Illinois Order of Protection Lawyers
Protect Your Safety,
Family, and Future
Whether you're seeking an Order of Protection or defending against one, the consequences can be immediate and life-changing. Our family law team helps clients navigate emergency hearings, protect their rights, and develop a clear strategy from day one.
Illinois Bar Since 2009 | Cook, DuPage, Lake & McHenry | 2026 Super Lawyers
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We Handle Every Type of
Order of Protection Situation
Orders of Protection often involve urgent decisions, strong emotions, and significant consequences. Whether the case involves family members, spouses, former partners, co-parents, or household members, we help you understand your options, prepare your case, and move forward with confidence.
An Order of Protection is a court order intended to prevent abuse, harassment, intimidation, interference with personal liberty, or stalking between family or household members. The order may restrict contact, remove someone from a residence, or impose other conditions designed to protect safety.
In emergency situations, courts can often issue an Emergency Order of Protection the same day without the other party being present. Additional hearings are typically scheduled shortly afterward to determine whether the order should remain in place.
Violating an Order of Protection can result in criminal charges, arrest, fines, and other serious legal consequences. It is important to understand and comply with all court-ordered restrictions.
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Here's How We Handle
Order of Protection Cases
These cases move quickly and can have immediate effects on your home, family, children, employment, and reputation. Our role is to help you understand the allegations, gather evidence, prepare for hearings, and protect your interests throughout the process.
The First Conversation
Filing & Initial Disclosures
Reaching Agreement
Going to Court (If Needed)
After the Judgment
For most orders of protection, the first conversation happens by phone the day you call. We need to understand what has been happening (incidents, dates, specific threats or actions), what you want the order to do, and whether children are involved. Safety is the priority, and we move fast. By the end of the first call, you'll know whether we can file an emergency petition the same day or the next morning, and what evidence to bring.
We draft the Petition for Order of Protection, attach an affidavit detailing the specific incidents and threats, and file with the court. Illinois requires specific allegations, not just a general feeling of fear, so we work with you to document the facts that meet the statutory standard. The petition is filed in the county where you live, where the respondent lives, or where the most recent incident occurred.
In most order of protection cases, there is no negotiation between the parties before the plenary hearing because the respondent's behavior is the entire issue. However, when respondents are represented by counsel, we sometimes reach agreements on plenary order terms (length, specific remedies, supervised visitation if children are involved) without contested testimony. This can resolve the case faster and keep details out of public testimony when both sides prefer that.
For an emergency order, the court hears your side without the respondent present, usually within hours of filing. If granted, the emergency order takes effect immediately and is served on the respondent. The plenary hearing follows two to three weeks later. At that hearing, both sides present evidence, including witnesses, photos, text messages, police reports, and your testimony. The judge decides on the plenary order based on the evidence.
A plenary order of protection can last up to two years and is renewable. We help you with renewal when the time comes, modifications if circumstances change, and enforcement if the respondent violates the order. Order violations are criminal offenses in Illinois, and we coordinate with prosecutors when violations occur. We also handle related custody, divorce, and parentage matters that often run alongside protection orders.
Here's What You Can Count On
Family law cases run long. The right working relationship matters as much as the right legal strategy. These are the standards we hold ourselves to, every day, from your first call through your final order.
Communication Standard
We respond to every client message within one business day, often the same day. When your attorney is in court, the team responds first so you always know we have heard you.
Who Makes The Decisions
We explain your options in plain English, give you our recommendation, and tell you the tradeoffs. We never settle, file a motion, or commit you to anything without your written authorization.
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Billing Transparency
Every invoice is itemized so you see exactly what we did and what it cost. If a strategic choice will add meaningful cost, we tell you before we do the work.
Documentation Rhythm
After every hearing, negotiation, or strategic decision, you get a written summary of what happened, what was decided, and what comes next. You always have a record to re-read when the moment is calmer.
Meet The Team Families Trust
During Difficult Times
We help families navigate divorce, custody, child support, mediation, LGBTQ family law, and complex financial matters. Our approach is direct: clear communication, practical strategy, and a steady hand through every decision.
Olivia practices family law to help others add value to their lives.
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Alex became a lawyer to help clients through life's toughest moments.
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Jessica practices family law to be a steadfast guide through challenging times.
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Lizbeth Reyes-Guzman
Francis McGee
Ellie Zwart
Nia Gray
Maddie Wakley
What People Actually Ask Us About Orders of Protection
These are the questions we hear most often from people considering or recently granted an order of protection in Illinois. If yours is not here, send it over.
An emergency order of protection is entered the same day you file, without the other party present, and lasts 14 to 21 days. An interim order is granted after the respondent is served and present at a brief hearing, and can last up to 30 days. A plenary order is entered after a full hearing where both sides present evidence, and can last up to two years.
No. You do not need a police report or criminal charge to file for an order of protection in Illinois. The civil order of protection process is separate from criminal proceedings, though the two often run in parallel. Police reports and any criminal documentation help build the record, but they're not required to file.
Illinois orders of protection cover specific relationships: current or former spouses, current or former dating partners, family members by blood or marriage, household members, and people who share a child. For other relationships such as neighbors, coworkers, or strangers, the appropriate option is a Civil No-Contact Order or a Stalking No-Contact Order, which provide similar protections but apply to broader relationships.
Specific, dated documentation: text messages, voicemails, photographs of injuries or property damage, social media screenshots, witness contact information, medical records if relevant, and police reports. The more concrete the evidence, the stronger the case at the plenary hearing. We help you organize and present what you have.
It depends on the specific facts and what the court orders. The court can grant temporary custody to the petitioner as part of the order of protection, restrict the respondent's parenting time, require supervised visitation, or in extreme cases suspend parenting time entirely pending further proceedings. We coordinate orders of protection with any ongoing or new custody proceedings.
Violation of an order of protection is a criminal offense in Illinois. If a violation occurs, you should contact law enforcement immediately. We also file motions in the civil proceeding to enforce the order, modify its terms if needed, and document the violation pattern for any future renewal or related proceeding. Repeat violations strengthen the case for a longer or more restrictive order.
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What To Expect During Your Free Consultation.
Whether you're ready to move forward or just have questions, the first conversation is free, confidential, and on your terms. Tell us what's going on, and we'll outline what comes next.