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Know the Laws: New York

UPDATED October 29, 2012

Orders of Protection

An order of protection is a civil order that provides protection from someone who you are married to, separated from, divorced from, have a child in common with, are/were in an intimate/dating relationship with (including same-sex couples) or are related to by blood or marriage.

Basic information
Who can get an order of protection
Steps for obtaining an order of protection
After the hearing

Basic information

back to topWhat is the legal definition of domestic violence in New York?

This section defines domestic violence for the purposes of getting a family court (civil) order of protection.

In family court, to get an order of protection, you must allege that the abuser committed one or more "family offenses" against you. (The petition for an order of protection is called a "family offense petition.") The following crimes are considered to be family offenses when the victim and abuser are / were related by blood, marriage, in an intimate relationship, or they have a child in common:

disorderly conduct
harassment (1st or 2nd degree)
aggravated harassment (2nd degree)
stalking (1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th degree)
menacing (2nd or 3rd degree)
reckless endangerment
assault (2nd or 3rd degree)
attempted assault
criminal mischief
sexual misconduct
forcible touching
sexual abuse (in the second or third degree)
criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation
strangulation (1st or 2nd degree).*

Please go to the NY Statutes page to read the specific definitions of each of these crimes under the NY Penal Law.

Note: A new law was passed in August 2010, which says that a petition for an order of protection cannot be dismissed or denied based only on the fact that the incident(s) you allege happened a while before you applied for the order.** This law applies to any new petitions filed after August 13, 2010 or any cases that were filed before August 13, 2010 but are still pending in court on August 13, 2010.

* NY Fam Ct Act § 812(1)
** NY Fam Ct Act § 551; NY Dom Rel Law § 240(3)(8)(e)

back to topWhat is the legal definition of an "intimate relationship?"

A new law was passed in 2008 that says people who are/ were in an intimate relationship are eligible to get an order of protection in family court even if they have never lived together and are not related by blood or marriage. This includes same sex couples or heterosexual couples who are/ were dating but do not have a child in common. An "intimate" relationship does not have to mean a sexual one. To decide if a relationship is intimate, the judge will look at the nature (type) of the relationship, and how often and for how long the people in the relationship were in contact.*

Because this law is new, it is hard to predict exactly how the judge in your case will interpret the words "intimate relationship." Since judges can interpret the word "intimate" differently, a broad range of people may be able to file against each other that you might not expect. For example, in one case, a judge ruled that a man's new girlfriend could file against his ex-girlfriend who harassed her since both women had children with the man and the new girlfriend helped raise the ex-girlfriend's children.**

* NY Fam Ct Act § 812(1)(e)
** See R.M.W. v. G.M.M. & K.F. v. G.M.M, 2009 N.Y. Slip Op. 29038

back to topWhat types of orders of protection are there? How long can they last?

There are two types of orders: a temporary ex parte order of protection and a final order of protection.

When you apply for an order of protection, the judge can issue a temporary order of protection if s/he believes there is "good cause" to do so.* The temporary order of protection usually lasts until you can have a full court hearing, which may not happen for many court dates. If the hearing does not happen on the first date you return to court (the first "adjourn date"), usually the judge will extend the order of protection from court date to court date.** On the hearing date, the abuser will have an opportunity to attend the full court hearing and present his/her side. Based on the testimony and evidence, a judge will decide whether to issue a final order of protection. Note: The length of the temporary order of protection cannot be a factor in determining the length or issuance of any final order.***

A final order of protection may last up to 5 years, depending on the facts of your specific case. Usually the order will be granted for up to 2 years but if the judge determines that one or more "aggravating circumstances" exist, you can request that your order last for up to 5 years. Aggravating circumstances include:

physical injury or serious physical injury,
the use of a dangerous instrument (including a weapon),
a history of repeated violations of prior orders of protection by the abuser,
prior convictions for crimes against you by the abuser,
the exposure of any family or household member to physical injury by the abuser and
prior incidents and behaviors of the abuser that make the judge believe the abuser is an immediate and ongoing danger to you or any member of your family or household.***

* NY Fam Ct Act § 828(1)(a)
** NY Fam Ct Act § 828(3)
*** NY Fam Ct Act § 842
**** NY Fam Ct Act § 827(a)(vii)

back to topHow can an order of protection help me?

