A restraining order is a common way of preventing someone from contacting you and harming you. About a million restraining orders go into effect every year. The protected person often feels safe under a legal blanket, but a false accusation can negatively impact the other person’s life.
Anyone can get a restraining order in New Jersey, and there is nothing you can do to stop them. What you can do is fight these orders and the accusations made against you to clear your name. It is important to understand how these orders affect you and how you can protect yourself.
Impact of a restraining order on your life
1. Changes in daily life.
When you have a restraining order against you, you may have to make changes in your daily life depending on where you live and your daily whereabouts. For example, if you and the protected person live in the same house, you need to move out and stay away from them. You will need to live someplace else until the order expires or is lifted by the court.
Another example where you might need to make a big change is when the protected person works in the same place as you. In this case, you will be required to maintain a safe distance from them, which can affect your work performance. You may even have to miss or leave your work in extreme cases.
2. You gain a criminal record.
Having a restraining order served against you means you officially have a criminal record. When a temporary order is issued, it immediately goes on your record. After that, a permanent order hearing is scheduled, where if you prove that you are innocent, you can get the record expunged in New Jersey.
However, if you fail to prove your innocence and the order becomes permanent, the record stays. It is noteworthy that even the temporary orders which are to be removed sometimes stay in the records for longer periods. If this happens to you, you need to consult your attorney to remove the record.
3. You cannot contact your children.
One of the most heartbreaking things about a restraining order is that you lose your child’s visitation rights. If the custodial parent issues the order, they can legally stop your child from visiting you or contacting you. No matter how good of a parent you are, you will need to continue making these changes until you produce evidence of your innocence.
4. It will affect your job.
A restraining order is not seen that much as a big criminal record of getting in the way of you getting a job. However, not all employers think alike. Anyone who runs a background check on you will find out about your charges, and it may influence their employment decisions.
