A protective order can change where you live, when you see your children, and whether you can own a firearm. MDR Law Group, PLLC represents both petitioners who need protection and respondents who are defending against a petition, in Bullitt, Nelson, Hardin, Spencer, and Jefferson Counties. Flat-fee options are available for DVO cases.
Types of protective orders in Kentucky
Emergency Protective Orders (EPOs) and Domestic Violence Orders (DVOs)
These orders cover domestic violence and abuse between family members or members of an unmarried couple, which includes people who have a child together and people who live or have lived together. Domestic violence and abuse includes physical injury, stalking, sexual assault, strangulation, assault, and causing fear of those things.
Interpersonal Protective Orders (IPOs)
IPOs protect victims of dating violence and abuse, stalking, or sexual assault, including people who are not family members or part of an unmarried couple. A “dating relationship” means a romantic or intimate relationship, not a casual acquaintance.
How the process works
- 1
The petition
The person seeking protection files a sworn petition describing what happened. - 2
Emergency or temporary order
If the petition shows an immediate and present danger, a judge can issue an EPO (or a temporary IPO) right away, before the other side is heard. The order says which contact, if any, is allowed, lets either party retrieve personal belongings from a shared home with help from law enforcement, and lasts until the full hearing. - 3
The full hearing
The court sets a hearing no more than 14 days out, and both sides can present evidence and testimony. The respondent must be served first. If that has not happened, the emergency order stays in place and the hearing is reset, for up to six months. Before or at the hearing, the court may review the respondent's Kentucky criminal and protective order history. - 4
The order
If the court finds by a preponderance of the evidence that domestic violence and abuse occurred and may occur again, it can enter a DVO lasting up to three years, which can be reissued. IPOs follow the same three-year limit.
That hearing usually comes quickly, so whether you are the petitioner or the respondent, talk to an attorney as soon as you can.
Representing petitioners and respondents
If you are seeking protection, we help you prepare a clear petition, gather what supports it, such as messages, photos, medical records, and witnesses, and present your case at the full hearing.
If a petition has been filed against you, follow the emergency order exactly, even if you believe it is unfair, and do not contact the petitioner unless the order allows it. We review the petition with you, gather your evidence and witnesses, and prepare you to testify. A DVO can affect your home, your children, and your firearms, so the hearing deserves careful preparation.
Flat-fee options are available for DVO cases. Ask us during your free consultation.
How protective orders affect custody and firearms
When a DVO is entered against a parent, Kentucky's presumption that joint custody and equal parenting time are best for the child does not apply to that parent. If the court finds two or more acts of domestic violence and abuse, it presumes joint custody and equal time are not in the child's best interests. A DVO itself can also grant temporary custody and temporary child support. See our Child Custody page.
Under federal law, a person subject to a protective order entered after a hearing, which restrains them from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner or that partner's child, generally may not possess firearms or ammunition while the order is in effect. For respondents who own firearms for work, hunting, or protection, this is often the most serious consequence of the case.
Safety resources
The Center for Women and Families serves Bullitt, Jefferson, and Spencer Counties and has a free 24-hour crisis line at 1-844-237-2331.
What we help with
- Preparing and filing a petition for an EPO, DVO, or IPO
- Representing petitioners at the full hearing
- Defending respondents at the full hearing
- Requests to amend, extend, or reissue an order
- Custody and support issues tied to a protective order
Talk to us
Call (502) 309-9044 or use our contact form to schedule a free consultation.
This page provides general information, not legal advice. Every case is different, and past results do not guarantee future outcomes.