File a Protective Order

AZPOINT

AZPOINT, the Arizona Protective Order Initiation and Notification Tool, has been designed to help you fill out a petition for an Order of Protection. Through an interview in AZPOINT, you can quickly and accurately fill out the forms that are needed to request an Order of Protection at an Arizona court. An Order of Protection is a court order that is issued to stop a person from committing domestic violence or from contacting other people protected by the order. The portal will also help you figure out whether you (the plaintiff) and the person from whom you are seeking protection (the defendant) have a qualifying relationship for an Order of Protection. Your information will be saved in AZPOINT for up to 90 days. At any time during this 90-day period, you may take the next step of filing your petition at an Arizona court. Until you file your petition at a court, you will be able to return to AZPOINT to update your information if necessary. You are encouraged to speak to a victim advocate before you file your petition. An advocate can help you make a safety plan and give you more information about how an Order of Protection works and how it will be served on the defendant.

For more information, visit the AZPOINT website.

Important Reminder

A Protective Order can keep you safe. However, an order is only one part of staying safe and may not be the safest option in every situation. If you have questions about other options to stay safe call:

The Arizona Coalition Against Domestic Violence at 602-279-2900 or 800-782-6400

If you are in immediate danger, call 911

If you would like to petition the court for an Order of Protection, Injunction Against Harassment or Workplace Harassment in person you must do so at our Florence location. After your arrival, please report to the Clerk's office lobby.

To start, choose which of the following Protective Orders fits your situation:

Order of Protection

An Order of Protection is used for a "family" relationship between you and the Defendant. To obtain an Order of Protection one of the following must apply:

Married now or in the past.
Live together now or lived together in the past.
Parent of a child in common.
One of you is pregnant by the other.
You are a relative (parent, in-law, brother, sister, or grandparent).
Current or previous romantic or sexual relationship. Also, you must state how an act of domestic violence was threatened or committed against you within the last year.

Where do I file the Order of Protection?

971 Jason Lopez Circle
Building A
Florence AZ 85132

You will need to come as early as possible, try to come no later than 3 pm. This will allow the Court enough time to process your request.

Please Note: When petitioning the Court for a protective order, you will see a Judge in an undetermined time frame and must remain in the Clerk’s Office. You will be contacted by court staff at the Judge’s soonest availability.

Helpful Information Prior to Submitting your Forms to the Court

The electronic questionnaire must be completed in our main office located at:
971 Jason Lopez Circle
Building A
Florence AZ 85132
- Protective Orders are not accepted at any of our Satellite Office Locations.
If you are submitting attachments, all documents must be one sided and legible.
When filing emergency documents you should be prepared to wait for an undetermined time frame.
If you come later than 3:00 pm, the Court may not complete the processing of your emergency request, therefore you may need to return the next business day.
You may have a hearing and appear before the Judge and appropriate attire is required; no shorts or flip flops please.

Injunction Against Harassment

An Injunction Against Harassment may be filed if you do not meet the relationship criteria for an Order of Protection. This includes neighbors, friends, acquaintances, tenants, schoolmates, or a boyfriend/girlfriend who you never lived with.

Where Do I File the Injunction Against Harassment?

971 Jason Lopez Circle
Building A|
Florence AZ 85132
You will need to come as early as possible, try to come no later than 3:00 pm. This will allow the Court enough time to process your request.
Please Note: When petitioning the Court for a protective order, you will see a Judge in an undetermined time frame and must remain in the Clerk’s Office. You will be contacted by court staff at the Judge’s soonest availability.

(Injunction Against Harassment's may also be filed with your local Justice Court. You will need to contact them for details.)

Helpful Information Prior to Submitting your Forms to the Court

The electronic questionnaire must be completed in our main office located at:
971 Jason Lopez Circle
Building A
Florence AZ 85132
- Protective Orders are not accepted at any of our Satellite Office Locations.
If you are submitting attachments, all documents must be one sided and legible.
When filing emergency documents you should be prepared to wait for an undetermined time frame.
If you come later than 3 pm, the Court may not complete the processing of your emergency request, therefore you may need to return the next business day.
You may have a hearing and appear before the Judge and appropriate attire is required; no shorts or flip flops please.

Injunction Against Workplace Harassment

An Injunction against Workplace Harassment may be filed if you are being harassed at work, your employer or authorized agent of the employer can file for an Injunction Against Workplace Harassment on their own behalf. An Injunction against Workplace Harassment is a court order that prohibits the offender from having contact with the employer or employees, or from coming near the employer’s property. The Injunction against Workplace Harassment enables your employer to get their own injunction against your abuser.

Fees

There is a $318.00 filing fee. If the fee is a hardship you may apply to have the fees deferred. A deferral means that the fee is due at a later time, and you will make small monthly payments.