An order of protection can:

order the abuser to stop abusing you and your children;
tell the abuser to leave and stay away from you, your home, your workplace, and your family (Note: the abuser can be removed from the home or ordered to stay away from the home that you were both living even if his/her name is on the lease or deed);
direct the abuser to have no contact with you including no phone calls, letters, or messages through other people (called "third party contact");
order the abuser to pay your attorney's fees that you paid to get (or later enforce) the order;
order the abuser to give up his/her guns and gun license (as part of a temporary order or as part of a final order);
order the abuser to not intentionally injure or kill, without justification, any pet that belongs to you or a minor child residing in the household;
give you temporary custody and arrange for visitation for the duration of the order of protection;
make an order for temporary child support in an amount that is "sufficient to meet the needs of the child" even if the details about the income and assets of the abuser are unavailable. You do not have to show an immediate or emergency need for the support. (Note: If the abuser has employer-provided insurance, the judge can make an order that directs the employer to provide such insurance to your child)
order the abuser to not do anything that creates an unreasonable risk to the health, safety or welfare of your child;
order the abuser to pay for expenses related to the abuse such as medical care and property damage;
authorize the person leaving the home (whether it is you or the abuser) to retrieve his/her undisputed personal belongings from the home with a police escort;
order the abuser to participate in a batterer's educational program and to pay for it if s/he has the means to do so; and
do anything else that is necessary for your protection.*
Note: If you meet certain requirements, you can also ask the judge to terminate your rental lease with your landlord without financial penalty to you if you need to leave your rental unit to keep safe.** See our Housing Protections page for information on what you need to prove to get the judge to do this.

Whether or not a judge orders any or all of these things depends on the facts of your case.

* NY Fam Ct Act §§ 842, 842-a
** NY Fam Ct Act § 842 and NY RPL § 227-c(1)

back to topCan the abuser's gun be taken away as part of a temporary order of protection?

Yes. With a temporary order of protection, there are certain cases where the judge has the option of taking away the abuser's guns and gun license and there are certain cases where the judge is supposed to take away his/her guns and gun license.

The judge has the option to order that the abuser's guns / gun license be taken away if the judge finds that there is a "substantial risk" that the abuser may use or threaten to use a gun against you or anyone else on your order of protection (such as your children).*

The judge should take away the abuser's guns/ gun license if:

the abuser has a prior conviction of a violent felony offense or
the abuser has been convicted in the past of stalking or
a judge found that the abuser "willfully" (purposefully) violated an order of protection in the past and, in committing such violation, the abuser caused you serious physical injury; or used or threatened to use a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument; or his/his behavior qualified as a violent felony offense.*

The order of protection must say that the abuser has to surrender his guns/ license (usually a box is checked on page 2) for it to be illegal under NY state law. If the judge does not mention it in court, be sure to speak up and ask the judge to do this if this is what you want. If the judge does not check the appropriate box, then you may have to wait until you are given a permanent order to get his/her guns and gun license taken away.

* NY Family Court Act § 842-a(1)(b) & (2)(b)
** NY Family Court Act § 842-a(1)(a)

back to topCan the abuser's guns be taken away as part of a final order of protection?

With a final order of protection, there are certain cases where the judge has the option of taking away the abuser's guns/ gun license and there are certain cases where the judge is supposed to take away his guns/ gun license.

