If you are in immediate danger, call 911. For free, confidential support at any hour, the Utah Domestic Violence Coalition operates the statewide LINKLine at 1-800-897-LINK (5465), which can connect you with local shelters, safety planning, and advocates.
Utah law provides real legal protection for people experiencing abuse, and it moves fast when safety is at stake. A protective order can be in place the same day you ask for it. This guide explains the types of protective orders available in Utah, how to obtain one, what they cover, and what happens when they are violated.
Types of Protective Orders in Utah
Utah’s protective order laws are found in Title 78B, Chapter 7 of the Utah Code, which provides several distinct orders depending on the relationship and the conduct:
- Cohabitant abuse protective orders are the most common in family situations. Under Utah Code § 78B-7-602, any cohabitant subjected to abuse or domestic violence, or facing a substantial likelihood of it, may seek one. “Cohabitant” is defined broadly and includes current and former spouses, people who live or lived together, people related by blood or marriage, parents of a child in common, and people in current or former consensual sexual relationships.
- Dating violence protective orders protect people in dating relationships who do not qualify as cohabitants.
- Sexual violence protective orders protect victims of sexual violence regardless of relationship.
- Child protective orders protect children who are being abused or are in imminent danger of abuse.
- Civil stalking injunctions address stalking conduct and do not require any relationship between the parties.
You do not need to have left your home to qualify, and you can seek a protective order whether or not a divorce is pending.
How to Obtain a Protective Order
The process is designed for speed:
- File a petition with the district court describing the abuse or threat. Court staff and victim advocates can assist, and there is no filing fee for a cohabitant abuse protective order.
- Ex parte review. A judge reviews the petition, usually the same day, without the other party present. If the petition shows abuse has occurred or is likely, the court issues a temporary ex parte protective order effective immediately once served.
- The hearing. A full hearing is scheduled promptly, where both sides can present evidence. If the court finds grounds, it enters a final protective order.
Notably, Utah law prohibits courts from ordering or referring the parties to mediation in cohabitant abuse protective order cases, a recognition that abuse cases are not negotiation problems.
What a Protective Order Can Do
A Utah protective order can prohibit further abuse and threats, ban contact of any kind, order the respondent to stay away from your home, workplace, school, and vehicle, award temporary possession of the home, establish temporary custody and parent-time arrangements for children, order temporary support, and restrict the respondent’s possession of firearms. The criminal provisions carry serious weight: violating them is a crime, typically a class A misdemeanor, and police can arrest for violations on the spot. Repeat violations bring enhanced penalties.
Recognizing abuse early matters too. Controlling behavior, isolation, and escalating intimidation often precede physical violence, patterns we describe in our article on seeing the early warning signs of domestic abuse. And because protective orders frequently intersect with divorce and custody, evidence of domestic violence weighs heavily in the custody factors covered in our guide to the types of child custody in Utah.
If a Protective Order Has Been Filed Against You
Protective orders carry immediate, serious consequences, including removal from your home, restrictions on seeing your children, and firearm prohibitions, all before you have been heard. If you have been served with an ex parte order, take it seriously: comply fully with every term, do not contact the petitioner for any reason, and get legal representation before the hearing. The hearing is your opportunity to respond, and how you handle the days before it matters enormously.
Building Safety Beyond the Order
A protective order is a powerful legal tool, but safety planning extends beyond paper. Local shelters, counseling, and support services throughout northern Utah are compiled in our guide to resources for families in transition, and our article on what victims should know about restraining orders offers additional practical guidance.
Talk to a Utah Protective Order Attorney Today
Whether you need protection or need to respond to an order, these cases move quickly and the stakes are immediate. Felt Family Law & Mediation has focused exclusively on Utah family law since 2016 and handles protective order matters with the urgency and discretion they require. Our Ogden protective order lawyer serves clients throughout Weber and Davis Counties, alongside our family law practice. Consultations are always confidential. Contact us today to protect yourself and your family.
