An Application for Civil Protection Order is relatively new in Connecticut. It is designed to allow a violence victim to obtain a Restraining Order against someone who is not a family member.
There are three types of Connecticut Restraining Orders:
1. Protective Order. This is an order of protection issued by a Criminal Court against a Defendant after he or she has been arrested for a crime of violence. These Protective Orders usually last until the Defendant’s case is resolved by the Prosecutor but in serious cases it can last even after the criminal case is over.
2. Application for Relief from Abuse. This Application is filed in the Family Court against a household member or romantic partner. The victim must show that he or she has been subjected to a continuous threat of present physical pain or physical injury, stalking or a pattern of threatening. A judge will review the Application and grant a temporary Restraining Order on the spot if the allegations are serious enough. The Restraining Order stays in effect until a full hearing is held – usually in two weeks. At the full hearing, the judge can order grant a Restraining Order for up to one (1) year.
3. Application for Civil Protection Order. This Application is filed in the Civil Court against anyone who has committed sexual abuse, sexual assault or engaged in stalking behavior. This law offers protection when there has not been arrest and/or the perpetrator is not a household member or dating partner (i.e. 1 and 2 above are not available to the victim). The procedure is similar to the Relief from Abuse in that a a judge can grant protection after reviewing the Application, hearings are scheduled within 2 weeks and the Order can last for up to one (1) year.
I represent clients in Restraining Order hearings throughout Fairfield County including Easton, Fairfield, Monroe, Trumbull, Stratford, Bridgeport, Westport, Weston, New Canaan, Wilton, Norwalk, Darien, Stamford and Greenwich.
Contact me online or call my Fairfield office at (203) 259-5251 or my Stamford office at (203) 356-1475 if you have questions about a Connecticut Application for Civil Protection Order.