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Legal Searches Personal Protection Orders (PPO) |
What is a
personal protection order?
A Personal Protection Order
(PPO) is a Circuit Court injunctive order that helps protect victims of
family violence, dating violence, or stalking. A PPO is filed by a
petitioner and acts to restrain a respondent from the following:
- contacting the Petitioner
through any means
- entering the Petitioner's
residence property or work place
- assaulting, attacking,
beating, or wounding the Petitioner
- harassing, stalking, or
threatening the Petitioner
- removing any minor
children from where they live unless their removal is part of court-ordered
visitation
- interfering with the
Petitioner's efforts to remove the children or property
- purchasing or possessing a
firearm (you must inform the court if carrying a firearm is a condition of
the respondent's employment)
Who can
get a PPO?
A "domestic PPO" can be
issued to anyone who has been physically, emotionally, or sexually abused by
a current or former spouse, family member, domestic partner, the other
parent of your child, a current or former roommate, or a current or former
person in a dating relationship.
A "stalking PPO" can be
issued to anyone who has been repeatedly harassed to the point of being
terrorized, intimidated, or threatened.
Where can
I get a PPO?
PPO packets are available at
the Isabella County Circuit Court located at 300 N. Main Street, Mt.
Pleasant, MI. Once filled out, they are to be returned to the same
place. If the petitioner and respondent have been involved in an
intimate relationship, assistance in completing the packet is available
through the legal advocate at Women's Aid Service (989) 773-0078.
How do I
serve the papers?
A PPO can be served to the
respondent by anyone over the age of eighteen, excluding the petitioner.
This can be done through a process server hired by the petitioner (these can
be found in the yellow pages). Another option is a personal service by
a friend or relative who has no involvement in the PPO. A third option
is to serve the person by mail. Be sure to register the PPO paperwork
being sent so that delivery is restricted to the respondent and you receive
a receipt stating that the respondent received the order. The
respondent can be given oral notice of the PPO by a law enforcement officer
or clerk of the court who then must file a proof of service notice with the
court.
When does
the PPO go into effect?
The order goes into effect
as soon as the judge signs it, but cannot be enforced until the respondent
has received notice of the PPO.
What if
the respondent violates the PPO?
If it is an emergency, call
911. Otherwise, call the nearest police department.
What if I
resume contact with the respondent after the PPO is issued?
The PPO speaks to the
respondent's behavior, not the petitioner. Should the petitioner
consent to contact with the respondent, the respondent is still in violation
of the PPO. If the petitioner wishes to resume contact with the
respondent, action should be taken to modify or set aside the PPO.
How do I
dismiss or change the terms of the PPO?
This can only be done
through the court. If the order is no longer needed, the petitioner or
the respondent must file a motion in court to dissolve the order.
Otherwise, the order will remain in effect until the date the judge set for
it to expire.
For more information, or if you have questions, please call our office at (989) 772-0911 ext. 311
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