Recently updated on October 12th, 2026 at 09:17 pm
File a Protection Order
Create Forms and File for a Dating Violence Civil Protection Order (DTCPO) in Ohio
This website is sponsored by Ohio courts to help you prepare and e-file legal forms for a Dating Violence Civil Protection Order (DTCPO) across the state. These are also commonly referred to as “Civil Protection Orders” or simply “Protection Orders.”
This website guides you through user-friendly online questionnaires, including helpful tips provided directly by Ohio courts. After completing the questionnaires, you can download the most up-to-date official court documents (PDF format) or submit them electronically (e-file) to the court. You may also use this website to explore your legal options. Your privacy is protected, and your case remains confidential and visible only to you until you officially file with the court.
Start
What is a Dating Violence Civil Protection Order?
In Ohio, civil protection orders (CPOs) are court orders that require a person who has committed dating violence to stay away from and avoid contacting the victim. Violating a CPO can lead to criminal charges.
Process Overview
This website presents a list of questions, and then at the end generates the paperwork for your case.
HOW THIS WEBSITE WORKS
This website provides a guided experience to people who are preparing the court forms for a Dating Violence Civil Protection Order themselves.
1. Take Screening
Start with an online screening tool to help you determine whether the case type you’re opting for fits your situation.
2. Prepare Case Documents
Instead of reviewing the legal forms PDFs yourself, you will be guided through a series of friendly questionnaires that gather your information topic by topic. The questions are written in plain, non-legal language. To make this process as simple as possible, our system will generate the official court forms with your responses automatically filled in.
3. Consult Advocate (Optional)
Depending on your case, you can consult a free victim advocate or court self-help center for guidance. These resources, typically funded by the government, can help you review your case documents and provide direct consultation to discuss your case and safety planning.
4. File with the Clerk
You can formally begin your case by filing with your local court. The correct court will be displayed, as it is important to submit to one with jurisdiction over your case. You can digitally sign and e-file without the need to download or to print the forms. You have the option to download and print the forms and file in person.
How to Get a Dating Violence Civil Protection Order (DTCPO)
How do you get a Civil Protection Order? Getting a civil protection order typically involves filing the case and attending a hearing, which can take anywhere from one day (emergency situations) to up to three weeks.
Step 1
You: Gather evidence. What do you need to get a Dating Violence Civil Protection Order?
Gather Evidence to Support Your Case
While your own personal testimony counts as evidence, collecting additional proof can strengthen your case when seeking a Dating Violence Civil Protection Order (DTCPO).
Below are types of evidence commonly accepted by the court:
Evidence Type 1: Pending Criminal Case
If there’s an ongoing criminal case related to the dating violence, it’s important to mention it. Judges may be more likely to grant a protection order if a criminal case is already in progress, as it suggests that law enforcement or the prosecutor believes there’s enough proof of the abuse.
Evidence Type 2: Photos of Injuries or Property Damage
Photos are powerful visual evidence. These may include pictures of physical injuries or damaged property caused by the abuser. Try to include the photos alongside a description of the incident to give the judge full context.
Evidence Type 3: Messages, Emails, or Voicemail Transcripts
You can print out or take screenshots of text messages, emails, or voicemails that show threatening, abusive, or harassing communication. These can be submitted as printed images or PDF files. Most courts do not accept digital files like videos or audio recordings directly.
Evidence Type 4: 911 or Hotline Calls
If you contacted emergency services or a domestic violence hotline, provide specific details such as:
- The phone number called
- Date and time (or approximate) of the call
- Who made the call
- What was reported
- Any details about the operator (e.g., male or female voice)
Evidence Type 5: Medical Records
Include medical documents related to injuries caused by the abuser. These might include hospital visit summaries, emergency room reports, or records from an online portal (like MyChart).
Evidence Type 6: Police Reports
If a police report was filed against the abuser, you can include a copy of that report. It serves as formal documentation of the incident.
Evidence Type 7: Witness Testimony
Statements from witnesses—such as friends, neighbors, coworkers, or bystanders—can support your case. A testimony is typically a written statement describing what the person saw or heard, including as many specific details as possible.
Step 2
You: Take Online Screening
Find out if your situation may qualify for a Dating Violence Civil Protection Order by completing a quick screening. To get started, enter your ZIP code in the Start box at the top of this page.
Step 3
You: Create Case Documents (“Packet”)
After the screening, this website will guide you through the remaining steps to create your case documents.
For your awareness: To apply for a Dating Violence Civil Protection Order (DTCPO), you must complete and submit a specific set of official court forms approved in Ohio. These forms ask detailed questions to help the court understand your situation and the individuals involved.
The most important form is the petition, officially titled “Petition for Dating Violence Civil Protection Order.”
Step 4
You: E-file with the Court. How to File a Dating Violence Civil Protection Order in Ohio
This website also lets you digitally sign and e-file your documents directly with the court.
While other websites may offer court forms, they don’t allow you to officially file with the court.
