Personal
Protection Orders (PPOs)
How
to Get a Do-It-Yourself Personal Protection Order
A
personal protection order is an order issued by the court.
It can protect you from harassment, assault, beating, molesting,
wounding, or stalking by another person. The order can also
prohibit the respondent from entering onto your premises and from removing
minor children unless the removal is part of court-ordered
visitation.
There are two types of personal protection orders. One is issued only after
the other person has been notified that you have filed for a restraining
order and after a court hearing has been held. The other type is issued without
notifying the other person and with no court hearing. This is called an ex
parte order.
How do I file for a personal protection order?
You can come into the County Clerk's office and request a Petition for a Personal Protection Order. Upon this request, the staff will ask you a few questions only to determine what kind of a personal protection order to give you (domestic relationship, stalking, etc.).
Isn't it a crime for someone to assault me or threaten to
assault me?
Yes, it is a crime in Michigan for
someone to assault or threaten another person. Michigan law
provides protection to persons who have a domestic relationship
or those who are being harassed or stalked by another person
by allowing you to file a personal protection order.
Will the personal protection order go into effect as soon
as the judge signs it?
Yes.
The County Clerk's office is responsible for providing a copy
of the order to the local police agency so that it can immediately
be entered into the Law Enforcement Information Network (LEIN).
Do I need an attorney?
No.
These forms will allow you to file for a protective order yourself.
Can I get a personal protection order to protect me from
a stalker?
Yes.
Stalking involves harassment that causes you to feel terrorized,
threatened, intimidated, frightened or molested. This could
include following you, making unwanted calls or mailings, or
showing up repeatedly at your home or work.
How do I file for a stalking personal protection order?
The
county clerk or circuit court where you live can provide forms
with step-by-step instructions on how to file for the stalking
personal protection order.
What information will I need to file for a personal protection
order?
Some
of the things you may need before you fill out the forms include:
a copy of your complaint for divorce, annulment, or separate
maintenance; copies of custody orders if there are any; and
the costs of serving papers on the restrained person. (The
cost for personal service may vary from county to county).
You will also need information about the person to be restrained such as
name, address, place of employment, date of birth, physical description,
etc. If you have notarized written statements from witnesses and copies of
supporting documents or materials from police, doctors, or social agencies,
bring them with you. The court will provide you with the necessary forms
to fill out.
(Note:
By using the do-it-yourself personal protection order you are choosing
to represent yourself in a court action.)
In order to receive the protection you seek, you must follow the instructions
you are given. If you fail to do even one of the required steps, the order
you get from the court could be ineffective and you could remain unprotected.
While the first step in filing a personal protection order is the County Clerk
Office, the employees in this office are forbidden from giving legal advice.
A good place to start is the Michigan Crime Victims Alliance PPO site.
To just download the forms which require Adobe Acrobat, click here:
 375
- Petition
for Personal
Protection
Order (Domestic
Relationship)
376
- Personal
Protection
Order -
Ex Parte
(Domestic
Relationship)
Need
Adobe Acrobat Reader? 
For
additional information about Personal Protection Orders, please
visit the Michigan Crime Victims Website at http://www.mivictims.org/help/ppo/ |