The judge has the option to take away his guns and gun license if the judge finds that there is a "substantial risk" that the abuser may use or threaten to use a gun against you or anyone else on your order of protection (such as your children).*

The judge is supposed to take away his guns and gun license when the judge believes that the conduct (acts) which resulted in your getting the order of protection was based upon the abuser:

causing you serious physical injury, or
using or threatening to use a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument or
doing something that would be considered a violent felony offense.**

The order of protection must say that the abuser has to surrender his guns/ license (usually a box is checked on page 2) for it to be illegal under NY state law. If the judge does not mention it in court and you want the guns to be removed, be sure to speak up and ask the judge to do this.

Note: Your order of protection must be current for these laws to apply. Once it has expired, the abuser may be able to legally have guns again. Make sure you know when the order expires -- for orders issued in NY, the expiration date should be written on page two of your order of protection.

* NY Family Court Act §842-a(1)(b) & (2)(b)
** NY Family Court Act §842-a (2)(a)

back to topIn which county can I file for an order of protection?

You can file a petition in the county where the abuse took place, in the county where you live, or in the county where the abuser lives.* However, if you live in NY state but the abuser lives out of state, at least one of the abusive acts that you allege in your petition must have taken place in NY state for the court to be able to grant you an order of protection.** If the abuser threatens you on the phone, through texts or emails, these acts could be considered to have "taken place" in NY state if you receive the phone calls, texts or emails in NY.

* NY Fam Ct Act § 818
** NY Fam Ct Act §154(c)(1)

Who can get an order of protection

back to topCan I get an order of protection?

You can apply for an order of protection in family court if you are legally married to, separated from, or divorced from the abuser, if you are related to the abuser by blood or marriage, if you have a child in common with the abuser, or if you are/ were in an intimate relationship with him/her (including same-sex partners).* Even if the abuser has committed a crime against you and you have an order of protection from criminal court, you can still go to family court to apply for an order of protection since both courts have what is called "concurrent jurisdiction."**

Note: An order of protection can also be issued in supreme court,*** which is the court in NY state where divorces are filed and litigated. (However, all of the information in this section refers to family court orders of protection). You can request an order of protection at any time before trial or before a settlement is final in the divorce. However, getting changes made to a supreme court order can be difficult and expensive. It might be a good idea to request that the order include a provision that any future changes can be made in family court.

* NY Fam Ct Act § 812(1)
** NY Fam Ct Act § 115(e)
*** NY Dom Rel Law § 240(3)

back to topCan I get an order of protection against a same-sex partner?

Yes. In New York, you may apply for an order of protection against a current or former same sex partner. Under NY law, you are eligible to file an order of protection against family or household members, which include:

persons related by blood or marriage;
spouses or former spouses;
persons who have a child in common regardless of whether such persons have been married or have lived together at any time; and
persons have been in an intimate relationship regardless of whether such persons have lived together at any time. Factors the court may consider in determining whether a relationship is an “intimate relationship” include but are not limited to:
- the nature or type of relationship, regardless of whether the relationship is sexual in nature;
- the frequency of interaction between the persons; and
- how long the relationship lasted.
- Casual acquaintance between two individuals in business or social contexts is not considered an “intimate relationship”.*

There may also be other legal options for you as well. To find help in your state, please click on the NY Where to Find Help tab at the top of this page.

See Can I get an order of protection? Which court do I go to: family, criminal or supreme? for more information about which court is appropriate to file for an order of protection in your situation.

* NY Fam. Ct. Act § 812(1)

back to topHow much does it cost to get an order of protection?

There are no fees to file a petition for an order of protection in New York state.

back to topI am a minor (under 18 years old). Can I get an order of protection without the help of an adult?

Most likely, yes. Different rules apply for family court and criminal court.

Criminal Court
You can get an order for protection, whether or not you are related to your abuser, in criminal court. As with adults, an order of protection can only be issued after criminal charges are filed. If there are charges being pressed against your abuser, the district attorney will handle the case. The district attorney should not refuse to take your case solely because you are a minor.

The district attorney may want to get your parent(s) involved in the case. The district attorney may let you know before contacting your parent(s). However, if getting your parents involved could put you in danger, be sure to explain that to the district attorney as soon as possible.

