Know the Laws: Virginia
UPDATED September 11, 2009
A restraining order or protective order is a legal order issued by a state court which requires one person to stop harming another. In Virginia, there are several types of orders explained below.
- Overview of Civil vs. Criminal Law
Some restraining orders are issued in criminal court and some are issued in civil court.
- Protective Orders for Family Abuse
A civil order that protects you from abuse by someone you have had an intimate relationship with or a relative.
- Protective Orders for Stalking, Sexual Battery, and Serious Bodily Injury
A protective order that can be issued only after the arrest of the stalker or abuser.
- Moving to another State with a Protective Order
Your VA protection order can be enforceable in another state
- Enforcing your Out-of-State Order in VA
If you are planning to move to VA or are going to be in VA for any reason, your protection or restraining order can be enforced.
WomensLaw.org would like to thank the Virginia Poverty Law Center and Hunton & Williams for their assistance in providing the information on these pages.