Restraining Orders

A Domestic Violence Order of Protection is a written court order that requires the abuses to refrain from having any contact with the plaintiff (alleged victim).  There are additional orders a judge may imposes on the order that the defendant shall adhere to, such as residency restrictions, custody arrangements, etc.

If the abuser violates the Order of Protection, he can be arrested on the spot. Tell responding officers of the Order of Protection and show it to them. Keep it in a safe place so you can have it available when you need it. If you do not have it, officers have the ability to access the information via the statewide database.

Domestic Violence Orders of Protection are available to any household member who is abused by another household member. The New Hampshire Revised Statutes Annotated defines "household member" very broadly:

  • Spouses
  • Ex-spouses
  • Persons living together
  • Persons who formerly lived together
  • Parents
  • Children
  • Stepchildren
  • Persons who have a child together
  • Persons related by blood or marriage are all protected
Bring all the evidence you have, such as medical reports, pictures, torn clothing, witnesses, etc. You will talk to the Bedford Police Department’s Prosecutor who will be your lawyer for this criminal process. Make sure you can tell him/her the important facts such as:

  • The date and time of the domestic violence
  • Place of the incident
  • Witnesses
  • Police involvement if any
  • Past history of beatings, threats
  • Medical treatment you received if any
  • Property damage, etc.
Dispositions
There are several possible dispositions (outcomes) of court hearings, including supervision, probation, conditional discharge, court ordered counseling for the offender, and jail sentencing. These will be explained to you in more detail by court personnel.