Family Court
You may be able to get an order of protection on your own in family court – the main law covering family court orders of protection doesn’t have any specific rules for minors. (For information on who is eligible to file in family court, see Who can get an Order of Protection?)

In some courts, your birthdate is included in the caption of the case next to your name so your age will be automatically apparent. However, in other cases, a judge might not immediately know your age. In this case, s/he may likely allow you to file for the order of protection without the help of an adult.

If a judge does know that you are a minor, a couple of things might happen:

The judge might allow you to have a hearing without the help of an adult.
The judge may want to appoint either a guardian ad litem or an attorney (formerly called a "law guardian") to help you with your case. A guardian ad litem is a person who will advocate for what s/he thinks is in your best interest. An attorney for the child, formerly called a law guardian, is a lawyer who will represent you (the minor) and act on your behalf. Just like with any lawyer, an attorney for a minor is supposed to advocate for what you want unless the child is under a certain age in which case the attorney for the child may be able to substitute his/her judgment for the child's.
If a judge appoints someone to help you with your case, you may want to request an attorney instead of a guardian ad litem. You can also ask for the attorney of your choice, such as someone from an organization that specializes in domestic violence. If you want to go forward alone, you can try to request that, though it might be easier to go through the legal process with the help of an attorney.
The judge might order that your parent(s) be involved. If getting your parent(s) involved would put you in danger, be sure to let the judge know, and request that the judge appoint you an attorney instead.

You may want to contact a domestic violence organization or legal resource in your area for assistance and support (NY Where to Find Help). If you are a teen in New York City, you can contact Day One for assistance.

back to topCan I bring a friend or other person with me for support?

Most likely, yes. The law says that if you are the petitioner in an order of protection case, you are allowed to have a friend, relative, counselor or social worker present in the court room with you for support - even if you are represented by a lawyer. That person cannot participate in the court case as a lawyer could, however, unless the judge decides on his/her own to question that person. If you are the respondent in an order of protection case, you also have the same right to bring someone with you for support but only if you do not have a lawyer representing you. The judge does have the right though to exclude this person from the courtroom however if the judge finds it "undesirable" to have the person there.*

* NY Fam Ct Act § 838

back to topDo I need to have an attorney?

You do not have to have an attorney at the hearing but you may want one, especially if you think the abuser will have a lawyer.

The court should advise both you and the abuser that you each have a right to hire a lawyer to represent you and that if you cannot afford to hire a lawyer, you can ask the court to assign a lawyer to represent you for free (if you are a low-income person.)* In order to qualify for a free court-appointed lawyer, you must meet certain income requirements and the judge may ask you to produce paystubs or other proof of your income. Do not be afraid to speak up and ask for an attorney even if the judge does not ask you if you want one appointed.

Even if you choose to proceed without an attorney or if the court delays in appointing an attorney for you, we recommended that you consult with an attorney to make sure that your legal rights are protected. For more information on domestic violence agencies and legal assistance in your area, please go to NY Where to Find Help.

* NY Fam Ct Act §262(a)(ii)

Steps for obtaining an order of protection

back to topStep 1: Go to court to file the petition.

In family court, you can file your petition in the county where either you or the abuser lives, or where one of the family offenses (acts) alleged in your petition took place. However, one thing to consider is that if you are living in a domestic violence shelter or other confidential location that is in a different county than where the abuser lives and where the violence took place, you may not want to file your petition in the county where you are living. If you do, the abuser will likely figure out that you filed in that county because you are living in that county and it might be easier for the abuser to find you if he knows what county you are living in. To find the courthouse in your area, go to NY Courthouse Locations. Note: As of November 2012, NY State now has an Address Confidentiality Program ("ACP"), which helps a victim who registers with the program to keep his/her address confidential when filing court petitions. All mail is sent to the ACP and the ACP will send it to your actual (confidential) address. To register, click here.

