Home is an important concept for all of us. Home is where we go to rejuvenate, recharge, and relax in preparation for the many trials and tribulations we face in our everyday lives. Some of us put enormous effort into furnishing our homes and making our living space cozy and warm. Often, we seek out cohabitation with a spouse or other loved ones. It is important that we feel protected, safe, and secure in our home arrangements.
However, sometimes our sense of safety and security at home is compromised. Luckily, the state of Illinois has methods in place to restore this sense of security, especially if you were to feel threatened by a family member or another member of the household. Illinois has a special form of restraining order specially designed for household abusers known as an Order of Protection.
Who Can Be Protected by an Order of Protection?
Orders of protection are a specialized form of restraining order designed to protect victims from an abuser who resides in the same household as the abuser or is from the same family. Family, in this case, can mean a range of things — sibling, father, child, spouse, girlfriend, or boyfriend. As long as the person in question can be broadly considered a family member, the victim can obtain an order of protection against them.
Even if the person in question (the respondent) is not considered a family member, you can still acquire an order of protection against them if they reside within the same household. This is to prevent situations of cohabitation where the victim lacks legal recourse to protect themselves.
What Does an Order of Protection Do? How Does it Protect Me?
The restrictions placed upon an abuser and the protections conferred to the victim are wide-ranging and up to the discretion of the court. The abuser may be barred from sharing a residence with the victim, dispossessed of weapons, forced to attend counseling, barred from continued abuse, forced to pay child support, or more.
The victim may be granted temporary legal custody of the child, given certain personal property, or placed under police supervision for the purposes of protection.
The above examples are merely to illustrate possible protections that the court may choose in order to keep you safe. Actions available to a judge are varied and must fit the circumstances.
Contact an Experienced Lawyer Today
It is important to get professional help in matters involving your safety or the safety of those you care for. Do not delay in acquiring legal help from our law offices. Glasgow & Olsson is uniquely qualified to help, especially if you need help gaining protection against someone in your own household. Make sure to acquire legal assistance the whole way through to safeguard the safety and well-being of your loved ones and your important sense of home. When you need an attorney, experience matters. Contact us today to learn how our experience can get you the results you deserve.