What Type of Protection Order Should I File?

Use this flowchart to help determine what kind of protection order you need.

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  • Domestic Violence: The petition for a domestic violence protection order must allege the existence of domestic violence committed against the petitioner or family or household members who are minors or vulnerable adults. The petition must specify whether the petitioner or the respondent are intimate partners, family, or household members. 
  • Anti-Harassment: The petition for an anti-harassment protection order must allege the existence of unlawful harassment committed against the petitioner by the respondent. The petitioner may file on behalf of themselves, a minor child where the petitioner is the parent, legal guardian, or custodian, a vulnerable adult where the petitioner is an interested party, or any other adult for whom the petitioner demonstrates to the Court's satisfaction that the petitioner is interested in the adult's well-being, the Court's intervention is necessary, and the adult cannot file the petition because of age, disability, health, or inaccessibility. 
  • Sexual Assault: The petition for a sexual assault protection order must allege the existence of nonconsensual sexual conduct or nonconsensual sexual penetration that was committed against the petitioner by the respondent. The petition can be filed on behalf of themselves, a minor child where the petitioner is the parent, legal guardian, or custodian, a vulnerable adult where the petitioner is an interested party, or any other adult for whom the petitioner demonstrates to the Court's satisfaction that the petitioner is interested in the adult's well-being, the Court's intervention is necessary, and the adult cannot file the petition because of age, disability, health, or inaccessibility.  
  • Vulnerable Adult: The petition for vulnerable adult protection order must allege that the petitioner, or person on whose behalf the peitition is brought, is a vulnerable adult who has been abandoned, abused, financially exploited, or neglected, or has been threatened with abandonment, abuse, financial exploitation, or neglect by the respondent. 
  • Stalking: The petition for a stalking protection order must allege the existence of stalking committed against the petitioner by the respondent. The petitioner may petition for a stalking protection order on behalf of themselves, a minor child where the petitioner is the parent, legal guardian, or custodian, a vulnerable adult where the petitioner is an interested party, or any other adult for whom the petitioner demonstrates to the Court's satisfaction that the petitioner is interested in the adult's well-being, the Court's intervention is necessary, and the adult cannot file the petition because of age, disability, health, or inaccessibility.