It’s not uncommon for someone to be served with a restraining order and believe that if they merely keep away from the individual and follow the restraining order’s provisions, their future would be unaffected. This isn’t always the case. If you’ve been served with a restraining order, your next step should be to contact a restraining order defense counsel.

In fact, contacting an attorney before the restraining order is filed is the best option. If you have reason to think that someone is planning to file a restraining order against you, contact Simmons Wagner, LLP right away. Read on to discover more about how this order may affect your life, and then contact us for a consultation at (949) 439-5857.

For the next five years, the restraining order will be on your record

The restraining order will be filed with the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System in most situations. This implies that if you’re pulled over or stopped by a cop in the next five years, the restraining order will almost certainly appear on your record.

If you break the restraining order, you could face serious consequences

Not everyone who breaks a restraining order intends to do so. They may just leave their residence and end up in the same location as the supposed victim, such as a famous restaurant or a supermarket. In some situations, a judge may not think you didn’t break the restraining order on purpose, and the repercussions could be severe: Fines of up to $1,000 and up to a year in prison are possible penalties.

You may face severe limitations in terms of where you can and cannot go

Don’t assume that by moving to another county, you’ll be free of the restraining order’s restrictions. In reality, it is enforceable throughout the state of California. Because the restraining order may affect your ability to travel, don’t assume you’ll just leave the state. Similarly, if the restraining order states so, you may be prevented from entering your own house.

It’s possible that you’ll have to enroll in classes

You may be obliged to attend a 52-week anger management or batterers program in some situations. Not only does this require a significant amount of time out of your week, every week for a year, but you also have to pay for the classes, which can be rather expensive.

There are several different outcomes that could occur

The problems don’t stop there. If you have children, a restraining order may limit how often you visit them, thereby raising your child support payments. If you have a firearm, you should expect to relinquish it immediately if a restraining order is obtained against you — and your right to own a firearm may never be restored.

As you can see, having an experienced defense attorney on your side is critical. You can count on the Simmons Wagner, LLP to fight hard to protect your rights and achieve the best possible result for you. To learn more, call (949) 439-5857 today for a consultation.