Stamford Protective Order Hearings
At Stamford protective order hearings, the arrested person will go before the judge. The judge will hear from the prosecutor regarding the nature of the incident and review the police report to make a finding of probable cause. They will also hear the recommendations from the Family Relations counselor who conducted the interview of the arrested person. A skilled protective order attorney can help you prepare a defense for your case.
Upon hearing these recommendations, the judge will make a few decisions such as deciding whether to put a protective order in place and what level it should be. They will consider what conditions of release other than a protective order should be put in place and, the judge will consider whether a bond needs to be put in place in order to secure or ensure the arrested person’s presence in court.
Understanding the Risks of a Protective Order
In addition to just the protective order itself being put in place, what is at stake that tends to most affect people in this position is that they may not be able to go home. They have to understand that that is a distinct possibility so they should plan accordingly just in case that situation occurs.
Role of Family Relations Officers in Protective Order Hearings
With regard to the decision on the protective order, the judge will typically take the recommendation of the Family Relations officer and impose that level of protective order that is recommended by the Family Relations Counselor. This occurs at almost all Stamford protective order hearings for the first court date unless some compelling circumstances are available to deviate from the Counselor’s recommendation.
That is why it is important for a person arrested to do their best to make as favorable of an impression as possible under the circumstances on the Family Relations officer, underscoring the importance of making sure that they are respectful and polite to the Family Relations Counselor.
Hire a Stamford Attorney for Help With Protective Order Hearings
The decision by the judge about what level of protective order will be put in place during Stamford protective order hearings. If the judge orders that the person cannot live or stay in the same residence as the complaining witness, the complainant or the victim, that person will be arrested first and is going to need to find another place to live.
What is at stake is that they may not be able to go home and if they cannot go home, they are going to have to go immediately somewhere else and they will typically have one opportunity to go back to their home and gather their belongings at a time when the victim or complaining party is not there and they need to do so with a police escort. Call our firm to learn more about building a defense.