Orders of Protection: The Long Term Viewpoint Is Essential

Authored by Jerome Wisselman

Orders of protection are a powerful tool. When used correctly, these orders can protect victims of abuse from future harm; used incorrectly, orders of protection can keep a parent from spending valuable time with his / her children. These orders can require a spouse to stay away from the marital, or partner’s home and children for a prolonged period of time. This can have a chilling effect upon the party against whom it is issued regarding future parenting time as well as other issues related to a divorce proceeding that may be involved. The best practice is to avoid, and walk away from conflict in the home, even if the temptation is to engage the other party at that moment, because the long term effects of a short term struggle will be far more detrimental than you can image at the moment of conflict.