Denver Orders of Protection Lawyers

Are you afraid of what your spouse or co-parent might do next? Do you need a court to step in before things escalate further? A civil protection order in Colorado is a court order that legally requires someone to stop specific behavior, including contact, harassment, or threats, and it can be obtained on an emergency basis when the danger is immediate. If you are living with fear on a daily basis, understanding how this process actually works is often the first step toward reclaiming a sense of safety.

Women’s Divorce and Family Law Group helps clients pursue and respond to civil protection orders throughout Colorado, often alongside a related divorce, custody, or parenting time matter. We understand that these situations rarely exist in isolation; a protection order frequently intersects with decisions about where children live, how exchanges happen, and what a divorce settlement ultimately looks like, and we approach each case with that full picture in mind.

Who Turns to Us for Help With Protection Orders?

Protection order cases come from a wide range of circumstances. We regularly assist:

• Women fleeing an abusive spouse or partner. You may be dealing with physical violence, threats, or a pattern of intimidation, and you need an enforceable order that keeps that person away from you and, if applicable, your children.
• Mothers concerned about a co-parent’s behavior during exchanges. Custody exchanges can become flashpoints for harassment or intimidation, and a protection order can establish clear, enforceable boundaries around how and where those exchanges occur.
• Women experiencing stalking or ongoing harassment. Unwanted contact does not always involve physical violence; persistent monitoring, unwanted messages, or showing up uninvited can meet Colorado’s legal standard for a protection order as well.
• Women responding to a protection order filed against them. Not every case involves seeking an order; sometimes a client has been served with a petition and needs to understand their rights and options before a hearing.
• Women navigating a protection order alongside a pending divorce. Safety concerns and property or custody disputes often unfold simultaneously, and coordinating these matters carefully protects your position in both proceedings.

If your situation does not fit neatly into any of these categories, reach out regardless; every case carries its own specific facts, and it’s worth having them reviewed.

How Colorado’s Protection Order Process Works

What Does a Protection Order Actually Do? Under C.R.S. § 13-14-104.5, Colorado courts, including county, district, probate, and juvenile courts, hold jurisdiction to issue temporary and permanent civil protection orders to prevent assault, domestic abuse, sexual assault, stalking, and threatened bodily harm. Importantly, the statute makes clear that a petitioner does not need to have already reported the underlying conduct to police or be participating in a criminal case in order to seek civil protection.

How Quickly Can I Get One? When danger is imminent, a court can issue a temporary protection order the same day a petition is filed, without the other party present. The statute directs courts to consider all relevant evidence of danger and specifically prohibits denying a petitioner relief simply because time has passed since the abuse or threat occurred.

What Happens After the Temporary Order Is Issued? A temporary order is just the beginning. The respondent must be served, and a hearing is scheduled where both sides can present evidence before the court decides whether to make the order permanent. This hearing is where documentation, witness accounts, and a clear, credible timeline of events matter enormously.

Does a Protection Order Affect Custody? It can. A judge overseeing a related custody or parenting time case will typically take a protection order into account, and safety findings can influence decisions about parenting time, supervised exchanges, or decision-making authority.

Why Choose Women’s Divorce and Family Law Group

Protection order cases demand both urgency and precision, and we bring both to every case we handle:

• Rapid response when safety is at risk. We understand these situations often cannot wait, and we move quickly to help clients pursue emergency relief.
• Coordination with related family law matters. We handle protection orders alongside custody and divorce proceedings rather than treating them as separate, disconnected issues.
• Preparation for contested hearings. We help clients organize the evidence and testimony needed to support a permanent order, or to respond effectively if one has been filed against them.
• A trauma-informed approach. We understand how difficult it can be to recount these experiences, and we work to make the legal process as manageable as possible.
• Familiarity with local Colorado courts. We understand how protection order petitions move through Arapahoe, Adams, Denver, and other Front Range courts.

Take Action to Protect Yourself and Your Children

If you are living in fear, waiting rarely makes the situation better. Women’s Divorce and Family Law Group is ready to help you understand your options and move quickly when your safety is on the line. Call our experienced protection order attorneys today or contact us online to get started.

Frequently Asked Questions