You are encouraged to immediately seek assistance if you or someone you know is under current threat of violence or abuse. Please call 911 for help.
Domestic violence is any physical, emotional, or sexual abuse of a household or family member by another. Every victim of domestic violence is encouraged to call the police.
Domestic violence is a crime. No one should ever be hurt by someone they love. In order to become a survivor of domestic violence you need to get help from the court system, police, and community resources available to you.
The first step to ending domestic violence is seeking an Order of Protection and reaching out to the resources of help near you.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call the County Circuit Clerk’s office at 662.843.2061, or by tapping the call button below. We are here to help.
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Order of Protection
An Order of Protection is a court order signed by a judge. It is designed to protect a petitioner (the person who has been hurt) from the respondent (the person who hurt the petitioner).
The Order of Protection is free. There are no fees for filing the Order. The Sheriff’s office serves the Order on the respondent without charge.
Where to obtain an Order of Protection
• Criminal Court
If the person who has been hurt (the petitioner) signs a criminal complaint against the person who hurt him or her (the respondent). The State’s Attorney’s Office then prosecutes the respondent and helps the petitioner get an Order of Protection. The petitioner can only keep the Order if she, or he, follows through with the criminal case.
• Civil Court
If the petitioner chooses NOT to press charges the Order of Protection can be granted by a judge in an independent action. In Civil Court, the petitioner can have his or her own attorney or can represent him or herself; this is called pro se.
• Child Support Court, Divorce Court, Juvenile Court, & Probate Court
A petitioner can also request an Order of Protection in other courts where they are parties to a pending action against the respondent.
The Order of Protection is the same, no matter which court grants it.
How the Abuser finds out about the Order of Protection
Once a judge grants the Order, it is filed in the Clerk’s Office. A copy is sent to the Sheriff’s Office and a Sheriff’s deputy can then serve a copy of the Order to the respondent (the person who hurt the petitioner).
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