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EspañolWho is eligible for a protective order against an act of violence, force, or threat? In which court is it filed?
You may be eligible to file a petition for a protective order against anyone who committed an act of violence, force, or threat against you. You do not have to have a family or household member relationship to get this protective order.1
If you are filing against someone with whom you do not have a family or household member relationship, you would file your petition in the General District Court.1 If you are filing against a family or household member, you would file in the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court.2 You can file in the county where:
- you or the abuser live;
- the act of violence, force, or threat happened; or
- a protective order is already in effect to protect you or your family or household member.3
The steps for filing are similar to the steps for filing for a family abuse protective order.
You can find the petition for a protective order and instructions for how to fill it out on Virginia’s Courts Website.
1 See the Virginia Attorney General’s website, Protective Orders: What does the new legislation mean?
2 See the Virginia Courts website, What You Need to Know About Protective Orders
3 Va. Code § 19.2-152.11