To formally ask the court for a Dating Violence Civil Protection Order (DTCPO), you must submit your completed documents to the court clerk. This is called filing, and there are two ways to do it—both are equally valid:
- Online (E-file)
- In person at the courthouse
E-filing is a convenient option available 24/7, and you can do it from anywhere. If you file after court hours, your filing date will be the next business day.
Your case will be filed in the Court of Common Pleas in your county—usually in the Domestic Relations or General Division of the court, depending on the county.
Once your filing is accepted, the court will assign a case number, which confirms that your case has officially started.
Step 5
Judge Issues an Ex Parte (Emergency) Protection Order
Based on the facts and evidence you provide, a judge may issue a same-day emergency protection order, also known as an ex parte order, to offer immediate safety until the court hearing.
If the court finds that there are no legal grounds for the order, the application is incomplete, or the court does not have jurisdiction, the request may be denied. In some cases, the court may still schedule a hearing so both sides can present their case.
An ex parte order typically lasts until the full court hearing. If the hearing is delayed for any reason, you should contact the court to make sure the ex parte order is extended until the new hearing date.
Step 6
Law Enforcement: Delivers the Ex Parte Order to the Abuser
Serving the Abuser with the Order
Once your ex parte order is issued, it must be formally served to the abuser (also called the respondent). Only after the abuser is served does the order become legally enforceable—meaning any violation can result in arrest or criminal charges.
This can happen in one of the following ways:
- Service by Law Enforcement: In many cases, the clerk of court will arrange for law enforcement to serve the documents. You don’t need to take any action yourself in this situation.
- Service by You (Through an Adult or Courier): Sometimes, the clerk will give you a packet containing the ex parte order and related documents. You will then need to have these formally delivered by another adult or a licensed process server.
- 911-Packet (When Address Is Unknown): If the abuser’s address is unknown or hard to reach, the court may give you a “911-Packet”—a complete set of the order and documents. This can be useful if there’s a future encounter and police are called. Officers can then physically serve the documents on the spot.
Step 7
You, Abuser: Attend Court Hearing
Attend a hearing: The court holds a hearing within a couple of weeks where the evidence is examined. If there is sufficient supporting evidence as determined by a judge, a full protection order is issued. It is a crime for the abuser to break the conditions of the protection order.
If the abuser misses this hearing even though they were served the court order on time (about 1 week before the hearing), then you might get the court order automatically, i.e. without discussion and further evidence.
Step 8
You: Collect Final Order
After the hearing, a final order may be issued. You can take a paper copy of the order with you for your records, which can be crucial if you have to call the police for a future incident. In Ohio, a civil protection order can remain in effect for up to five years.
WHO CAN START A CASE
This website provides a guided experience to people who are preparing the court forms for a Dating Violence Civil Protection Order themselves.
1. Victim 18+ years
You can create the paperwork and file to start a case if you and the respondent were both 18 or older when the violence took place and you are or were in a dating relationship with the respondent within one year before it.
2. Your family or household members
Your petition can also ask the court to protect family or household members named in it.
WHAT PROTECTIONS CAN YOU ASK THE JUDGE FOR
Here are the typical restrictions placed on the abuser by the protection order.
Stay Away From You
The abuser would have to stay away from you, your children and locations you request, such as your work.
Not to contact you
Not to contact you via phone or text or mutual friends.
Not stalk you
Not stalk you or your loved ones, including your accounts on Facebook or other social media.
Hand over a car
Get access to cars held by the abuser.
Vacate the shared residence
The respondent can be asked to vacate the shared residence. You can also request help from police to kick them out.
Hand over passport, cell phone, medications, etc.
You can ask for your personal items such as passport, medications, clothes. This would be applicable if you were living together up to now.
Get Counseling or Treatment
You can request that the abuser be required to complete counseling, substance abuse counseling, or other treatment.
Do Protection Orders Help?
Here are the outcomes of research on domestic violence from the University of New Hampshire.
1. Reduce Violence
Domestic Violence Protection (restraining) Order and restraining orders in general are effective in reducing violence and harassment. For half the women in the sample studied, a protective (restraining) order stopped the violence. For the other half, the orders significantly reduced violence and abuse.
2. Cost Effective
Domestic Violence Protection (restraining) orders are free for the victims. They are a relatively low-cost solution for the government, particularly when compared with the social and personal costs of partner violence.
3. Cities vs. Countryside
The impact of civil protective orders on reducing violence and abuse did not differ for rural (countryside) and urban (cities) women. In rural areas, where resources and services for partner violence may be more limited, it is critical to reduce barriers to obtaining protective orders, as research indicates they may be an effective resource. Community-level barriers to enforcing civil protective orders exist for women in rural areas.
RISKS
The abuser may react to your filing for a protection order.
Anger
The abuser, particularly in domestic violence situations, may react with anger due to the perceived loss of control over you and your household.
Murder or Physical Harm
A particular risk is that if the respondent has access to guns or other firearms, they might actually kill you. Here’s an example from 2023 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Harming or taking away children
Fearing restrictions on custody or visitation, the abuser may preemptively take the children away or just call Child Protective Services against you.
