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You do not need a lawyer  or an attorney to file for an Order for Protection. However, you may wish to have a lawyer or an attorney, especially if your abuser has a lawyer or an attorney. If you can, contact a lawyer or an attorney to make sure that your legal rights are protected.

Protection Order- Ohio

The law says that just about anything an abuser does to hurt or threaten to hurt you or your children is illegal and must be stopped. This includes everything from hitting, slapping, or kicking you to coming at you with a weapon or threatening to hurt or kill you or your children. The law specifically defines domestic violence as one of three things:

1. Physical abuse;
2. Threats that put you in fear of immediate and serious harm (this means that you were fearful that the harm would occur right now-- not tonight, tomorrow, or next week);
3. Any act with respect to a child that would result in that child being abused.

Domestic violence is not a means of obtaining temporary custody unless there is some actual violence or threat of immediate violence to you or the children. A threat to 'take the kids,' name-calling, arguing that involves no violence or threat of violence are not sufficient grounds for temporary custody due to domestic violence. Furthermore, domestic violence is not a means of obtaining a quick and cheap divorce.

You don't have to be married to the abuser to obtain legal protection. The law applies to any household or family member. Household or family member is defined as: a spouse, an ex-spouse, a parent or child, a step-parent or step-child, other persons related to the abuser who reside in the home or have resided in the home with the abuser in the last 5 years including: boyfriends, girlfriends, or their children who are living together in the last 5 years, and those who have children in common even when they have never lived together or paternity has not been established. In Ohio, the law also protects same-sex partners. Danger often increases once a marriage or relationship ends. This is often the time when legal protection is most needed for your safety. You have basically two legal options when domestic violence has occurred: criminal charges and/or civil remedies. The Criminal Option Potential benefits of criminal charges include: a temporary protection order mandating that the abuser stay away from you and your children throughout the criminal proceedings, possible fine and/or jail time for the abuser, court-ordered treatment/counseling for the abuser, and possible probation for the abuser.
If you choose to file a criminal charge, you will need to contact the prosecutor's office in your county--a local domestic violence hotline can give you this number. You do not need an attorney to file criminal charges. A criminal charge is the STATE-vs.....-the abuser, not you-vs.-the abuser, but you will be the key witness for the state. This means that the state is holding the abuser accountable for the violence.

Once you file a criminal charge and the prosecutor accepts it, the case belongs to the state. Therefore, only the state can make the decision to drop the case at any point. Even if you later want to drop the criminal charge, the state may not allow you to do this because it is the state's case and the state's decision.

Prosecutors' offices around the state vary greatly: some have 'no-drop policies,' and some will drop charges at the victim's request. A trained advocate in your area should know the philosophy of your prosecutor and may be available to help you through this process and to provide moral support. Contact your local domestic violence hotline for assistance.

Procedures in a criminal case may be very slow as prosecutors and police officers gather evidence for the case. An advocate can offer invaluable support at this time.

Remember that the criminal protection order lasts only until the case is resolved. This means that you could lose your protection and not know it (if the case is settled in a plea bargain, for example). Your advocate can be a valuable resource and may be able to keep you informed about the case. Still, to ensure your protection, it is often wise to consider civil action as well.

The Civil Option

If you choose to pursue civil action as a victim of domestic violence, you can receive a protection order mandating the abuser to stay away from you and your children for up to five years. Through this protection order (if granted), you may receive: use of the residence (the abuser may be evicted even if the home is in the abuser's name), temporary custody of the child(ren) with visitation arrangements, court-ordered treatment or counseling for the abuser, alimony/child support, division of household items, and/or use of a car.

Unlike criminal charges, you may dismiss a civil petition at any time for personal reasons. A domestic violence advocate may be available to help you understand your local civil court and offer moral support. No matter what you choose to do, remember that a protection order obtained either through criminal or civil court is a piece of paper. It does give you back some control because the abuser may go to jail if the protection order is violated. Keep in mind, though, that some abusers feel challenged by such an order. You know better than anyone how your abuser will react to legal action. If you think it will put you in more danger, you may choose not to pursue legal action. Either way, remember to talk with a domestic violence advocate about devising a safety plan for you and your children.

