Q: What is an Emergency Protective Order or Peace Order? A: This is a term some people use to refer to Protective Orders and Peace Orders. There are no such terms as Emergency Protective or Emergency Peace Orders in Maryland. All such orders are obtained the same way and issued on an emergency basis. Q: [...]
When a person in Maryland feels like they are being threatened, harassed, or abused by another person, there are two ways the person can petition a court for relief: through a peace order or a protective order. But what is the difference? A Protective Order is a type of restraining order which can be issued [...]
What if you are the person falsely accused of harassment who is served with a temporary peace order in Maryland? Does this go on your “record”? Under Maryland law, anyone may petition a court or commissioner to request a halt to what they believe is abusive, threatening, harmful, or harassing behavior as defined in Md. [...]
If you are the prevailing partner in a protective order case, you may qualify for Emergency Family Maintenance (EFM). You may know that in any case involving a child or children, or in a case where the partners are married, you are entitled to ask the Court for Emergency Family Maintenance. However, before a Court [...]
While Maryland’s harassment laws do not require the victim to formally request the harasser to stop by letter, some documentation goes a long way in establishing your displeasure with the offender’s actions—hence the cease and desist letter- often at a lower cost than hiring an attorney to pursue other actions. What is a cease and [...]
Reprinted with permission from the author: Wendy Patrick, Esquire, PhD. Many domestic violence victims suffer in silence. Enduring a steady pattern of abuse and humiliation at home, they bravely attempt to present a solid exterior in public. Sometimes they pull it off; usually, they do not. Our Maryland domestic violence lawyer notices the signs. Whether physical or emotional, red flags [...]
The on-going situation with COVID-19 has changed the way Maryland courts are handling restraining orders. Learn more about how it impacts you and what changed about the process here.
If you have been abused by a family member or someone with whom you are in a romantic relationship, you are eligible to file a Petition for Protective Order against the person responsible for the abuse. While filing the Petition itself may seem straightforward, there are a few things you may not know about the legal process. Learn more about the process here.
Whether you’re the person filing for a protective order (Petitioner) or the person against whom the Protective Order is filed (Respondent), Maryland law gives the parties a period of up to six months to decide whether to seek a final protective order or to dismiss the case, if they choose to. This window often serves as a golden opportunity for the parties to enter into discussions to attempt to settle some of their outstanding differences. Find out more about this cooling off period in this post.
The non-consensual sharing of nude photographs of an ex romantic partner on the Internet is commonly known as revenge pornography, and is a terrible tactic resorted to by spurned ex-lovers.
