central Florida that involves a Domestic Violence Injunction. While consulting with my client, I realized that not everyone understands what a Domestic violence Injunction is, much less what warrants one. Upon this realization, I decided to answer a few of the common questions I get about this matter.

What is a Domestic Violence Injunction?

Quite simply put a Domestic Violence Injunction is really most commonly called a restraining order. Legally speaking a Domestic Violence Injunction is a court order that restricts the person (that it is filed against) from threatening, battering, or harassing you. These injunctions prohibit the person from continuing with any acts of violence towards you. However, they may or may not prohibit the person from having contact with you.

Do I meet the requirements for a Domestic Violence Injunction?

In order to get a Domestic Violence Injunction you must have been the victim of physical abuse, or you must have been placed in fear of the person by words or physical acts that you fear would immediately harm you from an unlawful act of violence.

Who can I file a Domestic Violence Injunction against?

You can file a Domestic Violence Injunction against:

• someone you live with
• someone you lived with in the past
• a spouse
• a former spouse
• a person related by blood or marriage
• a person who is the parent of your child or children, even if you never lived with that person

How do I file a Domestic Violence Injunction?

This easiest and most efficient way of filing this Injunction is to contact your Local Attorney. He or she will know the proper proceedings on what needs to be done to file this Injunction as well as be able to take care of any communications with the court system and opposing Attorneys.