In situations of domestic violence or intimate partner violence, an order of protection (OP) can provide valuable relief. OPs set conditions around a family member, current or former spouse or intimate partner’s behavior, conduct, and contact. Filed in family, criminal, or Supreme court, as part of an existing matrimonial action, OPs can be issued on a temporary or final basis; when filed alongside a divorce case, an OP can have ramifications for other determinations, such as custody or the distribution of assets.
