All Ingham County citizens have the right to be free of the fear of crime and violence. When violence strikes in the home, the results are doubly tragic. Under new laws, however, the victims of domestic violence can seek Personal Protection Orders without first hiring an attorney. I hope that the information listed below is helpful to you. Please call our office at (517) 483-6256 if you have any further questions.
Ingham County Prosecutor
Personal Protection Orders (PPOs) are orders of the Circuit Court which forbid or require actions by individuals.
The person filing the PPO is the plaintiff, and the person against whom a PPO is filed is the defendant.
A PPO may order the defendant not to:
- Enter your property.
- Assault, attack, beat or wound you.
- Threaten to kill or physically harm you.
- Remove children from you if you have legal custody.
- Interfere at your place of employment.
- Interfere with your efforts to remove your children or personal property.
- Contact you by telephone.
- Send you mail (including electronic mail).
- Purchase or possess a firearm.
Penalties for violating a PPO:
- Maximum 93 days in jail and/or
- Maximum $500 fine.
Two types of PPOs
Restraining PPO:
To qualify for a restraining PPO, you must establish:
- That you have one of the following relationships with the defendant;
* A current or former marriage.
* A current or former dating relationship.
* A current or former common household residence.
* A child in common.
Stalking PPO:
To qualify for a stalking PPO, you are not required to show a relationship with the defendant. However, you must establish that the defendant has shown:
- A pattern of behavior, including two or more separate incidents, that would cause a reasonable person to feel terrorized, frightened, intimidated, threatened, harassed or molested, and that actually causes the person to feel terrorized, frightened, intimidated, threatened, harassed or molested.
If you do not meet these requirements, you may be eligible for a "peace bond", available at the District Court Clerk's office. Peace Bonds are used for disputes not covered by PPOs, and they can require a person to stay away from your home and your property.
How to file a personal protection order:
- Contact a PPO Coordinator at (517) 483-6545. This person can help you file a PPO.
- Complete both a complaint and a PPO form.
- Provide detailed information on the forms, including the date, time and location of the incident, the details of injuries, and the names of witnesses.
- File the order with the Circuit Court clerk's office (313 West Kalamazoo : corner of Walnut and Kalamazoo). The clerk's office will then assign a judge to your case.
- Take the order to the judge, and have it signed.
- Return to the Circuit Court Clerk's office with the signed form.
- Arrange for prompt service of the order.
- File the "Proof of Service" form with the Circuit Court Clerk's office.
Helpful information to include, if available:
- A police report.
- A doctor's report.
- Pictures of injuries or destruction of property.
- Lease or mortgage agreement.
- Custody, support, and/or visitation order(s).
- Divorce order.
- Affidavits from witnesses.
What to do if there is a violation:
If the defendant violates the PPO, immediately contact you local police or 911. When the police arrive, they may arrest him for violating the PPO.
For further assistance with PPO violations, contact the PPO coordinator's office at 483-6545.
Other available resources are:
Michigan Family Violence Help Line
1-800-996-6228
Council Against Domestic Assault
(517) 372-5572
Legal Aid
(517) 485-5411
Prosecutor's Victim-Witness Program
(517) 483-6256
The Personal Protection Order office is located at the Grady Porter Building, at 303 W. Kalamazoo Street, Lansing, MI 48933 (517) 483-6545
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