The short post below is based on real client experience. Don’t let it happen to you.

You’ve been served with an order of protection or an injunction. You have one chance and one only to beat the order, or “quash” it.

If you are considering defending yourself in court with your ONE and ONLY chance then you ask your self these three questions:

1) Do you want to lose access to your home.

2) Do you want to lose access to your children.

3) Do you want to lose your job.

If you answer no to any of these questions, then do not risk defending yourself. Your friends say, “it’s no big deal”, “you can handle it”. Your friends are not the ones that will deal with the loss, you will.

An order of protection hearing is a quasi-criminal hearing. The normal rules of evidence, disclosure, and testimony do not apply. When people represent themselves, often the Judge doesn’t even follow the rules and that nearly always goes against the defendant.

If you lose your one chance at the hearing, then you are left with an appeal. Depending on the Court, an appeal can start at $5,000 and up. Especially if it is a special action to the Court of Appeals.

Doen’t let this happen to you, let our Scottsdale family lawyers help. Before it is too late.