People are aware of restraining orders because of how often they get brought up on the news. In many cases involving domestic violence in Las Vegas, plaintiffs would immediately request the presiding court for a restraining order to keep the defendant away and prevent any perceived threats of further harassment or worse. To the common audience, this is nothing more than one person requesting legal justification to keep another person as far away from them as possible. However, things look way different when you are the one facing a restraining order.
Dealing with a domestic violence charge in Las Vegas is already hard enough; being hit with a restraining order in Las Vegas is even worse. It can be even more confusing if you are in a domestic violence case for the first time. To help you understand the gravity of the situation, it is best to know what is involved in a restraining order in Las Vegas.
Contact Restricted
The first and primary purpose of a restraining order in Las Vegas is to restrict your contact with the plaintiff. Note that this not only includes physical contact like what they depict in television dramas; restraining orders also restrict you from trying to communicate with the plaintiff by phone, mail, or online. This can cover not just their personal contact information but their work and study contact channels as well. In addition, the plaintiff may be under the direct protection of a law enforcement officer for the duration that the order is in effect.
Separate Abodes
A restraining order has the legal and binding power to evict you from your current place of residence if you share it with the plaintiff. The worst thing about this is that you are the one that must vacate the property even if the property is in your name. Note that the restraining order may still require you to pay off some of the bills related to the property, including mortgage or rent, even if you are currently restricted from living in the area for the duration of time that the order is in effect.
Custody Dues
If you already have children, a restraining order has the power to legally transfer custody of all these children to the plaintiff, with all the contact restrictions applying to them as well. You can only be allowed visitation rights under arrangements prescribed by the court, provided that the plaintiff cannot prove that you can endanger your children during such visitations. In addition, you are still legally bound to provide child support for each child.
Additional Financial Obligations
Apart from the aforementioned payments you have to make for residential dues and child support, you may be required to provide for other financial obligations for the benefit of the plaintiff. These often include legal fees and damages sustained immediately prior or during the serving of the restraining order. Additional financial obligations include medical fees, moving fees, and loss-of-income compensation covering the period between when the temporary restraining order was issued and the time when the extended restraining order was approved.
Firearms Restrictions
Restraining orders have the legal authority to dispossess you of your firearms for the duration that they are in effect. You will be forced to hand over any of your owned firearms to local law enforcement, or sell them to a recognized firearms-related establishment, within the first 24 hours after you receive a copy of the official order. In addition, you will not be allowed to obtain new firearms for the period covered by the restraining order. Note that this does not apply to any firearms carried in relation to work, provided that you do not bring the guns home with you and your employer can certify that you are not a hazard while armed.
These are only five of the common penalties you can face as a consequence of a restraining order, on top of any other penalties you might get if you are convicted for domestic violence. Remember that you can fight back against a possible extended restraining order once you go into a hearing for it after the temporary restraining order period. Talk about this case closely with your domestic violence attorney to better understand how to avoid it.