Many victims feel that the safest thing for them to do is to pursue both criminal and civil action. It is a good idea to consider the civil protection order regardless of whether or not you have a criminal protection order because the civil protection order lasts longer and offers more relief.

The United States Constitution provides what is called 'Full Faith and Credit,' which means that once you have a criminal or a civil protection order, it follows you wherever you go--even if you cross county or state lines. If you do travel, it is a good idea to contact the local police where you are staying to inform them that you have a protection order and that you may need them to enforce it. This may make the police more responsive should you need their assistance.

The services of a legal domestic violence advocate can be invaluable whether or not you choose to pursue legal action. The legal advocate can walk you through the processes involved, go to court with you, provide additional resources to you, and explain in detail your options and the philosophies of the courts in your area.

For example, although the remedies available are the same in every county in the state, some counties will always make an abuser spend time in jail on a criminal charge, while some counties will always award probation. Similarly, in civil cases, some courts tend to issue five-year protection orders, and some courts issue only six-month protection orders. Your advocate can tell you what your local courts do, and this can help you plan future action to stay safe.

Studies have shown that obtaining a protection order may bolster a victim's self-esteem and feelings of security. A 1994 study found that nearly 75% of victim's had increased feelings of well-being soon after an order was issued. Thousands and thousands of women have used the law to help increase their safety. You can too.

2005 Ohio -Domestic Violence Stats
Total calls:	72,929
Arrests under ORC §2919.25:	32,578
Arrests under other sections:	4,559
Calls where no charges filed:	35,792
Total Arrests:	37,137
Fatalities:	157

Over 20,000 Protection Orders were issued in Ohio in 2005!

If your are in an emergency situation call 911. If you do not find your county or city listed below please contact ODVN at 800-934-9840 during the hours of 9:00 am to 5:00 pm for a referral to an agency that can best serve you. If you need to contact an advocate immediately and not during our regular business hours call the National Domestic Violence Hotline , 24-hours a day, at 800-799-7233.

