A Personal Protection Order (PPO), also known as a restraining order are legal measures designed to protect individuals from various forms of harm, including domestic violence, stalking, harassment, and sexual assault.
To obtain personal protection orders, the Petitioner (the person requesting the PPO) files a Motion for the Personal Protective Order against a Respondent (the person against whom the PPO is requested)
In Michigan, PPOs play a crucial role in ensuring the safety and well-being of individuals who fear for their security or have experienced threats or acts of violence.
A PPO is a court order to protect a person from someone who has sexually assaulted you, or someone who has made you afraid of being assaulted.
The court can order that person not to:
- Have contact with you.
- Follow or approach you.
- Enter a place where you live.
- Threaten to sexually assault, kill, or physically injure you or another person.
- Purchase or possess a firearm.
- Interfere with you at your place of employment or education.
- Contact you by phone, email or social media.
- Do anything that interferes with your personal freedom or that causes you a reasonable fear of harm.
Emergency Personal Protective Orders
An individual that believes they are in immediate danger can request an ex parte personal protection order. These orders take effect immediately upon the judge’s signature, without a hearing or notice to the Respondent.
To have an emergency ex parte PPO granted, the Petitioner must present specific facts that show that the Petitioner is in danger of immediate and irreparable injury, harm, or damage that cannot be repaired by a court order after the injury occurs.
Non-Emergency Personal Protective Orders
For non-emergency situations, the Petitioner must request a hearing before a circuit judge to have a PPO issued. The judge will hear testimony from witnesses regarding the circumstances that the Petitioner believes require that a PPO be granted.
When the Petitioner files for a PPO, a copy of the motion for a PPO will be given to the Respondent.
If a PPO is granted, it will take effect as soon as it is signed by the judge. But is only enforceable once it has been served upon the Respondent.
When the PPO has been served on the respondent, the Respondent has up to 14 days to contest the order.