Where do I file the Injunction Against Workplace Harassment?

971 Jason Lopez Circle
Building A
Florence AZ 85132
You will need to come as early as possible, try to come no later than 3 pm. This will allow the Court enough time to process your request.
Please Note: After your petition is filed, you will see a Judge in an undetermined time frame. During your wait in the courthouse, staff will keep you informed of the Judge’s availability.

Injunction Against Workplace Harassment may also be filed with your local Justice Court. You will need to contact them for details.

Emergency Order of Protection

An emergency Order of Protection is governed by A.R.S. § 13-3624(C) and may be requested by a peace officer on an emergency or ex parte basis when a person’s life or health is in imminent danger; it is limited to parties with specified relations between them.

When Is an Emergency Order of Protection Available?

An Emergency Protective Order is only available when the hours of the courts are closed. The judge, justice of the peace, magistrate or commissioner who is authorized to issue emergency orders of protection may issue a written or oral ex parte emergency order of protection if a peace officer states that the officer has reasonable grounds to believe that a person is in immediate and present danger of domestic violence based on an allegation of a recent incident of actual domestic violence.

For more information on Emergency Protective Orders please visit the Arizona State Legislature website.

Parties in a Protective Order

Defendant - The defendant is the person against whom the plaintiff or other appropriate party is seeking protection from.
Plaintiff and Other Appropriate Requesting Parties - The Plaintiff is the person or other appropriate requesting party who files the petition for a protective Order. The Other Appropriate Requesting Party is a Parent, Legal Guardian or Legal Custodian of a Minor. If the person in need of a protection order is a minor, then the Parent, Legal Guardian or Person who has legal custody of the minor shall file the petition as the Plaintiff. The minor will be a protected person. A minor may not be listed as a plaintiff on forms.
Protected Persons - Protected Persons are specifically designated persons who the Court/Judge has determined should be included in the Order as protected. Victim. The term victim is used interchangeably with “plaintiff”
Victim - The term victim is used interchangeably with “plaintiff.”

Serving a Protective Order & Effect

Order of Protection

An Order of Protection is valid two years from the date it is served on the Defendant and is enforceable by law enforcement in any state or tribal nation in the United States.
An Order of Protection that is not served upon the defendant one year after the date that the order is issued, will expire.
If the judge issues the Order of Protection, the court will send an electronic copy to law enforcement (city police, county sheriff, or constable) for service on the defendant. Service can be delayed up to 72-hours at the Plaintiff's request. If law enforcement has not been able to serve the Order of Protection within 15 days, you may be asked to give the law enforcement agency more information about the defendant.
There is no fee for law enforcement service of an Order of Protection.

Serving an Injunction Against Harassment & Effect

Injunction Against Harassment

If you are asking for an Injunction Against Harassment or an Injunction Against Workplace Harassment, you—not the court—must arrange for service of the injunction, if the judge issues it.
There is a fee to serve an Injunction Against Harassment not involving a dating relationship or an Injunction Against Workplace Harassment. The cost to serve Injunctions varies depending on mileage or number of attempts. If you cannot afford to hire a process server, you can ask the Judge to defer or waive the service fee in writing.

How to Request a Hearing on a Protective Order

If the defendant disagrees with a protective order, they have the right to request one hearing in writing. The Judge shall hold a hearing within 10 court business days of the request unless the Judge finds good cause to continue the hearing for a longer period of time.

If a protective order grants exclusive use of the home, the Judge shall hold a hearing within 5 court business days of the request.

When the hearing is set, the requester must appear in person, and failure to do so will result in the order remaining in full force and effect.

There are no filing fees to request a hearing in a protective order.

Forms

Request for Hearing (PDF)

Modifying or Quashing (Dismissing) a Protective Order

Quashing a Protective Order

A Plaintiff may request in writing that a protective order be dismissed or quashed at any time during the term of the order.
Only a Judge can quash (dismiss) a protective order.
Nothing you do can stop or undo a protective order without the Courts written approval.

Modifying a Protective Order

A plaintiff may request in writing that a protective order be modified at any time during the term of the order.
The plaintiff shall personally appear before the judicial officer/Judge and explain why modification of the order is sought.
A modified Protective Order must be served on the defendant but expires one year after service of the initial order.

Forms

Request to Dismiss (PDF)

Law Enforcement Standby

If Plaintiff or Defendant needs to get personal belongings from the other, you may request in writing a standby from the Judge.
If the Plaintiff was granted exclusive use of the residence, and the judicial officer/Judge allowed the defendant to return one time, accompanied by law enforcement officer to pick up personal belongings, neither law enforcement or a protective order can resolve conflicts over property, title, furniture, finances, real estate, or other ownership issues.