Protective Order Defense in Denton County

This page covers protective order cases in Denton 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 Denton County courts. For Texas-wide law, see our protective orders guide, and for other charges see the Denton County criminal defense page.

Where are Denton County protective order cases handled?

Protective orders in Denton County are civil cases. A related criminal case, if any, runs in the criminal courts at the Denton County Courts Building, 1450 E. McKinney St., Denton.

How does the Denton County prosecutor handle protective orders?

The Denton County Criminal District Attorney's Office has a Protective Order Unit, with its own protective order attorney, at 1450 E. McKinney St. The unit publishes an application packet in English and Spanish, and the application includes sections that must be notarized. Through that process the unit can ask the court for a temporary ex parte order and then a final protective order.

What happens after you are served in Denton County?

A respondent is usually served with the application, any temporary ex parte order and the hearing date. Follow the order from the moment you are served. If there was an arrest, remember that the DA's separate Domestic Violence Unit may be handling the criminal case in the 211th District Court or County Criminal Court No. 2, and the bond conditions set after booking at the Denton County Jail, 127 N. Woodrow Ln., stay in effect alongside any protective order.

How should you prepare for a Denton County hearing?

Because the application is a sworn, notarized document, inconsistencies between it and later statements, texts or police reports can matter at the hearing. Gather your own records, think carefully about testifying, and weigh an agreed order against a contested hearing with the criminal case in mind. We help clients prepare for Denton County protective order hearings and coordinate them with any criminal case.

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