By: Sara E. Teller
If you are thinking about needing to keep someone away from you for an extended period, you have already been through some tumultuous times with that person. Most relationships end with a breakup where both parties go their separate ways, but things aren’t always that simple in life.
In this article, we are going to explore the topic of a no contact order. We’ll dive into what it means to take out a no contact order, the basics of how it works, and why you might consider taking this action. This is a big, but sometimes necessary, step to take, so it’s good to have as much information as possible on your side.
As the Name Implies
The name itself is a good starting point for what a no contract order does. Once issued, the no contact order makes it illegal for two people to come into contact with one another in any way. That includes physical contact, of course, but it also extends to messages that may be transmitted over the phone, online, through texts, etc. Once a no contact order is in place, those two people need to stay away from each other in all forms. If they don’t, legal consequences could be waiting for the party that violates the order.
The Rules Can Vary
Not all no contact orders are going to carry the same rules and requirements. While the basic concept of keeping two people away from each other is the same across the board, there will be some variations in the details. For one thing, the no contact order will have a given duration attached to it once approved. This is how long the rules are set to stay in place, and it must be honored until that stated time has passed. It is common for the order to last for a year, but that is not always the case.
Also, there will be stipulations on the distance that must be maintained between the parties, so it can be more easily defined in terms of what counts as a violation of the order. If either party comes within so many feet or yards of the other party, a violation may have occurred, and that person could be contacted by police and potentially arrested. If you are going to attempt to take out a no contact order, it’s important to understand the details of what is issued so you know how to respond in certain situations.
Seeking a No Contact Order
If you think that you might want to take out a no contact order against a specific individual, you will need to petition the court to issue one in this case. Considering the fact that the court will be taking away the other individual’s freedom to move about as they wish, this is not a decision the court is going to take lightly – you’ll need to prove that there is a legitimate reason to be seeking the order.
Typically, that reason is going to be that you believe you are in danger. If you feel that you are in a dangerous situation if the other person is allowed to be near you, and you can prove that fear to be valid in some way, you may be able to get the order issued successfully. Often, it’s in cases where a victim has been abused physically or emotionally that a court will issue the order to keep the other party a safe distance away. It is usually necessary to go before a judge to make your request and petition for the order to be issued.
Reasons to Use This Tool
It’s immediately obvious to anyone thinking about taking this step that a no contact order is not going to physically stop someone from coming around you if they so choose. That person isn’t going to be followed by the police from day to day, so they might decide to violate the order and attempt to contact you anyway.
With that said, don’t make the mistake of thinking that the order is pointless because of this issue. With an order in place, you will have legal recourse if they decide to violate the order and get in touch in one way or another. Then, when that happens, you can contact the police and ask them to step in. That’s a powerful tool that wouldn’t be available to you if you didn’t bother to take the step of going to a judge and requesting this form of protection. It’s important, of course, to document contact as much as possible to provide proof that the person is violating a court order.
Now that you have a clearer picture of what a no contact order is and how it works, you can think clearly about whether it’s the right tool to use in your situation. Also, you’ll need to look into the specifics of how to proceed with this action, if that’s what you decide, since the rules vary somewhat from state to state. Whatever you decide, at the very least, going ‘no contact’ without an official order is necessary with a narcissist in order to heal sustainably.
Break the silence, break the cycle.