If the incident was reported to the police, you may want to bring the police report to court, if possible. Remember to bring some form of identification (a driver's license or another picture I.D.).

At the courthouse, ask the clerk for the forms that you need to file. You can also find links to online court forms on our NY Download Court Forms page. You may be able to get help with this process through one of the domestic violence agencies listed on our NY State and Local Programs page.

back to topStep 2: Fill out the forms.

In family court, the petition that you file for an order of protection is called a "family offense petition." Carefully fill out the petition. You will be the "Petitioner" and your abuser will be the "Respondent."

Many judges will automatically issue an immediate temporary order of protection on the first court date (also known as the "intake date"). Other times, the judge might issue only a summons for the other party to appear in court before issuing a temporary order or protection. If you feel that you need a temporary order to protect you right away, you should speak up and ask for one.

Read the petition for an order of protection carefully and ask questions if you don’t understand something. Describe in detail how the abuser (respondent) injured or threatened you. Explain when and where the abuse or threats occurred. You will usually be asked to include details about the most recent incident of violence as well as prior incidents. It is important to use descriptive language (slapping, hitting, grabbing, strangling, threatening, etc.) and include details about injuries or pain you suffered, dates of the incidents, and even the specific language of threats made by the abuser if possible. For example, instead of just saying "the Respondent physically abused me and I got hurt," it would be more informative to the judge to explain what happened, such as "the Respondent hit me in the face approximately 3 times with a closed fist causing me to get a black eye that lasted for a week."

Note: Do not sign the form until you have shown it to a clerk. The form might need to be signed in front of a notary public or a judge.

If you do not want to put your address on the forms, the court should have a way for you to keep it confidential. Be sure to bring this to the clerk's attention. Another possibility may be to register for NY State's Address Confidentiality Program ("ACP"), which NY began in November 2012. The ACP allows a victim who registers with the program to keep his/her address confidential when filing court petitions. All mail is sent to the ACP and the ACP will send it to your actual (confidential) address. To register, click here.

back to topStep 3: A judge will review your petition.

After you finish filling out your petition, bring it to the court clerk. The clerk may then type it up while you are present or not. The clerk will take it to a judge who may issue either a summons for your abuser to appear in court on a certain date, or a warrant for his or her arrest, depending upon the circumstances.

The judge may also issue a temporary order of protection and, if requested, the judge can also issue a temporary order of custody. The judge can also temporarily order child support in an amount sufficient to meet the needs of the child, without having to prove an immediate or emergency need for the money. The judge can make this order of temporary child support even if you do not know the respondent's income.* Furthermore, the judge may issue temporary custody during the term of the order of protection to either parent or an "appropriate relative."*

In order to get a permanent or final order of protection, there are two possibilities. The first possibility is that the case will go to trial. During a trial, or hearing, both you and the abuser will have an opportunity to be heard (through testimony) and either party can present evidence in support of their case. The judge would then make his/her decision after hearing the evidence. In order to get a five year order of protection, the judge usually must make a "finding" that aggravating circumstances existed. The second possibility is that the parties (you and the abuser) come to an agreement or settlement under which the respondent (the abuser) consents to you having a final order of protection against him. An order of protection issued "on consent," as it may be called, is usually only given for up to two years since the respondent can usually consent to the order of protection without admitting any wrongdoing. Therefore, if you believe that you can prove "aggravating circumstances," and you are willing to go through a trial, you can ask for a trial and try to seek a five-year order rather than agree to get an order on consent which would only last up to two years. (Check the section entitled What is an Order of Protection? How long does it last? to read about aggravating circumstances)

*See NY Fam Ct Act § 842(j)

back to topStep 4: Service of process

The court will give you instructions on how the summons, petition, and order of protection can be served on (delivered to) the abuser. The court should also tell you that you have the right to have the Police Department serve the summons, petition, and order. In many counties, you can also use the Sheriff's office instead of the police department - call your local Sheriff's office for their hours of operation and to make sure there is no fee involved. Note: In October 2012, NY state created the Order of Protection Notification System, which allows you to be notified by e-mail, text, iPhone/iPad app, telephone, fax or web query, when law enforcement serves your family court order of protection upon the abuser. For more information or to register, click here and here.

