Orders of Protection Attorneys in St. Louis

Representation for Petitioners & Defendants

If you have been threatened, harmed, or harassed by someone, an order of protection might be necessary to protect you from further transgressions. The Hammer Law Firm, LLC of St. Louis, Missouri, would like to help you through this legal process. We are here to make sure that you can file a petition for an order of protection without complications or delays. As highly experienced criminal defense attorneys, you can also talk to us if someone has filed a petition against you that you think is unjustly limiting.

Call (314) 334-3807 now to talk to a St. Louis order of protection lawyer.

What Does an Order of Protection Do?

The purpose of an order of protection is to control where an abuser can and cannot go, as well as prevent interactions between them and the petitioner. Depending on the situation, an order of protection can also compel the abuser to provide court-ordered forms of financial support and compel them to complete court-ordered therapy or counseling sessions. It is important to be thorough when filling out a petition. You can rely on our attorneys to make sure everything is covered and that the petition is filed with the correct courthouse.

Specifically, an order of protection can order an abuser to stop:

Physically harming you
Threatening you
Harassing you more than once
Forcing you to do anything against your will
Holding or confining you against your will
Stalking you

We can help you file the petition if you were abused, harassed, or intimidated. The same is true if you need to file an order of protection to protect a child from physical, sexual, or emotional abuse.

Who Can Be Restricted by an Order of Protection?

An order of protection filed because you are being stalked or continually harassed by someone can be filed against anyone. Many such cases involve a petitioner filing against a stranger. If the order of protection is filed for any other reason, then it can only be filed against a household or family member, including past household and family members like ex-spouses or former roommates. You can also file such a petition against anyone with whom you share a child.

Types of Orders of Protection

In Missouri, most orders of protection will be categorized as one of these two types:

Full order of protection: A full order of protection is used to create long-lasting legal protections for the petitioner against harassment, harm, and stalking. It can include additional forms of relief like financial support when appropriate.
Ex parte order of protection: An ex parte order of protection is much like a full order except it is considered more temporary. Typically, an ex parte order of protection will expire once a courtroom hearing about the alleged abuse or harassment is held. At that point, the court will either authorize a full order of protection or let the ex parte order expire with no replacement.

How Long Does an Order of Protection Last?

A Missouri court can approve a full order of protection to last between 180 and 365 days. An ex parte order of protection usually lasts a week or so, from the point of the filing to the court hearing. If a full order of protection is set to expire, then the petitioner can ask for an extension using an affidavit of changes.

During an Order of Protection Hearing

In the order of protection hearing, you will be expected to bring evidence and/or a convincing argument to prove that the order is necessary. You aren’t legally required to have a lawyer present, but this is where our legal services become so valuable. We know how to gather various forms of evidence, prepare arguments, and even prepare you about what to expect if you are asked to testify. Our goal is to make sure that you will be beyond ready for the hearing, so it goes in your favor.

Remember: Most people who come to The Hammer Law Firm, LLC for help with orders of protection are petitioners in need of help after they have been abused or harassed. However, we can use our criminal defense backgrounds to represent you during an order of protection hearing if you believe the order is unjust or if you know the accusations against you are falsified.

Choose the Team with Decades of Legal Experience

For more than 30 years, our St. Louis orders of protection lawyers have been there for locals in need of reliable and honest legal counsel. You are facing what might be the most difficult time of your life now that you have decided that you need an order of protection. Let us help remove some of the stress of the situation by supplying both legal representation and genuine moral support.

Contact us onlineor call (314) 334-3807 to request a FREE initial consultation.