Legal Advocacy Process                                                                     

Step 1: Initial contact with agency/appointment scheduled 

Step 2: Legal Advocacy Appointment 

Please be on time! If you are more than 15 minutes late we may have to reschedule your appointment. Please bring the following: 

Valid State Issued ID 

Police Reports/Statements (if applicable) 

Stalking/Harassment Log (if applicable) 

Step 3: Ex parte Hearing (Emergency Order) 

Please be on time and be dressed appropriately. If you have children, you must make a reasonable effort to find childcare when you are scheduled to appear in court. If you cannot find childcare, please speak with a legal advocate. The hearing takes place in a Superior Court Judge's chambers and only you, the Judge, and the advocate are present. After the Ex parte hearing, the advocate will file your order in the clerk's office and provide you with a copy. As soon as the respondent has been served with the order, it will be valid and legally enforceable. 

After the Ex parte hearing your local sheriffs department will locate the respondent and serve him/her with the order. If they are unable to serve the paperwork to the respondent, after 30 days the order will be dismissed. This is why it is important that you provide us with all known addresses for service during the initial appointment. 

Step 4: Contact Georgia Legal Services 

You must contact Georgia Legal Services and participate in their screening/qualification process so you can obtain legal counsel for the final hearing. After completing this process please call Crisis Line & Safe House to inform a legal advocate of the outcome. If you do not call Georgia Legal Services and/or Crisis Line & Safe House during this time period, we will assume that you are not interested in obtaining your 12-month order and the necessary paperwork will not be completed in time for your hearing. Your participation in this matter is time sensitive and very important. 

Step 5: Final Hearing (12-month order) 

Even if Georgia Legal Services agrees to take your case, you can continue to utilize Crisis Line as a resource. 

In addition, if for any reason Georgia Legal Services is unable to take your case, follow up with Crisis Line & Safe House prior to the week of your final (12-month) hearing and we will prepare the necessary paperwork and we will accompany you to court on the day of your hearing. 

Step 6: Permanent Order Hearing 

 (You should contact Georgia Legal Services/Crisis Line & Safe House approximately one month prior to the expiration of your 12 month order to obtain a permanent protective order). 

 This order is only completed when the respondent has repeatedly violated the protective order during the 12-month period and the victim can provide proof, in the form ofapolice report, of harassment or physical violence