A Texas protective order is one of the most powerful instruments in family law — it can exclude a person from a home, restrict contact with children, and carry criminal consequences for violation. That power runs in both directions: for a person in danger, speed and evidence are everything; for a person wrongly accused, the hearing is the one chance to prevent an order that follows them into custody cases, employment, and firearm rights. Audu Law Firm represents applicants and respondents.
How Protective Orders Work in Texas
Temporary ex parte orders
On a showing of clear and present danger, a court can enter a temporary order the same day it is requested — without the other party present — including, where the facts support it, an order excluding the respondent from the residence.
The final hearing
A final protective order follows a contested hearing where the applicant must prove family violence occurred and is likely to occur again. Final orders typically run up to two years, with longer durations available in defined circumstances. The evidence assembled before that hearing — photographs, messages, medical records, witness testimony — decides it.
Consequences of an order
A protective order restricts contact, possession of firearms, and proximity to home, work, and school, and a violation is itself a crime. In any later custody case, a finding of family violence reshapes conservatorship and possession outcomes. These orders are never a formality, for either side.
If you are in immediate danger, call 911 first. Legal protection follows safety — once you are safe, we move quickly.
The hearing happens fast. Walk in prepared.
832-780-9005 | Serving Fort Bend, Harris, Brazoria, and Montgomery Counties
This content is for informational purposes only and does not establish an attorney-client relationship.