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1. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PETITION FOR PROTECTION, an emergency civil petition which should be filed as soon as possible after the abuse. Abuse is defined as an act that causes serious bodily harm, places another in danger of imminent serious bodily harm, assault, rape, or sexual assault, false imprisonment or abuse of a child.
   
     Eligibility Requirements:
   
   • Separated or divorced spouse; or
   • Married and living together at time of abuse; or
   • Unmarried with child in common; or
   • Related by blood, marriage or adoption; or
   • Living together as sexual partners in same home at least 90 days within the past year.
      
   Possible Relief:
   
   • Refrain from abuse or threats to abuse victim
   • Order abuser to vacate home (for eligible petitioners)
   • Order abuser to stay away from petitioner (residence, employment, schools, etc)
   • Restrain abuser from contacting petitioner or other family members
   • Award temporary custody of minor children to the petitioner
   • Award temporary visitation of minor children to the respondent
   • Award emergency family maintenance (EFM)
   • Award temporary use of a jointly-owned vehicle
   • Order counseling for one or both parties
   • Confiscation of weapons for the duration of the order
      
   Procedure:
   Petition can be filed at the following locations (addresses below):
   • Rockville District Court, Mon.-Fri. 9-4
   • Silver Spring District Court, Mon.-Fri. 9-4
   • Rockville Circuit Court, Mon.-Fri. 8:30-4
   • A judge will hear the petition on the day it is filed.
   • If granted, the Sheriff will interview the petitioner and serve the respondent with the temporary protective order.
   • The final protective order hearing is generally set one week later.
      
2. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PETITION FOR PEACE ORDER, a form of civil relief for individuals who are not eligible for a protective order (e.g. in some dating relationships) Anyone who has experienced and is likely to continue experiencing abuse, harassment, stalking, trespass or malicious destruction of property is eligible for this NO CONTACT order. The petition must be filed within 30 days of the act of abuse.
   

   Interim Protective Orders/Peace Orders (IPO) Interim Protective Orders can be filed after hours, weekends and holidays at the Commissioner's Offices (see below). A temporary protective/peace order hearing will be held two business days after the IPO is obtained. Petitioners may request any or all available relief for a maximum of 6 months for a Peace Order or for one year for the Protective Order. Protective Orders may be extended for an additional 6 months for good cause.

   Locations:

   Courts:
   Rockville District Court
   27 Courthouse Square
   Rockville, MD 20850.
   Victim Assistance provided Monday - Friday.9:00 am to 3: 00 pm
    301- 279 - 1500

   Silver Spring District Court
   8665 Georgia Ave.
   Silver Spring, MD 20910
    301-608-0660

   Rockville Circuit Court
   50 Maryland Ave.
   Rockville, MD 20850.
   Victim Assistance provided Monday - Friday 9:00 am -12:30 pm

   Commissioner's Offices:
   Rockville Central Processing Unit
   1307 Seven Locks Rd.
   Rockville, Maryland
    301.610.7217
    Weekdays: 4:30 p.m.-8:30 a.m.
    Weekends: Friday 4:30 p.m. - Mon. 8:30 a.m.
    When courts are closed and during holidays

   Silver Spring Police Station
   801 Sligo Avenue
   Silver Spring, Maryland
    301-588-5181
    Mon.-Wed. 4:30 p.m. - 11 p.m.
    Thursday 4:30 p.m. - Friday 8:30 a.m.
    Friday 4:30 p.m. - midnight Sunday
   Please note that times are subject to change.

   Germantown Police Station
   2000 Aircraft Drive
   Germantown, Maryland
    301.540.0963
    Mon.-Fri. 4:30 p.m. -11:00 p.m.
   Please note that times are subject to change.

3. CRIMINAL CHARGES: Victims have the option of filing a criminal complaint when a crime against them has been committed. Acts such as threats to use force, stalking, sexual assault (including marital rape), threatening phone calls, trespassing, destruction of property, bodily harm constitute reason for filing a criminal complaint.
   

   Procedure:
    File statement of charges with the District Court Commissioner (see locations above)
   Note: In most cases filing criminal charges does not mean that the abuser will go to jail.

   Link for Legal Forms for domestic violence protective orders and other family law matters:

   Maryland People's Law Library
   http://www.peoples-law.info/Home/PublicWeb

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