

It is not unusual for a case to take more than a year to conclude. Q: How long will my court case take? A: There is no specific timeline for a case moving through the court system.Violation of a protective order is a criminal offense and the Code of Criminal Procedure authorizes law enforcement officers to arrest violators without a warrant in some situations. Unlike a restraining order, which is enforceable only by civil contempt, a protective order is criminally enforceable and valid for up to two years. A protective order is issued by a court with civil jurisdiction that orders an abusive person to refrain from committing family violence, threatening or harassing the victim, or going within a specified distance of their home or place of employment (or school/childcare facility of minor victims). Our Protective Order team assists IPV survivors seeking protection from their abusers. In the fall of 2016, Tarrant County Commissioners approved a new special team designed to prosecute felony IPV cases. This team consists of 5 full-time Assistant Criminal District Attorneys, 2 Investigators and a support staff member. Additionally, there is a Misdemeanor Court focused on the prosecution of lower-level domestic violence offenses. Currently, 1 in 3 women in Tarrant County will be affected be IPV at some point in her lifetime.ĬDA Sharen Wilson has made it clear that combatting IPV is one of this office's highest priorities, working actively not only in the courtroom, but also in the community to assist survivors, educate our citizens and aggressively prosecute IPV offenders. IPV crime happens every day, and touches every ethnicity, income level, age, gender, religion and other demographic in Tarrant County. Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) describes physical or sexual violence by a current or former partner of the victim.
