Domestic Violence Injunctions

A Level Academy Islamabad

Transcript

00:00Being a victim of domestic violence can make you feel many things.

00:04Vulnerable.

00:05Frightened.

00:06Angry.

00:08Helpless.

00:09Trapped.

00:10But it is of the utmost importance to realize that you always have recourse.

00:14That there is a way to protect yourself and your loved ones under the law.

00:18And this starts by getting an injunction against your abuser.

00:23An injunction, also known as a restraining order, is a court order that forces a particular person, in this case an abuser,

00:30to stop doing certain things, including coming near the abused or contacting the abused.

00:36An injunction can also make an abuser move out of a home, pay temporary child support as a result,

00:42and give the person abused temporary custody of the children.

00:45If you have an injunction against someone and they violate it, they will be arrested.

00:50Now, in Florida, injunctions are broken down into a two-step process.

00:56The initial injunction is called a temporary injunction or temporary restraining order, TRO for short,

01:02because it will last no longer than 15 days.

01:05It will come into effect once the filed petition is approved by a judge and the injunction is served on the abuser.

01:11During the approval process for the temporary injunction, there is no need for anyone to testify or appear in court.

01:18This is why it is also called an ex parte injunction,

01:21because it is determined without waiting for the accused abuser to be present at a hearing.

01:26A judge will make the decision based solely on the information in the original petition

01:30and will grant it if it shows an immediate and present danger of domestic violence.

01:35Once approved, there will be a hearing within the 15 days for what's known as a final injunction.

01:40The potential final injunction will last longer than the 15 days and may not have an expiration date at all,

01:46depending on the severity of the situation.

01:49Plus, a final injunction may offer a wider range of protections than the temporary injunction did.

01:55If a final injunction has no expiration date, then either side can file for a modification or outright removal of the order.

02:03This can happen at any time, and the judge then has to decide whether to grant these changes or not.

02:09If you're caught in a domestic violence situation, know you are not alone.

02:13LegalYou is here to help you navigate the court system.

02:16LegalYou. You can do this.