Someone handed you paperwork and your life changed the same day. You may have been told to leave your home. You may have been told not to contact your own children. And nobody asked for your side first.
That is how emergency orders work in Illinois. The hearing coming up is your chance to be heard, and we can help you get ready for it.
The order itself is civil. Breaking it is not. A violation becomes a criminal case, which is why we treat these the same way we treat any criminal defense matter.
In Illinois, an emergency order of protection lasts at least 14 days and no more than 21 days. It is granted without notice to you. The court then holds a hearing where you can appear, present evidence, and respond. If a plenary order is entered there, it can last up to two years.
That timeline comes straight from the Illinois Domestic Violence Act, 750 ILCS 60/220 (opens in a new tab).
Read the order carefully. It tells you the date, the courthouse, and exactly what you cannot do.
Follow every word of it, even the parts that feel unfair. Breaking an order hands the other side proof they did not have before.
Then start gathering:
We use that material to build your response. The more you bring, the more we have to work with.
Do not contact the petitioner. Not to explain, not to apologize, not through a friend or a relative. Any contact at all can be treated as a violation.
An emergency order is decided on one person’s account. You are not invited, and you do not get to answer.
Illinois allows this because the law is built to move fast when someone says they are in danger. The tradeoff is that the first order is one sided by design.
That is the whole reason the second hearing exists. It is where the court hears from both people and decides whether a longer order is justified.
At the plenary hearing the burden sits with the petitioner. They have to show the court that abuse occurred as the Act defines it.
We test that. Specifically, we look at:
Petitions are often written quickly and in anger. The gaps matter as much as the accusations.
A plenary order reaches further than most people expect:
Some of these are hard to undo later. That is why the hearing matters more than it looks.
An order of protection can lead to revocation of your FOID card and an order to turn over any guns you own.
We handle that alongside the order rather than treating it as a separate problem. If you also face a weapons charge, that becomes part of the same strategy.
Tell us at the first meeting if you hold a FOID card or a concealed carry license.
Not every petition is filed out of fear. Some arrive during a custody fight, at the exact moment one side is looking for leverage.
We see this often enough to know how to present it. Judges do weigh timing and context, and we make sure the full picture reaches the court.
If you have a family case open, bring those filings with you. The two matters affect each other.
The earlier we start, the more we can do. A few days of preparation changes what we can put in front of the judge.
In Chicago, domestic violence matters are heard at the Domestic Violence Courthouse on West Harrison. Suburban cases go to the district courthouse that covers the address involved.
We appear across Cook County and the collar counties, including:
Not sure which one covers you? Our guide to the Cook County court districts breaks it down by address.
Judges hear these cases differently depending on where you are standing. That local knowledge shapes how we prepare you and what we expect on the day.
Most of this page speaks to people who were served. If you are the one who needs an order, we can help with that too. Call us and we will walk you through filing.
Yes. If you do not appear, the court can enter a plenary order without hearing anything from you, and that order can last up to two years. Showing up is the single most important thing you can do.
At least 14 days and no more than 21 days under the Illinois Domestic Violence Act. Your hearing date falls inside that window, which is why there is so little time to prepare.
The order itself is civil. Violating it is criminal. That distinction matters, because a civil order you did not fight can lead to a criminal case later. If you have been accused of violating one, our criminal defense team can help.
It can. An order can restrict contact with your children, and a judge in a related family case may consider that one was entered. Handling both matters together usually produces a better result than treating them separately.
An order can trigger revocation of your FOID card and require you to surrender your firearms. If you are also facing a weapons charge, our gun charge defense page explains how those cases work.
Sometimes. A petitioner can ask to withdraw, and a court can decline to extend an order after a hearing. What is realistic depends on the facts, so bring everything you have to your consultation.
It depends on the address involved. Chicago cases are usually heard at the Domestic Violence Courthouse, and suburban cases go to the district courthouse covering that area. Our Cook County districts guide shows which one applies to you.
You have a small window and a lot riding on it. We would rather hear from you today than the night before court.
Tell us what was alleged and when you have to appear. We will explain how the hearing works, what the other side has to prove, and what we can do with the time that is left.
Call Ktenas Law at (312) 800-1626 or request a case review. Conversations with us are confidential.
This page is general information about Illinois law and is not legal advice. Every case turns on its own facts. Speak with an attorney about your situation.