Service is important because an order of protection does not go into effect (is not valid) until it is served. Furthermore, the respondent (the abuser) has to be given notice of the court date since the respondent has the right to appear in court on the next court date.

Please remember that if you are using a friend, relative or a process server to serve the papers, that person has to be over 18 years of age. Since you are what is called a "party" to the case, you cannot serve the court papers yourself. The police are required by law to help with service and have to try more than once to find the respondent if they cannot find him on the first attempt.

It is important that no matter who serves the court papers, you ensure that the person who serves the papers fills out the affidavit of service that the court will give to you and that you bring the completed affidavit to court with you on your return court date. This is your proof that the respondent was served even if s/he doesn't show up in court. The affidavit of service usually asks for the time and date that the respondent was served as well as other identifying information about the respondent such as his/her physical appearance, etc. The affidavit of service must be notarized. If you are using the police or sheriff to serve the papers, they usually will fill out what is called an affirmation of service and it does not need to be notarized. If you have a question as to whether the form needs to be notarized, you should check with your local court clerk.

back to topStep 5: The hearing

It is very important that you attend all of the court dates. If you find out you absolutely cannot attend, contact the court clerk immediately and ask how you can get a "continuance" or an "adjournment" for a later court date. If you do not attend, the judge may dismiss your case and any temporary orders of protection will stop being effective.

If the court case does not settle, it will go to a hearing or trial. At the hearing, you will be able to testify in court about the abuse and harassment you have experienced. You can also present witnesses and other evidence to support your case. The abuser will also be allowed to present evidence and testify at the hearing. If you are not represented by a lawyer, you may want to consult with a lawyer before the hearing to understand what documents and evidence is legally admissible in court. For example, you might not know that if you wanted to enter a copy of hospital records documenting an injury you received from the abuser, those records may have to be "certified."

If your abuser does not attend the hearing, the court may issue a "default judgment" and you may receive an order of protection against him in his absence. Another possibility is that the court may hold what is called an "inquest," which is a one-sided trial where you present your evidence and testimony and the judge decides the case based on that alone. It is also possible that the judge may decide to reschedule the hearing for a different day.

If you have a temporary order of protection, it may expire on the next court date and another temporary one may be issued that is effective until the following court date. Be sure to look at the expiration date of the order before each court date so you know if the judge should be issuing another temporary order of protection on your return court date. If the judge does not mention that the order of protection is "extended" or "continued," be sure to ask the judge if a new order is being issued on your behalf. Once the case goes to a hearing or trial, if you win your case, the judge would issue a final order of protection instead of a temporary order of protection.

See the Preparing Your Case section under the Preparing for Court tab on the top of this page for ways you can show the judge that you were abused.

After the hearing

back to topWhat should I do when I leave the courthouse?

If you are concerned that the abuser will harass you when you leave the courthouse, ask the court officer if s/he would escort you to the door of the building. If you are afraid the abuser may follow you once you leave the courthouse, explain this to the court officer. The court officer might hold the abuser there for 10 or 15 minutes while you leave so that you can get a head start , which would make it difficult for the abuser to trail you. This could be especially important if you are living in a shelter or confidential location and you do not want the abuser to know where you are staying.
Review the order before you leave the courthouse. If something is wrong or missing, ask the clerk to correct the order before you leave.
Make several copies of the protective order as soon as possible.
Keep a copy of the order with you at all times.
Leave copies of the order at your work place, at your home, at the children's school or daycare, in your car, with a sympathetic neighbor, and so on.
Give a copy to the security guard or person at the front desk where you live and/or work.
Give a copy of the order to anyone who is named in and protected by the order.
If the court has not given you an extra copy for your local law enforcement agency, take one of your extra copies and deliver it to them.
You may wish to consider changing your locks and your phone number. In some counties, there might be a domestic violence agency that would change your locks for free if you have an order of protection. For example, if you live in NYC, you can contact Safe Horizon’s Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-621-HOPE (4673) and inquire about their program called Project Safe.

back to topCan I change or extend my order?

