Practice Area

      A typical restraining order hearing lasts 10-20 minutes and the overwhelming majority end with the defendant receiving a  one-year restraining order against them.  Defendant's checklist.

      The 209A Abuse Prevention order was designed to stop domestic violence. The purpose of Mass. General Law chapter 209A is to physically separate the plaintiff "victim" from the defendant, "abuser" and stop financial, psychological and emotional abuse upon the victim.  An abuse prevention order can accomplish all of the following: 

• Physically limit the defendant's personal freedom & liberty; 

• Deny the defendant access to his home, assets &        personal property;

• Prohibit the defendant from all contact with his children;

• Remove the defendant's rights to own a firearm;

• Create overwhelming problems in any ongoing divorce, child custody or visitation case in the probate court;

• destroy the defendant's reputation in the community or in any employment area that performs background checks;

• Require the defendant to pay financial support to the plaintiff for child support, maintenance for a home, or payments to the plaintiff.

• Provides the plaintiff with the ability to have the defendant arrested upon the plaintiff's allegation that the defendant has further contacted or abused the plaintiff.  A 209A Abuse Prevention Order places the defendant one allegation away from a criminal charge and criminal record. Please, before a judge issues a one-year or permanent  restraining order against