Domestic violence has plagued our communities for decades. Despite attempts to make the masses more aware, and to provide safety to victims and their families, victims continued to struggle to secure a safe exit from abusive relationships. Some of the obstacles are obvious, such as financial barriers. Others are less obvious and embedded in a legal system that is supposed to offer help to the victim. Sadly, one such area is the Connecticut restraining order process.
For those who are unaware, the restraining order process is twofold. In the most general terms, the first step is for the complainant (the victim) to request a temporary order, ex parte, from the court that has jurisdiction. The court can grant the temporary order and schedule a hearing approximately 10 days to two weeks later. The court can also deny the temporary order but schedule a hearing within the same time frame to determine if a permanent order is needed.