Modifying an order
Once an order is issued, only a judge can change it. If you want changes to an order, you must request them from the court. Speak with the clerk of court to complete a petition for a modification of your order.

Extending an order
As of August 13, 2010, a new law was passed that allows you to file to extend an order of protection for "good cause" even if no new incidents of abuse have occurred. It can also be extended if the abuser consents to the extension.* (Before this date, extensions were not permitted.)

* NY Fam Ct Act § 842

back to topWhat if the abuser disobeys the order of protection?

If the abuser violates the order of protection, you can contact the police by calling 911. Depending on the facts, the police may be required to arrest him according to what is commonly known as the Mandatory Arrest Law.* According to the Law, the police "shall arrest" a person who violates the part of the order of protection that orders the abuser to "stay away" from you or if the abuser commits one of the crimes that falls into the catgeory of "family offenses."* To learn what crimes are "family offenses," go to What is the legal definition of "family offense" in New York? The abuser can be arrested not only for the crime that might have been committed when violating the order of protection (for example, if he threatened you on the phone, that could be "aggravated harassment") but the abuser can also be arrested for the very act of violating the order of protection (called "criminal contempt").

If the abuser violated a family court order of protection, you may also file a petition claiming a violation in family court. The violation petition and a summons must be served upon your abuser, or the court may issue a warrant for his arrest.** (To file this petition, go to the clerk of court where you originally got your order.) When you are both before the court, the court holds a hearing to determine whether the abuser disobeyed the order of protection and to determine what action should be taken against the abuser. The Probation Department may be asked to investigate and make a recommendation to the court. The judge may order a period of incarceration for up to 6 months, a change in the conditions in your order of protection (such as an extension of the order for longer than the initial time period) and that he pay your attorney's fees for the violation case. For certain violent violations, the judge can also revoke the abuser's gun license and order him to immediately turn in his guns.***

If the abuser is arrested and charged in criminal court with violating the order of protection, and you still have an active family court case (for an order of protection, custody or visitation) or supreme court case (for a divorce), both cases (the criminal case and the civil case) may be transferred to what is called the Integrated Domestic Violence Court (IDV court). This court was designed under the "one family -one judge" model so that both the criminal case and the civil case would be heard at by the same judge. You would likely be notified by the court if your case was transferred to IDV. However, if you have not received notice and you believe that you meet the requirements, you may want to contact the local IDV court to see if your case was transferred and to find out the court date, which may have changed from your original civil court date. There are currently IDV courts in 37 counties in NY State. To find out if there is an IDV Court in your county, you can check out the NYS Unified Court System Website at http://www.nycourts.gov/courts/problem_solving/idv/courts.shtml

*NY CPL §140.10(b)(ii)
**NY Fam Ct Act § 846
***NY Fam Ct Act § 846-a

back to topWhat happens if I move? Is my order still enforceable?

Your order of protection is enforceable in all states. If a person obtains an order of protection in one state and leaves that state, the law requires that all other states give “full faith and credit” to the order, meaning that it will be enforced just like it would be in NY. However, each state has its own laws and procedures. Some, like New York, have a computer system into which orders are entered and registered.

Any person with a valid order of protection (an order that has not expired) who relocates to another state may want to inquire at a court or law enforcement agency for instructions on the registration and enforcement of orders in that state. One thing to find out before you register your order in another state is whether or not that state will notify the abuser that you have re-located to that state.

If you move within New York, your order should be enforced wherever you go. You may want o check with the court or law enforcement in your new area to find out if you need to register it again.

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