Domestic Violence Laws & Court Guides by State

Alabama

State legal guides

Protection Orders: Alabama civil protection & restraining orders overview Police Response: How Alabama law governs police duties in DV cases Family Court: Custody, access, and DV considerations in Alabama Evidence Guide: Documenting and presenting DV evidence in Alabama

Alaska

State legal guides

Protection Orders: Alaska protective & restraining order framework Police Response: Alaska police mandatory-arrest and reporting rules Family Court: How Alaska family courts handle DV in parenting cases Evidence Guide: Evidence expectations in Alaska DV proceedings

Arizona

State legal guides

Protection Orders: Arizona orders of protection & injunctions against harassment Police Response: Arizona DV policing standards and charging practices Family Court: DV factors in Arizona parenting-time and decision-making Evidence Guide: Building a DV evidence record in Arizona

Arkansas

State legal guides

Protection Orders: Arkansas orders of protection process and standards Police Response: Police duties and arrest powers in Arkansas DV incidents Family Court: DV’s role in Arkansas custody and visitation decisions Evidence Guide: Collecting and using DV evidence in Arkansas

California

State legal guides

Protection Orders: California DVROs, emergency orders, and stay-away terms Police Response: Mandatory reporting and DV arrest practices in California Family Court: California custody presumptions and DV findings Evidence Guide: Evidence and documentation standards in California DV cases

Colorado

State legal guides

Protection Orders: Colorado civil protection orders and emergency relief Police Response: Colorado DV policing protocols and mandatory-arrest rules Family Court: How DV affects parenting orders in Colorado Evidence Guide: Presenting DV evidence in Colorado courts

Connecticut

State legal guides

Protection Orders: Connecticut restraining and protective order options Police Response: Connecticut DV response standards and dual-arrest issues Family Court: DV considerations in Connecticut family matters Evidence Guide: Evidence expectations in Connecticut DV proceedings

Delaware

State legal guides

Protection Orders: Delaware protection from abuse (PFA) orders Police Response: How Delaware police respond to DV complaints Family Court: DV and custody determinations in Delaware Evidence Guide: Building a DV evidence file in Delaware

Florida

State legal guides

Protection Orders: Florida injunctions for protection against domestic violence Police Response: Florida DV arrest, reporting, and no-contact practices Family Court: DV issues in Florida parenting and time-sharing cases Evidence Guide: Evidence rules relevant to Florida DV matters

Georgia

State legal guides

Protection Orders: Georgia family violence protective orders Police Response: Georgia law on DV investigation and arrest Family Court: How Georgia courts weigh DV in custody cases Evidence Guide: Evidence and proof in Georgia DV proceedings

Hawaii

State legal guides

Protection Orders: Hawaii protective orders and temporary relief Police Response: Hawaii DV response, arrest, and reporting rules Family Court: DV’s effect on family-court findings in Hawaii Evidence Guide: Assembling DV evidence in Hawaii cases

Idaho

State legal guides

Protection Orders: Idaho protection orders and eligibility Police Response: How Idaho law governs DV enforcement Family Court: DV and custody considerations in Idaho Evidence Guide: Evidence practices in Idaho DV claims

Illinois

State legal guides

Protection Orders: Illinois orders of protection and no-contact orders Police Response: Illinois police obligations in DV cases Family Court: DV factors in Illinois parenting and decision-making Evidence Guide: Presenting DV evidence in Illinois courts

Indiana

State legal guides

Protection Orders: Indiana civil protection order process Police Response: Indiana DV response, arrest, and firearm rules Family Court: How Indiana courts weigh DV in custody disputes Evidence Guide: Indiana rules on DV evidence and documentation

Iowa

State legal guides

Protection Orders: Iowa protective orders and enforcement Police Response: Iowa DV policing standards and arrest rules Family Court: DV in Iowa parenting and custody proceedings Evidence Guide: Gathering DV evidence under Iowa law

Kansas

State legal guides

Protection Orders: Kansas protection from abuse orders Police Response: Kansas DV enforcement and reporting practices Family Court: DV-related factors in Kansas custody law Evidence Guide: Kansas DV evidence standards and tips

