Personal Protection Orders
Personal Protection Order Filing Instructions
Due to the COVID-19 health crisis, all filings for Personal Protection Orders (PPO) will be done via email at this time. Due to limited staffing, please know that your paperwork will be processed as soon as possible, in the order in which it is received. If you are in an emergency situation, dial 911 or contact your local police department. If you need assistance completing these forms, contact First Step Advocate at (734) 756-0508 or their 24 Hour Helpline of (734) 722-6800, Domestic Violence Advocacy Project- Americorps at (313) 334-7922, Lakeshore Legal Aid at (888) 783-8190 or William Booth Legal Aid Clinic at 313-361-6340 or visit
www.wblac.org. If you have further questions regarding these forms, please contact the PPO Advocates at (313) 967-3579.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE EMAIL ADDRESS YOU USE TO SUBMIT YOUR PETITION FILING WILL BE USED FOR COMMUNICATION WITH THE COURT. IF YOU HAVE SAFETY CONCERNS, PLEASE ENSURE YOU ARE USING A SECURE EMAIL ADDRESS.
As of
April 5, 2021, Wayne County Circuit Court Family Division has partnered with Michigan Legal Help to streamline the filing process of Personal Protection Orders directly with the Wayne County Clerk’s Office.
| Step 1: |
To complete Personal Protection Petitions, Motions to Amend or Terminate, and Show Causes for Violation of the Court’s Order, go to https://michiganlegalhelp.org/self-help-tools/personal-safety, select the Toolkit that correlates with your situation, select “Do It Yourself” under Forms, and answer ALL questions completely. |
| Step 2: |
If you properly selected “Wayne County” on Michigan Legal Help’s website when filling out the Petition, all forms are able to be submitted electronically to the Court by selecting “Email Your Form(s) to the Courts/Agency”.
- When emailing your forms, you must fill out your email address and attach any documents you want to submit with your Petition (i.e., police reports, medical records, photographs, etc.) for the Court to consider when reviewing your Petition.
|
| Step 3: |
The PPO Director will forward the Petition to the Judge for approval or denial. Once the Judge approves or denies the Petition, you will receive a copy of the Order approving or denying the Petition from the Clerk. |
| Step 4: |
If the Petition is granted, the Court will transmit the Petition to the Michigan State Police for entry into the LEIN system. |
| Step 5: |
If the Petition is granted, you will need to serve the Petition and Signed Order on the Respondent and file a Proof of Service with the Court. See instructions here on how to serve your PPO. |
| Step 6: |
If the Court denies your Personal Protection Order but sets it for a hearing, you will receive a Notice of Hearing and Proof of Service from the PPO Clerk via e-mail. You must have the respondent personally served with a copy of the Petition, Verified Addendum, and Notice of Hearing within 24 hours after the denial. Restricted Delivery via Certified Mail cannot be used for this. Instructions on how to serve can be found here. |
All other pleadings (Appearances, Proof of Service, and Responses) shall be filed with the PPO Clerk’s at
PPO@3rdcc.org. Each pleading must be submitted in pdf format, and attached as its own document.
If either party has evidence (i.e., police reports, medical records, photographs, text messages, etc.) they wish the Court to review at your hearing, submit each item in pdf format properly labeled to
PPO-Court@3rdcc.org at least
3 days prior to the hearing. Any evidence not properly submitted prior to the hearing
WILL NOT be considered.
The e-mail subject line must read: Date of Hearing: Case Name, Case Number, Petitioner/Respondent Evidence. For example, 01-01-21: Smith v. Smith, 20-XXXXXX-PP, Petitioner's Evidence.
RESOURCES FOR PPO FILING HELP
Below are some resources available for legal help with your filings for Personal Protection Orders. The Third Circuit Court cannot guarantee whether all of these resources are in full operation during this time. Their hours and services may be affected by the COVID-19 crisis.
First Step
(734) 756-0508
24 Hour Helpline (734) 722-6800
Domestic Violence Advocacy Project - Americorps
(313) 334-7922
Detroit Legal Services Virtual Clinic
Click here to schedule a virtual legal consultation with a member of the Detroit Bar Association! The volunteer attorneys are available to assist with a variety of legal issues.
Lakeshore Legal Aid
lakeshorelegalaid.org
(888) 783-8190
William Booth Legal Aid Clinic
wblac.org
(313) 361-6340
Michigan Legal Help
michiganlegalhelp.org
Click here to schedule a virtual legal consultation with a member of the Detroit Bar Association! The volunteer attorneys are available to assist with a variety of legal issues.
If you have further questions regarding these forms, please contact the PPO Advocates at (313) 967-3579. Please contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) for assistance in finding contacts for local resources in the area that may be of assistance.
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