Adams	Reach Out, Inc.	Manchester	800-448-2273	Yes
Allen	Crossroads Crisis Center	Lima	877-228-4357	Yes
Ashland	Domestic Violence Shelter, Inc.	Mansfield	800-931-7233	Yes
Ashland	Rape Crisis Domestic Violence Safe Haven	Ashland	419-289-8085	Yes
Ashtabula	Homesafe	Ashtabula	800-952-2873	Yes
Athens	My Sister's Place	Athens	800-443-3402	Yes
Auglaize	Auglaize County Crisis Center	Wapakoneta	419-738-5511	Yes
Belmont	Tri-County Help Center	St. Clairsville	800-695-1639	Yes
Brown	YWCA House of Peace	Batavia	800-540-4764	Yes
Butler	Citizens Against Domestic Violence	Middletown	513-423-0044	No
Butler	Dove House	Hamilton	800-618-6523	Yes
Carroll	Harbor House, Inc.	New Philadelphia	888-214-3927	Yes
Carroll	Carita's House	Carrollton	330-627-5765	Yes
Champaign	Project Woman	Springfield	800-634-9893	Yes
Champaign	New Directions of CCI	Urbana	937-653-3910	No
Clark	Project Woman	Springfield	800-634-9893	Yes
Clermont	YWCA House of Peace	Batavia	800-540-4764	Yes
Clinton	Highland/Clinton DV Program	Hillsboro	800-339-5066	Yes
Clinton	YWCA House of Peace	Batavia	800-540-4764	Yes
Columbiana	Christina House	Lisbon	330-420-0036	Yes
Coshocton	First Step	Coshocton	740-622-9533	Yes
Crawford	Turning Point	Marion	800-232-6505	Yes
Cuyahoga	Domestic Violence Center	Cleveland	216-391-4357	Yes
Cuyahoga	East Side Catholic Shelter	Cleveland	216-641-8989	Yes
Cuyahoga	Jewish Family Services Assoc.	Cleveland	216-691-7233	Yes
Cuyahoga	West Side Catholic Center	Cleveland	216-631-4141	Yes
Defiance	Center for Child & Family Advocacy	Napoleon	800-782-8555	Yes
Defiance	Women & Family Services	Defiance	800-782-4906	Yes
Delaware	CHOICES	Columbus	614-224-4663	Yes
Delaware	Turning Point	Marion	800-232-6505	Yes
Erie	Safe Harbour DV Shelter	Sandusky	800-953-2207	Yes
Fairfield	The Lighthouse	Lancaster	740-687-4423	Yes
Fayette	My Sister's House	Washington Court House	740-572-2919	Yes
Fayette	Project Woman	Springfield	800-634-9893	Yes
Franklin	CHOICES	Columbus	614-224-4663	Yes
Fulton	Center for Child & Family Advocacy	Napoleon	800-782-8555	Yes
Fulton	Women & Family Services	Defiance	800-782-4906	Yes
Gallia	Serenity House, Inc.	Gallipolis	800-942-9577	Yes
Geauga	WomenSafe	Chardon	888-285-5665	Yes
Greene	Family Violence Prevention Center of Greene County	Xenia	937-372-4552	Yes
Guernsey	Haven of Hope	Cambridge	800-304-4673	Yes
Hamilton	YWCA Shelter Services	Cincinnati	888-872-9259	Yes
Hamilton	Rape Crisis & Abuse Shelter	Cincinnati	888-872-9259	Yes
Hancock	Open Arms DV & Rape Crisis Services	Findlay	419-422-4766	Yes
Hardin	Crossroads Crisis Center	Lima	877-228-4357	Yes
Harrison	Tri-County Help Center	St. Clairsville	800-695-1639	Yes
Henry	Center for Child & Family Advocacy	Napoleon	800-782-8555	Yes
Henry	Women & Family Services	Defiance	800-782-4906	Yes
Highland	Highland/Clinton Domestic Violence Program	Hillsboro	800-339-5066	Yes
Hocking	My Sister's Place	Athens	800-443-3402	Yes
Holmes	Every Woman's House	Wooster	800-686-1122	Yes
Huron	Huron County Victim Assistance Program	Norwalk	419-663-3839	No
Huron	Domestic Violence Shelter, Inc.	Mansfield	800-931-7233	Yes
Huron	Safe Harbour Domestic Violence Shelter	Sandusky	800-953-2207	Yes
Jackson	Serenity House	Gallipolis	800-942-9577	Yes
Jefferson	A.L.I.V.E., Inc.	Steubenville	888-611-7233	Yes
Knox	New Directions	Mt. Vernon	740-397-4357	Yes
Lake	Forbes House	Painesville	440-357-1018	Yes
Lawrence	Lawrence County Helping Hands Task Force	Ironton	888-372-7433	Yes
Licking	Center for New Beginnings	Newark	800-686-2760	Yes
Logan	Project Woman	Springfield	800-634-9893	Yes