Kentucky

State legal guides

Protection Orders: Kentucky interpersonal protective orders Police Response: Kentucky police duties in DV incidents Family Court: DV impacts on Kentucky family-court rulings Evidence Guide: Documenting DV for Kentucky proceedings

Louisiana

State legal guides

Protection Orders: Louisiana protective orders and injunctions Police Response: Louisiana law on DV arrests and investigations Family Court: DV’s role in Louisiana custody and support decisions Evidence Guide: Preparing DV evidence under Louisiana rules

Maine

State legal guides

Protection Orders: Maine protection from abuse orders Police Response: Maine statutes on DV response and arrest Family Court: DV-related considerations in Maine family cases Evidence Guide: Maine guidance on DV evidence and records

Maryland

State legal guides

Protection Orders: Maryland protective and peace orders Police Response: Maryland DV enforcement and arrest rules Family Court: DV and custody findings in Maryland family court Evidence Guide: Presenting DV evidence in Maryland

Massachusetts

State legal guides

Protection Orders: Massachusetts 209A abuse prevention orders Police Response: DV arrest and reporting duties in Massachusetts Family Court: How DV affects parenting plans in Massachusetts Evidence Guide: Evidence and proof in Massachusetts DV matters

Michigan

State legal guides

Protection Orders: Michigan personal protection orders (PPOs) Police Response: Michigan DV policing and arrest framework Family Court: DV considerations in Michigan custody law Evidence Guide: Michigan approaches to DV evidence

Minnesota

State legal guides

Protection Orders: Minnesota orders for protection (OFPs) Police Response: Minnesota DV enforcement and arrest obligations Family Court: DV’s impact on Minnesota parenting determinations Evidence Guide: Evidence use in Minnesota DV cases

Mississippi

State legal guides

Protection Orders: Mississippi protection orders in DV situations Police Response: Mississippi standards for DV policing and arrest Family Court: DV’s role in Mississippi custody decisions Evidence Guide: Building DV evidence files in Mississippi

Missouri

State legal guides

Protection Orders: Missouri adult abuse and child protection orders Police Response: DV response and enforcement in Missouri Family Court: Missouri family-court approaches to DV Evidence Guide: Missouri DV evidence and documentation rules

Montana

State legal guides

Protection Orders: Montana orders of protection overview Police Response: Montana DV policing duties and arrest powers Family Court: DV issues in Montana custody and parenting cases Evidence Guide: Evidence expectations in Montana DV claims

Nebraska

State legal guides

Protection Orders: Nebraska domestic abuse protection orders Police Response: Nebraska DV response, arrest, and charging rules Family Court: DV in Nebraska custody and parenting plans Evidence Guide: Presenting DV evidence in Nebraska courts

Nevada

State legal guides

Protection Orders: Nevada protection orders against domestic violence Police Response: Nevada statutes on DV policing and mandatory arrest Family Court: DV issues in Nevada custody and visitation decisions Evidence Guide: Evidence rules in Nevada DV matters

New Hampshire

State legal guides

Protection Orders: New Hampshire domestic violence protective orders Police Response: New Hampshire DV enforcement practices Family Court: DV in New Hampshire family-court findings Evidence Guide: Collecting and using DV evidence in NH

New Jersey

State legal guides

Protection Orders: New Jersey restraining orders under the PDVA Police Response: DV arrest and reporting duties in New Jersey Family Court: NJ family-court treatment of DV in custody cases Evidence Guide: New Jersey DV evidence practices

New Mexico

State legal guides

Protection Orders: New Mexico orders of protection and relief Police Response: New Mexico police obligations in DV cases Family Court: DV and parenting determinations in New Mexico Evidence Guide: Evidence issues in New Mexico DV proceedings

New York

State legal guides

Protection Orders: New York family and criminal court orders of protection Police Response: Mandatory arrest and DV response rules in New York Family Court: DV’s impact on custody and visitation in New York Evidence Guide: Evidence and proof for New York DV cases

North Carolina

State legal guides

Protection Orders: North Carolina DV protective orders (50B) Police Response: DV arrest and response standards in North Carolina Family Court: DV in North Carolina custody and visitation law Evidence Guide: Evidence for DV matters in North Carolina

North Dakota

State legal guides

Protection Orders: North Dakota protection orders for DV Police Response: North Dakota DV policing and charging framework Family Court: DV-related factors in North Dakota family cases Evidence Guide: Handling DV evidence in North Dakota

