Personal Protection Orders
What is a PPO?
In a personal protection order (PPO), a court orders another person to stop threats or violence against you. There are two types of PPOs:
Domestic PPO
You may get a domestic PPO if the person you want protection from is:
- your spouse or former spouse
- someone with whom you have a child in common
- someone you are dating or dated in the past
- someone who lives now, or has ever lived, in the same household with you
- someone who sexually assaulted you
You must show the court that this person is interfering with your personal freedom or has threatened or committed violence against you.
Stalking PPO
You may get a stalking PPO to protect you from anyone else who has done a pattern of two or more acts without your consent that make you feel threatened, harassed, frightened, or molested.
You may not get either type of PPO against your minor child. A minor child cannot get a PPO against a parent. In these cases, contact the Juvenile Division of the Family Court.
For your safety . . .
- Be sure to have the PPO served on the respondent and to file the proof of service with the court clerk. As soon as the judge signs it, the PPO can be enforced anywhere in Michigan. After it is served, the PPO can be enforced anywhere in the United States.
- Carry one copy of the PPO and proof of service with you at all times, including when you travel. Keep a second copy in a safe place. Consider asking the court for extra copies of the order to give to day care providers, schools, employers, and others who need to know about it.
- Develop a safety plan. If you need help developing a safety plan, call your local domestic violence program or call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.
- If the PPO prohibits the respondent from having contact with you, the respondent can be arrested for doing so even if you have agreed to the contact. If you want to change the PPO before it expires, you must come back to the court to request the judge to do so.
- The PPO is valid until the expiration date stated in the court's order. If you need to renew it, ask the court to do so by filing a motion at least 28 days before the PPO expires.
- If you have any questions, call the court clerk.