As you may imagine, domestic violence laws were intended to apply to the domestic front—people close to your home such as a family member or significant other.
Parties eligible for an Illinois order of protection from domestic abuse include: 1) any person abused by a family or household member; 2) any minor child or dependent adult in the care of such person; and 3) any person residing or employed at a private home or public shelter which is housing an abused family or household member.
As of January, 2019, the Illinois legislature expanded the list of parties eligible for an order of protection to include the following: 1) foster parents of a child placed by a state agency, 2) legally appointed guardians or custodians, 3) adoptive parents or 4) prospective adoptive parents. Furthermore, the law applies to any individual who would have been considered a family or household member of a child before a parent’s rights have been terminated.
If someone is seeking an order of protection against you or you have been accused of violating an order of protection, contact an experienced criminal law attorney immediately. Do not try to talk your way out of your situation. What you may think is a reasonable explanation may give the state or other party the ammunition they need to enforce an order against you. An attorney can help present your situation to the court in its most favorable light.
If you have questions about this or another related Illinois criminal or traffic matter, please contact Matt Keenan at 847-568-0160 or email matt@mattkeenanlaw.com.
See: Amendment to Illinois Domestic Violence Act.
(Besides Skokie, Matt Keenan also serves the communities of Arlington Heights, Chicago, Deerfield, Des Plaines, Evanston, Glenview, Morton Grove, Mount Prospect, Niles, Northbrook, Park Ridge, Rolling Meadows, Wilmette and Winnetka.)