Colorado Civil Protection Orders: What You Need to Know

A protection order, also called a restraining order, is a legal way to protect yourself from someone who is threatening you. If someone has experienced violence, assault, stalking, threats, or other abusive and dangerous behavior, they can file a civil protection order against their abuser.

A civil protection order is court-ordered and keeps the restrained party away from the protected party who filed for it. It may keep the restrained party away from your home, your loved ones, or your workplace, or require them to move out of a home you share. Most orders include no-contact terms, which bar the restrained party from contacting you directly or through someone else.

If you are in immediate danger, call 911.

Why a Person May Need a Protective Order

There are several reasons why a person may file a Colorado civil protection order against someone. Most often, it is to protect their own safety and the safety of their loved ones. It also provides distance between a person and their abuser, and gives them time to contact an attorney for additional protection.

A violation can be charged as a crime, which gives police a clear basis to act.

Types of Civil Protection Orders in Colorado

• Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO): An ERPO is a separate order aimed at firearms rather than contact. Family or household members, law enforcement, and certain professionals, including district attorneys, licensed medical and mental health providers, and educators, can petition.¹ A temporary ERPO lasts up to 14 days until a hearing, and a full ERPO bars possessing or buying firearms for 364 days.
• Temporary Protection Order (TPO): A judge can issue a TPO, often the same day and without the other side present.² The standard is a risk or threat of physical harm, or a threat of psychological or emotional harm, to the person asking for protection. The permanent order hearing must be set within 14 days, and the court can extend the temporary order if the respondent cannot be served in time.
• Permanent Protection Order (PPO): The order becomes permanent if a preponderance of the evidence shows the respondent did acts justifying an order and will continue unless restrained.³ A permanent order lasts until the court modifies or dismisses it.
• Protective Orders Obtained by Employers: In Colorado, a business or employer can request a civil protective order when someone has threatened or assaulted its employees. This follows the same process as a TPO followed by a hearing for a PPO.

What a Civil Protection Order Can Cover

Depending on its terms, a civil protection order may:

• Prevent further domestic violence or abuse.
• Require the restrained party to leave a home you share.
• Require the restrained party to stay a set distance from your home, workplace, school, childcare facility, or other named places you go regularly.
• Require the restrained party to give up firearms if the order was entered to prevent domestic abuse.
• Give you temporary care and control of children named in the petition.
• Protect pets and other animals in the household.

Prohibited contact usually covers calls, texts, email, social media messages, and messages passed through a third party, which people often overlook. Stay-away terms can name your home, your workplace, the children’s school, and other places you go. Ask for every protection that fits your situation, since people often ask for less than the court can order.

If you are relocating to escape abuse, Colorado’s Address Confidentiality Program gives eligible survivors a substitute address for government records, plus mail forwarding, at no cost.⁴

Deciding whether to file, or just served? Johnson Law Group offers a no-pressure consultation to talk it through, so schedule a consultation when it is safe to do so.

Civil Protection Orders vs. Criminal Mandatory Protection Orders

While a civil protection order is part of civil law, a mandatory protective order (MPO) is part of criminal law. A criminal court issues an MPO in a criminal case, whether or not the victim has a civil order.

An MPO prevents a restrained person from retaliating against, harassing, or interfering with victims and witnesses. It generally lasts while the criminal case is pending and can continue after sentencing.

FAQs About Colorado Civil Protection Orders

How does a protection order work in Colorado?

To obtain a protective order against someone who is harming you, you file a petition with the court. Before the full hearing, a temporary protective order may be put in place, and the hearing on a permanent order is set within 14 days. At that hearing, the court decides whether a permanent protective order will be issued.

What is a civil protection order in Colorado?

A civil protection order can be requested by victims and by employers. If there has been serious harm, violence, or a threat of violence, you can ask the court for an order that keeps the person who harmed you away. The exact requirements depend on the terms of the order.

How do I fight a civil protection order in Colorado?

If you are served with a temporary civil protection order, you can challenge it at the hearing for a permanent order. A respondent has the same right to an attorney as the person who filed, and a lawyer can present your side. If you do not attend, the court can make the order permanent without hearing from you.

Once a permanent civil protection order is entered, it can be dismissed, but the process is more complex.

What does a protection order do?

A protection order protects someone facing abuse or violence from the person causing it. A civil protective order can be issued against anyone who has harmed you, including strangers, though it is most often sought against family members, roommates, or former partners. It is a legally enforceable court order that keeps the restrained party away from the protected person.

Filing for a Civil Protective Order

1. Assess whether your situation qualifies.
2. Complete the petition forms.
3. File the petition with the court.
4. Attend the temporary order hearing and then the permanent order hearing.
5. Receive the court’s decision.
6. Enforce the order by reporting any violation to police.

If you are facing stalking, abuse, or threats of violence, you have the right to take legal action to protect yourself, and you do not have to do it alone. The Colorado family law attorneys at Johnson Law Group can help you understand your options and move through the protective order process with the support and urgency your situation requires.

What to Bring

Bring a dated list of incidents, with what happened and who was present. Add any messages, voicemails, or photographs, police report numbers, medical records, and the names of witnesses. Specific dates carry far more weight than a general account of a pattern.

If you have been served with a temporary order, the same preparation applies, and you should plan to attend the hearing. Johnson Law Group represents both petitioners and respondents, and we will serve as your North Star from here.

Schedule a free consultation through our Colorado offices, and the attorneys at Johnson Law Group will give you a clear read on your options.

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