Damaging jointly owned property
The respondent may drain bank accounts, max out credit cards, damage cars or houses, or do other damage to jointly owned property.
Weaponize Immigration Status or Health Insurance
The abuser may report your or your loved ones’ undocumented immigration status to U.S. authorities, or cancel health insurance.
Spreading false information about you
The abuser may spread false information, particularly on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or other social media.
Calculating the Risk Level
The Lethality Assessment Program (LAP) is a questionnaire used by law enforcement and other professionals, often in the context of domestic violence situations, to assess the risk of murder in cases involving intimate partner violence. The questionnaire has about 20 questions designed to evaluate the severity and potential danger of a situation. These questions may cover aspects such as the presence of weapons, history of violence, threats of harm, and other factors that could indicate an increased risk of lethal violence.
- Has the physical violence increased in severity or frequency over the past year?
- Does the abuser own a gun? Or has he ever used a weapon against you or threatened you with a lethal weapon, particularly a gun?
- Have you ever lived together? And if yes, have you left the abuser after living together during the past year?
- Is he unemployed?
- Has the abuser threatened to kill you? Do you believe he is capable of killing you?
- Does he threaten to harm your children?
- Does he ever try to choke/strangle you or cut off your breathing? If yes, has he done it more than once, or did it make you pass out or black out or make you dizzy?
- Has he avoided being arrested for domestic violence?
- Do you have a child that is not his?
- Has he ever forced you to have sex when you did not wish to do so?
- Does he use illegal drugs? By drugs, I mean “uppers” or amphetamines, “meth”, speed, angel dust, cocaine, “crack”, street drugs or mixtures. Is he an alcoholic or problem drinker?
- Does he control most or all of your daily activities? For instance, does he tell you who you can be friends with, when you can see your family, how much money you can use, or when you can take the car? In reference to the previous question, do you let him control most or all of your activities?
- Is he violently and constantly jealous of you? (For instance, does he say: “If I can’t have you, no one can.”)
- Have you ever been pregnant by him? Have you ever been beaten by him while you were pregnant?
- Has he ever threatened or tried to commit suicide?
- Have you ever threatened or tried to commit suicide?
- Does he follow or spy on you, leave threatening notes or messages, destroy your property, or call you when you don’t want him to?
Court Forms Created
When you pass the screening and complete the questionnaires, you can then download the following standard court forms filled correctly with your information. These court forms are provided by the Supreme Court of Ohio.
Core Forms
- CPO Form 13: Petition for Dating Violence Civil Protection Order
- CPO Form 14: Dating Violence Civil Protection Order (DTCPO) Ex Parte
- CPO Form 15: Dating Violence Civil Protection Order (DTCPO) Full Hearing
- CPO Form 16: Consent Agreement and Dating Violence Civil Protection Order
- CPO Form 17: Modified Dating Violence Civil Protection Order
TYPES OF PROTECTION ORDERS IN OHIO
In Ohio there are several types of protection orders, with the Dating Violence Civil Protection Order being one of them.
Civil Protection Order
An Ohio Domestic Violence Civil Protection Order (DVCPO), under Ohio Revised Code § 3113.31, protects individuals from abuse, threats, or violence by family or household members such as spouses, former spouses, cohabitants, relatives, or those with whom the petitioner shares a child. It may include no-contact provisions, removal from shared residence, temporary custody or support orders, and can remain in effect for up to five years, even without a criminal conviction.
Dating Violence Civil Protection Order
An Ohio Dating Violence Civil Protection Order (DTCPO), under Ohio Revised Code § 3113.31(A)(8), protects individuals from abuse or threats by a current or recent intimate dating partner. The relationship must have existed within the past 12 months. The order can include no-contact provisions, removal from shared housing, and may last up to five years, even without criminal charges.
Stalking or Sexually Oriented Offense Protection Order
An Ohio Stalking or Sexually Oriented Offense Protection Order (SSOOPO), established under Ohio Revised Code § 2903.214, protects individuals from menacing by stalking or sexually oriented offenses committed by someone who is not a family or household member. It can be requested without a criminal charge and may include no-contact provisions, stay-away orders, and restrictions on firearms. The order can remain in effect for up to five years and is available to both adults and minors.
Juvenile Civil Protection Orders
An Ohio Juvenile Civil Protection Order (JCPO), under Ohio Revised Code § 2151.34, protects minors from violence, stalking, or sexually oriented offenses committed by another minor. It can include no-contact provisions, school or residence restrictions, and may stay in effect until the respondent turns 19 or for up to five years.
Criminal Protection Orders
Ohio criminal protection orders are issued during a pending criminal case to protect victims from threats, harassment, or harm. There are two main types: the Domestic Violence Temporary Protection Order (DVTPO) under Ohio Revised Code § 2919.26, used in domestic violence cases involving family or household members; and the Criminal Protection Order (CRPO) under § 2903.213, used in cases like assault, stalking, or sexually oriented offenses when the parties are not related. These orders prohibit contact and remain in effect until the criminal case is resolved.