Understanding Family Law Protection Orders in British Columbia: Your Legal Rights and Safety
What is a protection order ?
A protection order is a legal order issued by a judge to help protect one person from another. It outlines specific conditions that the named individual must follow. These conditions may include having no contact—or limited contact—with the protected person, their children, or other family members.
Typical conditions in a protection order may include:
- No visits to the protected person’s home, workplace, or school
- No phone calls, emails, letters, or messages (including through friends or relatives)
- No possession of weapons
- No following or surveilling the protected person
Additional conditions may be included depending on the circumstances.
Types of Protection Orders
There are two main types of protection orders:
- Peace Bonds
- Family Law Protection Orders
Family Law Protection Orders
You can apply for a family law protection order in Provincial Court or Supreme Court if:
- You’ve experienced family violence, or
- You believe there is a risk of family violence.
These orders can protect you and any other family members who may be at risk. Note that a protection order issued in British Columbia (BC) typically applies only within BC.
What a Protection Order Can Do
A family law protection order can require the person named in the order to:
- Stay away from your home, work, school, or other places where you or your family spend time
- Avoid all contact with you or any protected family members
- Not follow or monitor you or your family
- Not possess any weapons
The order can also authorize the police to:
- Accompany you to your home to collect personal belongings
- Remove the person named in the order from the family home
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