Protective Orders and Intimate Partner/Domestic Violence in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia 

Domestic violence laws in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia provide legal protections for individuals experiencing abuse by intimate partners, former intimate partners, family members, or household members. Although each jurisdiction offers protective orders and criminal penalties for abuse, eligibility requirements and court procedures differ, so it is important to work with an attorney familiar with domestic violence laws and the intricacies of your jurisdiction. 

Washington, D.C. 

In Washington, D.C. eligible individuals may petition the Superior Court for a Civil Protection Order (CPO). Eligible individuals include a petitioner (the person seeking the protective order) related to the respondent (the person accused of the offending behavior) by blood, adoption, or marriage.  Additional eligible petitioners include those having a child in common, being in a domestic partnership, sharing a residence within the past year and maintaining a close relationship, and those having been in or currently in a romantic, dating, or sexual relationship with the respondent.  Finally, a petitioner may be eligible for relief against a respondent that is seeking to be in a romantic, dating or sexual relationship with that petitioner. 

A judge may issue a Temporary Protection Order (TPO) when the petitioner establishes that their safety or welfare, or that of an animal they own, possess, or control, is immediately endangered by the respondent. This order provides interim safeguards while the Court arranges further proceedings. The Court may grant a CPO if it finds there is good cause to believe the respondent has committed or threatened to commit an intrafamily offense, sexual assault, or other criminal offense against the petitioner, or animal cruelty against an animal the petitioner owns, possesses, or controls.   

Depending on the circumstances, a judge may prohibit contact between the respondent and petitioner, require the respondent to stay away from the petitioner, order a party to vacate a residence, address child custody, visitation, or financial support, award ownership, possession, or control of an animal at issue in the matter, and order the respondent to engage in various forms of counseling. Temporary orders can provide immediate, short-term protection, while final CPOs may last up to two years with the possibility of extension under certain circumstances. 

Maryland 

In Maryland, obtaining a protective order requires both an eligible relationship and evidence of legally defined abuse. Eligible relationships generally include spouses or former spouses, people who share a child in common, qualifying cohabitants, individuals in qualifying sexual relationships, and persons related to the respondent by blood, marriage, or adoption, and certain other relatives.  Further, survivors of sexual assault may also qualify if a petition for protective order is filed within six months of the assault.  

Some examples of conduct that could merit a protective order include physical and sexual assault, acts that place the petitioner in fear of imminent serious bodily harm, false imprisonment, stalking, and revenge porn.   

Courts may order an alleged abuser to stop abusive conduct, avoid contact, leave a shared residence, give up firearms, attend counseling, and comply with custody or support provisions.  

As of October 1, 2026, temporary protective orders may remain in place for up to two weeks after issuance (previously one week after the temporary protective order was served) and a hearing to determine whether a final protective order should be issued is to be held during that time.  Final protective orders can generally remain in effect for up to one year. 

Maryland also increased the penalties for stalking as of October 1, 2026.  A person convicted of stalking may face a period of imprisonment of up to 10 years, a fine of up to $10,000 or both if the victim had a protective order in place against the defendant at the time of the offense or the defendant was previously convicted of stalking.     

Virginia   

Protective orders in Virginia are issued by courts to protect petitioners from family abuse. Eligible petitioners are family or household members of the respondent and include spouses, former spouses, intimate partners, certain relatives related by blood or marriage to the respondent, people who share a child with a respondent, cohabitants or people who have cohabitated within the last 12 months with a respondent.  Family abuse includes acts “involving violence, force, or threat that results in bodily injury or places one in reasonable apprehension of death, sexual assault, or bodily injury” committed by a respondent against the respondent’s family or household member. Family abuse can include forceful detention, stalking, physical or sexual assault, criminal offenses that result in bodily injury, or place a petitioner in reasonable apprehension of death, sexual assault, or bodily injury.  

In Virginia, in cases of family abuse, the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court can issue three kinds of protective orders: emergency protective orders, preliminary protective orders, and final protective orders.  Emergency protective orders are in effect for three days (or until the next day the court is in session, whichever is later) and are often times issued ex parte which means the judge or magistrate only hears from the petitioner. Preliminary protective orders are in effect for 15 days (or until a full hearing). “Permanent” protective orders can be in effect for up to two years and may be extended by further court order. 

Protective orders can include provisions that include limiting or prohibiting contact between the parties, prohibiting acts of violence or threats against a petitioner, granting petitioner possession of the residence occupied by parties, requiring a respondent to participate in treatment and/or counseling, awarding child support, and granting temporary custody or visitation for a minor child. 

Though age requirements vary, in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, a parent or guardian may petition to obtain a protective order on behalf of a minor child who is a victim of abuse. 

Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia all have preprinted forms or online systems available to prepare petitions for protective orders.  Additionally, many courts in Virginia and Maryland, as well as the Superior Court of the District of Columbia have self-help/intake centers where staff can help a petitioner complete necessary forms to file for a protective order. 

Safety is paramount, so anyone experiencing domestic violence should immediately contact local law enforcement in an emergency.  If you are experiencing or recently have experienced any form of abuse by someone with whom you have a qualifying relationship, you should not hesitate to consult with a qualified attorney regarding your options and how best to prepare to obtain a protective order.