A protection order is a court order prohibiting one person from contacting directly or indirectly, harassing, stalking, or intimidating another person.
A protective order is a civil suit not connected to a criminal case. Protective orders are obtained by the petitioner filing a Petition for Temporary Protective Order with the Clerk’s Office. The protection must be for domestic or family violence, sexual assault, or stalking. To file a protective order, you must obtain the name, address and date of birth of the respondent (person you are seeking protection from). The request will be filed with a court, and the presiding judge will review the motion to determine whether to issue the temporary order. The temporary order will remain in effect until the time of a permanent Protective Order Hearing. If the presiding judge decides at the hearing that there is justifiable need for a permanent protective order, that order will remain in effect for two (2) years from the date the judge signs the order. The paperwork for the petition is located in the Clerk’s Office in the Courthouse or can be found at the State of Indiana Courts website. There is no fee for the filing of a protective order.
A no contact order is connected with a criminal case and is requested by the State on behalf of the victim of a crime. The order is issued by a criminal court as a condition of the defendant’s pretrial releases or probation. The respondent is notified of the order in court, usually at his or her initial hearing. Unless dismissed by the judge presiding over the criminal case, the order will last during the duration of the criminal action.