Ohio

State legal guides

Protection Orders: Ohio civil and criminal protection orders Police Response: Ohio DV arrest, reporting, and charging rules Family Court: DV’s role in Ohio custody and parenting plans Evidence Guide: Presenting DV evidence in Ohio courts

Oklahoma

State legal guides

Protection Orders: Oklahoma protective orders for victims of DV Police Response: Oklahoma DV policing duties and arrest authority Family Court: DV in Oklahoma custody disputes Evidence Guide: Oklahoma DV evidence requirements and tips

Oregon

State legal guides

Protection Orders: Oregon Family Abuse Prevention Act (FAPA) orders Police Response: Oregon DV arrest, reporting, and firearm provisions Family Court: DV’s effect on Oregon parenting and custody outcomes Evidence Guide: Evidence use in Oregon DV legal actions

Pennsylvania

State legal guides

Protection Orders: Pennsylvania Protection From Abuse (PFA) orders Police Response: Pennsylvania DV policing, arrest, and PFA enforcement Family Court: DV considerations in Pennsylvania custody cases Evidence Guide: Pennsylvania rules on DV evidence and proof

Rhode Island

State legal guides

Protection Orders: Rhode Island restraining and protective orders Police Response: Rhode Island DV response and arrest standards Family Court: DV’s role in Rhode Island custody and visitation law Evidence Guide: Evidence practices in Rhode Island DV cases

South Carolina

State legal guides

Protection Orders: South Carolina orders of protection Police Response: South Carolina DV arrest and enforcement rules Family Court: DV in South Carolina custody determinations Evidence Guide: South Carolina DV evidence and documentation

South Dakota

State legal guides

Protection Orders: South Dakota protection orders for domestic abuse Police Response: South Dakota DV policing and arrest obligations Family Court: DV in South Dakota custody and family-law cases Evidence Guide: Evidence handling in South Dakota DV claims

Tennessee

State legal guides

Protection Orders: Tennessee orders of protection process Police Response: Tennessee DV arrest and reporting framework Family Court: DV factors in Tennessee parenting and custody law Evidence Guide: Evidence considerations in Tennessee DV cases

Texas

State legal guides

Protection Orders: Texas protective orders and magistrate orders Police Response: Texas DV investigation, arrest, and no-contact practices Family Court: DV’s impact on Texas conservatorship and possession Evidence Guide: Texas approaches to DV evidence and documentation

Utah

State legal guides

Protection Orders: Utah protective orders and dating-violence orders Police Response: Utah law on DV arrest and mandatory reporting Family Court: DV considerations in Utah custody and parent-time Evidence Guide: Evidence requirements in Utah DV matters

Vermont

State legal guides

Protection Orders: Vermont relief from abuse orders Police Response: Vermont DV policing and enforcement standards Family Court: DV’s role in Vermont custody findings Evidence Guide: Vermont guidance on DV evidence and proof

Virginia

State legal guides

Protection Orders: Virginia emergency, preliminary, and final protective orders Police Response: Virginia policies on DV arrest and investigation Family Court: DV in Virginia custody, visitation, and support cases Evidence Guide: Evidence rules relevant to Virginia DV cases

Washington

State legal guides

Protection Orders: Washington protection orders under the DVPA Police Response: Washington DV response and mandatory-arrest policies Family Court: DV’s effect on Washington parenting plans Evidence Guide: Washington approaches to DV evidence

West Virginia

State legal guides

Protection Orders: West Virginia domestic-violence protective orders Police Response: West Virginia DV policing and arrest practices Family Court: DV and custody decisions in West Virginia Evidence Guide: Evidence expectations in WV DV matters

Wisconsin

State legal guides

Protection Orders: Wisconsin restraining and domestic-abuse injunctions Police Response: Wisconsin DV response and arrest requirements Family Court: DV in Wisconsin custody and placement cases Evidence Guide: Using DV evidence in Wisconsin courts

Wyoming

State legal guides

Protection Orders: Wyoming protection orders and relief options Police Response: Wyoming statutes on DV policing and arrest Family Court: DV-related custody issues in Wyoming Evidence Guide: Wyoming guidance on DV evidence and documentation