Disagreements are inevitable in any relationship. However, if those disagreements spiral out of control, the court might intervene. Consequently, the aggressive party may be issued with a protective order.
An order of protection simply restricts your interaction with the protected party. If your spouse or domestic partner obtains a protective order against you, it is important that you know what to do and the mistakes to avoid.
Whether you believe the order is justified or not, here are two missteps you want to steer clear of if there is an active order of protection against you.
Ignoring the order of protection
People take out protective orders for all manner of reasons. Perhaps, you are caught up in a heated divorce or custody case with an ex who doesn’t mind abusing the court system to gain an upper hand.
Whatever the case, it is in your best interest that you take the order of protection seriously. Failure to fight the order of protection, especially when it is based on false allegations, can return to haunt you down the road, especially when litigating your child custody case.
Violating the restraining
Whereas you should never ignore a protective order, it is important to understand that you should not disregard it either. Of course, learning that someone has taken out a protective order against you can be devastating, to say the least.
Even when you believe there was a misunderstanding, do contact your accuser in an attempt to clear things up. Remember, an order of protection is binding. Thus, a violation of its terms can lead to serious legal consequences.
Protecting your rights
An active order of protection can impact various aspects of your life. If you share a living space with your accuser, you might have to move out. And this can be financially and emotionally taxing. Learning more about South Dakota protection order laws can help you safeguard your rights when there is an active order of protection against you.