By Your Side Throughout Your Case
Help With Domestic Violence And Restraining Orders
If you are faced with the threat of domestic violence, you may take legal steps to receive protection. The attorneys at work with clients to obtain protective documents, including:
- Restraining orders: A restraining order is a court-ordered protection document that prohibits an individual from acting in a way that threatens the safety or well-being of another individual. A restraining order commonly prevents an abuser from going near another person’s house or workplace.
- Protection orders: An order of protection can be issued against an abuser, ordering him or her not to make any contact with the abused. Unlike a restraining order, a protection order is criminally enforceable. If the abuser violates the protection order, he or she can be arrested and face criminal charges.
These documents are available to anyone experiencing domestic violence: spouses, children, dating and engaged individuals, cohabitors and others in a familial or dating relationship.
The Massachusetts Abuse Prevention Act
Under the Massachusetts Abuse Prevention Act (MAPA), victims of domestic abuse or violence are protected against certain violent acts. Victims can apply for an emergency protection order, which may go into effect without notice to the alleged abuser. This emergency order is effective for 10 business days, after which the restrained person has an opportunity to be heard in court.
The MAPA also allows for restraining orders to be issued against family or household members. In Massachusetts, these orders are known as 209A orders. If you are a victim of domestic violence — or if you have been placed under a protection order or 209A order — contact . We assist victims of domestic violence in seeking protection orders and restraining orders, exploring all options in and out of MAPA to work toward securing their safety. We also understand that protection and restraining orders limit the lives of alleged abusers, and we fight to exonerate those wrongly accused of domestic violence.
Contact Us
Contact an attorney right away to schedule a confidential case assessment. We can be reached at 978-744-7774.