A Domestic Violence Order for Protection, often referred to as a 'restraining' order, is a civil court order that you (the Petitioner), request from the court to protect you from your abuser (the Respondent).
A Domestic Violence Order for Protection can:
- order the respondent to stop committing violent acts.
- order the respondent to vacate your shared home and restore it to you.
- order the respondent not to come to your home, work or school.
- order the respondent to stop contacting you in person, by phone, by mail and/or by third parties.
- order the respondent not to contact or interfere with the custody of your children. (If children are in-common, custody usually is decided through a divorce or parenting plan.)
To qualify for a Domestic Violence Order for Protection you must be related to the respondent (the person you are getting the order against) in one of the following ways:
- husband, wife or partner (present or past).
- father or mother of your children.
- adults related by blood or marriage.
- adults who live together now, or used to live together.
- people 16 years and older who are, or were, dating.
- parents and adult children, including in-laws and stepfamilies.
This order does not apply to strangers, co-workers, neighbors, etc. You may petition for an anti-harassment order to prohibit contact under these circumstances.
You may file for a Domestic Violence Protection Order at the following Pierce County locations:
- Clerk of the Superior Court - Room #108 at 930 Tacoma Avenue So. in downtown Tacoma (253) 798-7455
- Crystal Judson Family Justice Center - 718 Court E., Tacoma (2 blocks from County-City Bldg) (253) 798-4310
- City of Lakewood - the Towne Center, 6000 Main Street
- Gig Harbor Municipal Court - 3510 Grandview Street, Gig Harbor 253-851-7808
- University Place Police Department - 3631 74th Ave. W, Suite #A., University Place (253) 798-4058
- Bonney Lake City Hall - 19306 Bonney Lake Blvd 253-862-6606
- PCSD South Hill Detachment - 271 John Bananola Way East, Puyallup WA 98374, (253) 798-3278
- City of Tacoma - 747 Market Street Room 836, Tacoma WA 98402
- YWCA-Tacoma - 405 Broadway, Tacoma WA 98402, (253) 272-4181
- City of Sumner - 1104 Maple Street, Sumner WA 98390
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