ANNE ARUNDEL, CALVERT, CHARLES, ST. MARY’S & PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTIES.
Defending Against an Order | Haskell & Dyer
Served With a Protective Order? What You Do Next Matters.
The consequences are serious, and the accusations are not always true. We build your defense, challenge weak evidence, and protect your home, your job, and your rights.
Read This First
Do not contact the person who filed.
Not by call, text, email, or through a friend. If a temporary order is in place, contact can become a new criminal charge, even if they reach out to you first. Follow the order exactly, then let us handle your side. The way to fight this is in court, not in a message.
What's Really at Stake
A Protective Order Reaches Into Your Life
This is not just paperwork. A final order can affect where you live, what you do for work, and your record.
The Stakes
More Than the Order Itself
A final protective order can order you out of your own home, limit contact with your children, require you to surrender firearms, and show up in background checks. That can reach your job, a security clearance, and your reputation. The stakes are real.
The Defense
You Get to Tell Your Side
A petition is one person's account, and it is not always accurate. Sometimes it is tied to a custody fight or a breakup. At the hearing, you can challenge the evidence and present your version. We build that defense with you.
What We Handle
The Pieces of Your Defense
Defending an order is about responding the right way and being ready for the hearing. These are the parts we cover.
Responding to the petition
Preparing for the final hearing
Challenging weak evidence
Answering false allegations
Protecting your job and rights
Telling your side of the story
Why It Matters
What a Strong Defense Protects
A final order follows you. Getting the defense right protects the parts of your life it would otherwise touch.
Home
Staying in the place you live
Job
Your work and any clearance
Firearms
Your right to own them
Record
What shows in a background check
How We Defend You
We respond quickly, test the evidence against you, and make sure the court hears the full story, not just one side.
We Respond Fast
The hearing comes quickly. We get involved early, review the petition, and prepare your response right away.
We Challenge the Evidence
We test the claims, look for gaps and contradictions, and hold the other side to what they can actually prove.
We Present Your Side
Your account, your witnesses, your messages and records. We make sure the court sees the full picture.
We Protect What Matters
We keep the focus on your home, your job, your firearms, and your record, the things a final order can reach.
Common Questions
Defending an Order, Answered
I was just served with a protective order. What happens now?
There is likely a temporary order in effect and a date set for a final hearing. Until then, follow the order exactly and do not contact the person who filed. At the final hearing, both sides present evidence and the judge decides whether to issue a longer order. The time before that hearing is short, so it is worth getting a lawyer involved fast.
Can a protective order affect my job or my firearms?
Yes. A final protective order can require you to surrender firearms while it is in effect and can appear in background checks, which may affect certain jobs and security clearances. It can also order you out of a shared home and limit contact with your children. These are exactly the stakes that make a real defense worth it.
What if the allegations against me are false?
It happens, and sometimes a petition is connected to a custody dispute or a bad breakup. The answer is not to argue with the other person, which can backfire badly. The answer is to challenge the evidence at the hearing and present your side. We help you do that calmly and effectively, with proof rather than emotion.
Do I really need a lawyer for the hearing?
It is strongly worth it. The consequences are serious and lasting, the hearing moves fast, and the other side may have a lawyer too. Having someone who knows the process, can question the evidence, and can present your case clearly makes a real difference in the outcome. Going in alone puts a lot at risk.
What if I just ignore the order?
That is the worst option. Ignoring the hearing can let the court grant a final order against you by default, with no input from you. And violating the order is a separate crime that can lead to arrest. Respond, follow the order, and show up. We help you do all three the right way.
The Hearing Comes Fast. Let's Build Your Defense Now.
A protective order can reach your home, your job, and your record. Reach out and we will respond quickly, challenge what does not hold up, and make sure the court hears your side.
Available 24/7: 240-687-0179
The Law Offices of Haskell & Dyer, LLC Practicing Law in Anne Arundel, Calvert, Charles, St. Mary’s, and Prince George’s Counties.
The Law Offices of Haskell & Dyer, LLC Practicing Law in Anne Arundel, Calvert, Charles, St. Mary’s, and Prince George’s Counties.
The Law Offices of Haskell & Dyer, LLC
Fax: 301-627-5848
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