Once a petition for a temporary protective order has been filed, the court may, but is not required, to issue a Family Violence Ex Parte Protective Order granting temporary relied until a hearing may be held on the claims in the petition.
Pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 19-13-3, “[u]pon the filing of a verified petition in which the petitioner alleges with specific facts that probable cause exists to establish that family violence has occurred in the past and may occur in the future, the court may order such temporary relief ex parte as it deems necessary to protect the petitioner or a minor of the household from violence. If the court issues an ex parte order, a copy of the order shall be immediately furnished to the petitioner and such order shall remain in effect until the court issues an order dismissing such order or a hearing as set forth in subsection (c) of this Code section occurs, whichever occurs first.” O.C.G.A. § 19-13-3(b).
You may obtain a copy of a Family Violence Ex Parte Protective Order from the Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority HERE.
Once a petition has been filed, the respondent (or defendant) has been served, and a hearing has been held, in accordance with O.C.G.A. § 19-13-4, “[t]he court may, upon the filing of a verified petition, grant any protective order or approve any consent agreement to bring about a cessation of acts of family violence.” O.C.G.A. § 19-13-4(a).
Whether you find yourself contemplating a petition for a protective order, or you find yourself wrongly accused of committing family violence, be sure that you have an attorney looking out for your best interests.
The Sellers Law Firm, LLC, has years of experience in dealing with protective orders, and we can help you during this difficult time. Give us a call today at 770-415-9848 at The Sellers Law Firm, LLC: where clients become family.
You may also contact us online by submitting a case evaluation request HERE.
You may access forms from the Protective Order Registry, including a Petition for a Temporary Protective Order, HERE.