Being served with a restraining order can be enormously stressful and can significantly change your everyday life. The restraining order can restrict who you can contact, where you can go, and, in many cases, where you are allowed to live. Restraining orders issued in New Jersey – including those issued by the Superior Court in Bridgeton – don't require criminal charges but can be based on a complaint brought by someone who alleges you abused them.
The Lento Law Firm's Criminal Defense Team can help. If you've been served with a restraining order from the court in Bridgeton or elsewhere in New Jersey, call us at 888.535.3686 or contact us online to learn more about how we can help.
How Restraining Orders Work in Bridgeton, NJ
A restraining order can be issued by a judge in the Family Part of the Chancery Division of the Superior Court in response to a complaint requesting such an order. These complaints can be filed at a police station or with the Superior Court at the Cumberland County Courthouse, located at 60 Broad Street, Bridgeton, NJ 08302. If you've been served with a restraining that was issued by a judge located at this courthouse, this is where your case will be heard.
Types of Restraining Orders
New Jersey has three types of restraining orders: Temporary Restraining Orders (TRO), Sexual Assault Restraining Orders (SRO), and Final Restraining Orders (FRO). Each type of restraining order will place some limits on the contact that you, the defendant, are able to have with the plaintiff and frequently with other members of your or the plaintiff's family.
The restraining order may prohibit you from contacting the plaintiff, restrict you from going to the plaintiff's home or within a specified radius of their home, grant the plaintiff custody rights, and require you to provide financial support for the plaintiff. If you had been living with the plaintiff, the restraining order would likely require you to find a new place to live.
Restraining orders are civil matters, not criminal. Violating a restraining order, however, is considered contempt of court, and you can be prosecuted for doing so.
Temporary Restraining Orders
These are orders that are issued very quickly after the plaintiff requests them. Because TROs are issued without a hearing, they are only in effect until there is a hearing on the plaintiff's request for a restraining order, which typically happens within 10 days of when the TRO is first issued.
Sexual Assault Restraining Orders
A person who says they are the victim of sexual assault in New Jersey can request a restraining order through the New Jersey Sexual Assault Survivor Protection Act. A SARO can impose additional restrictions on the defendant in addition to those imposed by a domestic violence TRO.
Final Restraining Orders
These are issued following a hearing, where you and the plaintiff will each be able to present evidence in support of your side of the case. If the court grants a FRO, it will remain in place indefinitely. The court can modify a FRO based on requests filed by either party and, in most cases, after a hearing. If a FRO is issued against you, your photo and fingerprints will be entered into New Jersey's Domestic Violence Central Registry. You may also have to pay a fine and be restricted from owning a firearm, in addition to any other restrictions or requirements the FRO imposes.
The Lento Law Firm Can Defend Your Rights in Bridgeton
The Lento Law Firm is ready to defend your rights if you were served with a restraining order issued by the Superior Court in Bridgeton, New Jersey – or any other court in New Jersey. You'll need to act quickly, however, because in most cases, you only have 10 days until the hearing, which could result in a temporary restraining order becoming permanent. Call us at 888.535.3686 or contact us online to learn more about how we can help you protect your rights in this difficult and stressful situation.
