COLORADO SPRINGS PROTECTION ORDERS
Are you trapped in a verbally, physically, and emotionally abusive relationship? Filing for an Emergency Protection Order is one way to immediately break free from the vicious cycle of domestic violence. If you feel you are in danger, contact a top family lawyer in Colorado Springs to get protected immediately.
Often, Domestic Violence does not show its teeth immediately in a relationship. Instead, it slowly grows from minor aggressive acts to significant acts of violence before the victim realizes they have been living in an abusive relationship. The aggressor raises the acts of abuse to a boiling point and when the victim wishes to end the relationship, the aggressor ceases their behavior for a time. However, that change in behavior and their promises, far too often, are fleeting moments within the relationship.
The return to aggressive behavior and violence on the target tends to reemerge with major consequences for the victim. As a former Deputy District Attorney and a current Petitioner’s Counsel for Victims of Domestic Violence, I have seen individuals suffer from this cycle of violence over the course of months and even years. Someone trapped in a cycle of violence should consider filing for a Civil Protection Order (“CPO”) for their health and safety.
HOW CAN A CIVIL PROTECTION ORDER BREAK THE CYCLE OF VIOLENCE?
Simple, a CPO prohibits the restrained party (the aggressor) from coming to the victim’s residence, coming within a certain number of yards of the victim (typically 100 yards), and ceases all contact by the restrained party to the victim under the penalty of criminal prosecution. A victim of abuse and domestic violence can use a CPO to force the aggressor out of the home, their life, and give the victim the breathing room they need to assess their options for the future.
WHAT IF THE AGGRESSOR IGNORES THE CIVIL PROTECTION ORDER?
Another simple answer, the victim calls the police to report the violation to local law enforcement and the restrained party will be charged with a misdemeanor or arrested.
In Colorado, it is a Class Two Misdemeanor to violate the terms and conditions of a CPO regardless of it being temporary or permanent. If the restrained party is a former spouse, current partner, or someone the victim was in an intimate relationship with, that Class Two Misdemeanor will also contain charges of Domestic Violence.
When an individual is charged with Domestic Violence, the responding police officer is required by law to arrest the restrained party and hold them in custody until they face a judge to determine bond. In sum, if a restrained party violates any form of CPO, the victim notifies the police and the restrained party will be charged/arrested.
A CPO GIVES YOU THE CHANCE TO BREATH
A CPO can break a victim of domestic violence free of the cycle of violence. It can give a victim time to get back on their feet and the help they need to permanently change their lives.
A CPO can be filed by the individual seeking it’s protection or by an experienced attorney acting on their behalf. I recommend seeking the advice of an attorney who consistently handles CPO cases before filing a protection order on your own. They will have the knowledge on how to present your evidence, the strengths/weaknesses of your case, and the insight you will need to be successful.
Moran, Allen & Associates Family Law has handled hundreds of these types of cases over the years and offers a complementary consultation to assess a victim’s case. If you feel a Temporary Civil Protection Order will benefit you, call our office today to setup a free consultation to learn how we can help you.
