You can do this yourself by handing the notice in at your local Police Community Centre or you can get a sheriff or court clerk to serve the notice personally on the abuser. STEP 5
Insure you are at court on the day of the hearing. If the abuser does not appear in court on the day of the hearing, the interim protection order will automatically become final. If the abuser does appear, the court hears evidence from both you and the abuser. Witnesses can also be called. When the magistrate has heard all the evidence he/she will decide whether or not to issue a protection order. The court will also issue a warrant of arrest, which the police can use to arrest the abuser in the event that he/she breaks the rules stipulated in the protection order. STEP 6
If the abuser contravenes any stipulations in the protection order, for example: threatens or harasses you in any way, call the police who have the warrant of arrest in their possession. They will arrest the abuser. The police will use their discretion whether or not to keep the abuser in the police cells, or whether to release the abuser on a warning to appear in court and face charges of contravening the court order. |
