Protective Order Defense in Dallas County

This page covers protective order cases in Dallas County: where they are heard, who prosecutes them and the local programs the county and its prosecutors run. Our office is in downtown Dallas at 325 N St. Paul Street; we handle cases in the Dallas County courts. For Texas-wide law, see our protective orders guide, and for other charges see the Dallas County criminal defense page.

Where are Dallas County protective order cases handled?

Protective order applications in Dallas County are civil cases, separate from any criminal charge. The criminal side of the same incident, if there is one, runs in the criminal courts at the Frank Crowley Courts Building, 133 N. Riverfront Blvd.

How does the Dallas County prosecutor handle protective orders?

The Dallas County District Attorney's Office has a protective order section within its Family Violence Division. It represents applicants at no charge. Under its published rules, the applicant or the alleged abuser must live in Dallas County, or the incident must have happened there, and the office focuses on abuse within roughly the last 90 days. Applicants can start with an online questionnaire, and an advocate calls back. The office asks for a daytime address for the respondent so a constable can serve the papers.

What happens after you are served in Dallas County?

In practice, that means you may first learn about the case when a constable serves you with a temporary ex parte order and a hearing notice. Read the order immediately and follow it from the moment you are served, even if you believe it is untrue. If there is also a criminal case, a magistrate's emergency order or bond conditions may already restrict contact; the protective order adds to those limits rather than replacing them.

How should you prepare for a Dallas County hearing?

Before the hearing, gather texts, call logs, photos and the names of witnesses, and think about whether you should testify, since your words can be used in a criminal case. Sometimes the hearing is reset or an agreed order is offered; an agreed order can still have serious effects on firearms, custody and housing. We help clients plan for the hearing and coordinate it with any criminal case in Dallas County.

How does a protective order case work in Texas?

A family violence protective order is a civil case under the Family Code, but it carries criminal consequences. A court can sign a temporary ex parte order without a hearing, valid for up to 20 days and extendable (Family Code 83.002). The court generally must set the hearing on the application no later than 14 days after it is filed (Family Code 84.001). A final order is usually effective for up to two years, and in some cases longer (Family Code 85.025).

You have the right to appear at the hearing, present evidence and cross-examine witnesses. What you say there can be used in a related criminal case, so it is worth planning before the hearing. Violating an order can be charged under Penal Code 25.07, and a protective order can affect firearm rights and custody and housing arrangements.

What can a final protective order prohibit?

Under Family Code 85.022, a court that finds family violence can order the respondent not to commit family violence, not to communicate in a threatening or harassing way (or, for good cause, at all except through a lawyer), not to go to or near the protected person's home, workplace or a child's school or child-care facility, not to engage in harassing conduct such as following, and not to possess a firearm, with a narrow exception for certain peace officers. It can also order a battering intervention program.

What should I do now?

• Read the order and follow it from the moment you are served.
• Write down the hearing date, time and court.
• Do not contact the applicant, directly or through friends or social media.
• Save messages, call logs and photos, and list possible witnesses.

How do I get started?

The first consultation is free. It is with a Director of Client Engagement, not an attorney. Clients who hire us work with an attorney. Call (214) 239-2013 or start a chat. Phones and chat are answered 24/7, with AI covering when no staff is free.

Last updated October 2026