Restraining Orders

Whether the judge grants you a temporary ex parte order or not, you will likely be given a court date for a hearing within 30 days to determine if a final family violence protective order will be issued. The hearing will be in front of a judge. Both you and the abuser will have a chance to be present at this hearing and give evidence and testimony.

You must go to the hearing. If you do not go to the hearing, your temporary family violence protective order will expire and you will have to start the process over. If the abuser does not show up for the hearing, the judge may still grant you a family violence protective order, or the judge may order a new hearing date.

It’s generally best to have a lawyer represent you at a hearing, especially if the abuser will have a lawyer. For legal referrals, go to our GA Finding a Lawyer page. If you will be representing yourself in court, you can see the At the Hearing page for ways you can show the judge that you were abused.