Logan	New Directions of CCI	Bellefontaine	937-593-5777	No
Lorain	Genesis House	Elyria	866-213-1188	Yes
Lucas	Family & Child Abuse Prevention Center	Toledo	419-244-3053	No
Lucas	YWCA Battered Women's Shelter	Toledo	888-341-7386	Yes
Madison	A Friend's House	London	800-301-1447	Yes
Madison	CHOICES	Columbus	614-224-4663	Yes
Madison	Project Woman	Springfield	800-634-9893	Yes
Mahoning	Sojourner House	Youngstown	330-747-4040	Yes
Marion	Turning Point	Marion	800-232-6505	Yes
Medina	Battered Women's Shelter	Akron	888-395-4357	Yes
Meigs	Serenity House, Inc.	Gallipolis	800-942-9577	Yes
Mercer	Family Crisis Network	Celina	419-586-1133	Yes
Miami	The Family Abuse Shelter of Miami Co., Inc.	Troy	800-351-7347	Yes
Monroe	Tri-County Help Center	St. Clairsville	800-695-1639	Yes
Montgomery	Artemis Center	Dayton	937-222-7233	Yes
Montgomery	YWCA Shelter & Housing	Dayton	937-222-7233	Yes
Morgan	Transitions	Zanesville	740-454-3213	Yes
Morrow	Turning Point	Marion	800-232-6505	Yes
Muskingum	Transitions	Zanesville	740-454-3213	Yes
Noble	Haven of Hope	Cambridge	800-304-4673	Yes
Noble	Eve, Inc.	Marietta	800-974-3111	Yes
Noble	The Noble Family Violence Council/Six County	Caldwell	800-344-5818	Yes
Ottawa	Safe Harbor Domestic Violence Shelter	Sandusky	800-953-2207	Yes
Ottawa	Family & Child Abuse Prevention Center	Port Clinton	419-734-3266	No
Paulding	Center for Child & Family Advocacy	Napoleon	800-782-8555	Yes
Paulding	Women & Family Services	Defiance	800-782-4906	Yes
Perry	Transitions	Zanesville	740-454-3213	Yes
Pickaway	Haven House of Pickway County	Circleville	740-477-9113	Yes
Pike	Pike County Partnership Against DV	Waverly	740-947-1611	Yes
Portage	Safer Futures	Kent	330-673-2500	Yes
Preble	Preble County DV Shelter Services	Eaton	937-456-6891	Yes
Putnam	Crime Victim Services	Ottawa	877-274-7471	Yes
Richland	Domestic Violence Shelter, Inc	Mansfield	800-931-7233	Yes
Ross	Ross County Coalition/Phoenix House	Chillicothe	866-828-2273	Yes
Scioto	Southern Ohio Shelter	Portsmouth	800-570-1819	Yes
Shelby	New Choices	Sidney	937-498-7261	Yes
Stark	Alliance Area Domestic Violence Shelter	Alliance	330-823-7223	Yes
Stark	Domestic Violence Project, Inc.	Canton	330-453-7233	Yes
Summit	Battered Woman's Shelter	Akron	888-395-4357	Yes
Trumbull	Someplace Safe	Warren	330-393-1565	Yes
Tuscarawas	Harbor House, Inc.	New Philadelphia	888-214-3927	Yes
Union	CHOICES	Columbus	614-224-4663	Yes
Union	Turning Point	Marion	800-232-6505	Yes
Van Wert	Crisis Care Line	Van Wert	419-238-4357	Yes
Vinton	My Sister's Place	Athens	800-443-3402	Yes
Vinton	A Shepherd's House	McArthur	866-596-9271	Yes
Warren	Abuse & Rape Crisis Shelter of Warren County	Lebanon	888-860-4084	Yes
Washington	Eve, Inc.	Marietta	800-974-3111	Yes
Wayne	Every Woman's House	Wooster	800-686-1122	Yes
Williams	Center for Child & Family Advocacy	Napoleon	800-782-8555	Yes
Williams	Sarah's House	Bryan	419-636-7272	Yes
Williams	Women & Family Services	Defiance	800-782-4906	Yes
Wood	Cocoon Shelter	Bowling Green	800-472-9411	Yes
Wood	Family & Child Abuse Prevention Center	Toledo	419-244-3053	Yes
Wood	RURAL Opportunities (Resources in Spanish)	Bowling Green	419-354-3548	No
Wood	VITAL	Perrysburg	800-472-9411	Yes
Wyandot	Turning Point	Marion	800-232-6505	Yes

The information on this website is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.  

For more information about protection orders for the state of Ohio, check out  http://www.womenslaw.org/OH/OH_how_to.htm  for more information.   The information above was gathered from http://www.odvn.org.