Washington County Attorneys Help Abuse Victims Get Orders for Protection

Helping protect clients in Washington County, Dakota County, Burnsville, Stillwater and Woodbury, MN

In Minnesota, if you are the victim of domestic violence, you can petition the court for an Order for Protection, informally known as a protective order. An Order for Protection orders the abuser to stop harming or threatening you and your children. When an Order for Protection has been issued, the abuser must stay away from your home, workplace, school or other locations frequented by you and your minor children. If you are the victim of domestic abuse and need an Order for Protection, the attorneys at Appelhof, Pfeifer & Hart, P.A. are here to help. With more than 50 years ’ combined experienced, we have the knowledge and skills to help solve any family law problem you face.

Who can get an Order for Protection?

To be eligible for an Order for Protection, you must be the victim of domestic abuse committed by a family or household member. For purposes of the domestic violence laws, a family or household member includes:

Spouses
Former spouses
Parents
Children
Other blood relatives

Persons residing together or who have resided together in the past
Persons who have a child in common (or a child on the way)
Persons involved in a romantic or sexual relationship

If you do not qualify for an Order for Protection, you may qualify for a Harassment Restraining Order. Our attorneys can help you obtain the appropriate protection from the court.

An Order for Protection can have significant effects on the parties, including the children of the parties. A court can award temporary custody and parenting time, child support, spousal maintenance and divide property of the parties. It is important to contact an experienced family law attorney if you have filed or intend to file an Order for Protection or have been served with an Order for Protection.

What is the process for getting an Order for Protection?

If you are a victim of domestic violence, you can apply for an Order for Protection from the district court in your county. You first obtain a temporary order, which is effective as soon as the alleged abuser is served with a copy of the order.

The temporary order stays in effect until the court holds a hearing, which is usually seven days after the initial filing. At the hearing, the court meets with both parties to determine if the temporary order should be extended for up to one year.

Are there different types of Orders for Protection?

You can ask the court for one of three types of temporary Orders for Protection:

Exclusion order — If you and the alleged abuser live together, the alleged abuser is ordered to leave the home at least until the court hearing on whether to extend the temporary order.
Protection-only order — If you and the alleged abuser live together and you wish to remain together in the same residence, the alleged abuser is ordered not to harm you or cause you fear, but is not ordered to leave the residence.
Non-exclusion order — If you and the alleged abuser do not live together, the alleged abuser is ordered to stay away from your home at least until the court hearing on whether to extend the temporary order.

Contact our Minnesota attorneys if you need an Order for Protection

Appelhof, Pfeifer & Hart, P.A. serves clients throughout Minnesota, including in Washington County, Dakota County, Burnsville, Eagan and Woodbury, MN. Contact us online, or call us at 651-760-7524. Initial consultations are free, and flexible scheduling is available.

Our Attorneys

Tori M. Appelhof

Partner

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Mary A. Pfeifer

Partner

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Kathy K. Hart

Partner

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Client testimonials

"Tori had a thorough understanding of my situation and made excellent recommendations to resolve my concerns. She was persistent on communication and handled everything in a very timely manner. I would definitely hire her again in the future if needed." - M.K.
"With Appelhof, Pfeifer & Hart, P.A., it is like having a family physician. They are all knowledgeable, thorough, comforting, and the only call I need to make for all my legal needs for many years to come. No matter what the matter, I totally trust their advice and commitment to me and my family." - J.N.
"Mary from APH Law helped me thru a difficult divorce. She and the entire staff was there for me every step of the way helping me on what to do next. They listened to what I wanted and helped me achieve what matter the most to me in the divorce settlement." - Dana C.
"I chose APH after my initial consultation with Mary. I felt my best interest would be represented. The entire process went excellent, the attorneys and staff communicated effectively and efficiently with me throughout the process as they needed to. Being new to the legal process and verbiage, they walked me and talked me through the next steps and the jargon, I felt completely comfortable and represented. I hope I never have to use legal services again but if I do I will call Mary at APH Law and know that I will be taken care of." - Jeff M.
"Divorce is a time of emotion and stress. Mary Pfeifer , My lawyer was professional and compassionate. She was very informative through the process. Her insight helped me in my decisions. She worked hard to obtain a settlement which was fair to both parties. Though, I hope I won't need her help again. It is reassuring to know a good person that is willing to help." - Rod S.
"I first came to Ms. Jacquelyn Lutz of Appelhof, Pfeifer and Hart in October of 2016. It was definitely the worst time in my life and she compassionately spoke with me about my options. Ms. Lutz thoroughly explained the laws, statutes, process and what to expect going forward. What was supposed to be one case, turned into three intricate cases that took a huge toll on me and my family. Ms. Lutz represented me in court on all three cases with a vast knowledge of the laws and how to proceed accordingly. During all three cases she kept me informed, calm, gave me resources to utilize, and (most important) gave me a realistic view of what may come next. Ms. Lutz knew each case required a great deal of knowledge and creative thinking on how to legally proceed forward with each case. My family and friends are forever grateful for the amazing representation by Ms. Lutz. I highly recommend Ms. Lutz for anyone needing or considering superb representation for any kind of family law. " - M.H.

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