Protective Orders Attorney in Lake Charles, Louisiana

When Your Safety Requires Immediate Court Intervention

You shouldn’t have to live in fear. And you shouldn’t have to wait for the system to get around to protecting you. When the threat is real — when a text message, a confrontation, or a pattern of behavior has crossed the line from conflict into danger — a protective order is the legal tool that puts a wall between you and the person causing that fear.

But a TRO or a final protective order isn’t just a piece of paper. It is a court mandate that dictates where the other person can go, who they can contact, and whether they can possess firearms. These orders carry criminal weight. A violation is not a civil matter — it is a criminal offense under La. R.S. 14:79 that can result in arrest without a warrant.

If you need protection, you need a petition that is specific, detailed, and undeniable. If you have been served with one, you need a defense that dismantles false or exaggerated allegations before they become a permanent court record. I handle both sides of this process — because in protective order proceedings, the quality of the legal filing often determines the outcome before either party ever speaks in court.

If you haven’t already spoken to an attorney, you’re already behind. Contact Colonna Law Firm now.

Types of Protective Orders in Louisiana

Temporary Restraining Order (TRO)

A TRO can be issued by a judge on an emergency basis — often the same day a petition is filed — without the other party being present. This ex parte process exists because in genuine domestic abuse situations, notifying the abuser before an order is in place can escalate the danger. A TRO is short-term, remaining in effect until a full contradictory hearing can be scheduled, typically within 21 days.

Protective Order After Contradictory Hearing

After the TRO is issued, the court schedules a contradictory hearing where both parties appear, present evidence, and the judge decides whether to issue a longer-term protective order. If the court finds that domestic abuse has occurred, it can issue a protective order lasting up to 18 months — with the possibility of extension upon a showing of good cause. Louisiana law also allows orders of up to three years in cases involving particularly serious or repeated abuse.

Provisions a Protective Order Can Include

Beyond prohibiting contact, a protective order can include:

• Requiring the respondent to vacate a shared residence
• Awarding temporary custody of minor children to the protected party
• Establishing temporary child support or spousal support
• Prohibiting the respondent from possessing firearms — with federal law implications under the Lautenberg Amendment
• Granting use of a vehicle or other shared property

If You Need Protection — Seeking a Protective Order

I prepare protective order petitions that are specific, factual, and built around the evidence available at the time of filing. A vague or conclusory petition is easier to challenge at the contradictory hearing. A well-documented petition — with dates, specific incidents, text messages, photographs, and witness information organized and presented clearly — gives the court what it needs to issue and maintain the order.

I also prepare clients for the contradictory hearing. The TRO is only the first step. If the respondent contests the order at the hearing, I present evidence, examine witnesses, and argue the facts that justify maintaining protection. An uncontested TRO that collapses at the hearing leaves the petitioner in a worse position than before.

If You Have Been Served — Defending Against a Protective Order

Not every protective order petition is legitimate. False or exaggerated allegations are sometimes used as tactical maneuvers in divorce and custody proceedings — to gain leverage over property, to establish a basis for sole custody, or simply to remove a parent from the home before a case is filed.

If you have been served with a TRO, you have the right to appear at the contradictory hearing, present evidence, and challenge the allegations. A protective order entered against you is not a criminal conviction — but it carries serious consequences:

• It can affect your child custody rights immediately and in future proceedings
• It prohibits firearm possession under federal law — affecting your employment if you carry a weapon professionally
• It is a public court record that can surface in background checks
• Violating it — even unintentionally — is a criminal offense

I represent respondents in protective order hearings at the 14th JDC. I review the allegations carefully, identify evidentiary weaknesses in the petition, prepare cross-examination of the petitioner, and present evidence challenging the basis for the order. An unjustified protective order should not go uncontested.

Protective Orders and Child Custody

A protective order can include emergency temporary custody provisions that immediately award custody of minor children to the protected party. These temporary arrangements can directly influence the formal custody proceeding that follows — and courts consider any history of domestic abuse as a statutory factor in the best-interest analysis under La. R.S. 9:364.

I coordinate protective order and custody proceedings when they overlap, ensuring the strategy in one proceeding does not inadvertently damage the position in the other. These cases require integrated legal thinking — not siloed filings.

Frequently Asked Questions