Protective Order Defense in Tarrant County

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

Where are Tarrant County protective order cases handled?

Protective order cases in Tarrant County are civil matters, separate from any criminal case. If the same incident led to an arrest, the criminal case runs in the criminal courts at the Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center, 401 W. Belknap St., Fort Worth.

How does the Tarrant County prosecutor handle protective orders?

The Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney's Office has a Protective Order Unit, located on the third floor of the building that houses the county's family courts, that helps applicants seek orders. Applicants can start with an online questionnaire. As with other DA units in the area, the applicant or the alleged abuser must live in Tarrant County or the incident must have happened there. The unit's published rules also say it will not assist an applicant who has a pending Tarrant County criminal charge or who is on parole or probation.

What happens after you are served in Tarrant County?

If you are the respondent, you will usually be served with the application, any temporary ex parte order and a hearing date. Follow any order from the moment you are served. If there is also a criminal case, keep in mind that the Tarrant DA says a prosecutor can ask for a bond condition barring contact beyond the emergency protective order, so you may be under several overlapping restrictions at once.

How should you prepare for a Tarrant County hearing?

Prepare for the hearing by collecting messages, call logs, photos and witness names, and decide carefully whether to testify. Ask whether the applicant's own situation matters: for example, the DA unit's eligibility rules mean some applicants must file through private counsel instead. An agreed order may seem simpler, but it can still affect firearms, custody and where you can live. We help clients prepare and coordinate any Tarrant 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