If you are in immediate danger, call 911 first. A lawyer is the second call. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is available around the clock at 800-799-7233.
What a PFA is
A Protection From Abuse order is a civil court order under Alabama's Protection From Abuse Act that prohibits an abuser from contacting or coming near you. What people commonly call a "restraining order" in a domestic situation is, in Alabama, a PFA. The order can go well beyond no-contact: a judge can order the defendant out of the home even if the lease or deed is in their name, keep them away from your work and your children's school, award temporary custody of the children, and address support. Violating the order is a crime, and violations commonly result in immediate arrest.
Who can get one
The Act protects people from abuse by someone they have a qualifying relationship with: a spouse or former spouse, someone you have a child with, someone you live with or lived with as a household member, or someone you have or had a dating relationship with. Abuse under the Act includes physical harm, threats that put you in fear, stalking, harassment, and sexual abuse. If the person harming you doesn't fit those relationship categories, a PFA may not be the right tool, but it doesn't mean you're without options; criminal charges and other remedies may apply, and that's worth one conversation to sort out.
How fast it works
Speed is the point of the statute. A petition can be filed in the circuit court where you live or where the abuse happened, and there is no filing fee for the person seeking protection. If the sworn petition shows abuse and danger, the judge can issue a temporary ex parte order the same day, before the other side is even notified. The defendant is then served, and the court holds a final hearing, generally within about ten days of service, where both sides can present evidence. After the hearing the judge can enter a final order, and Alabama final PFA orders can last for years or have no expiration date at all, at the judge's discretion.
What the hearing decides, and why preparation wins it
The final hearing is a real evidentiary hearing in front of a judge. Text messages, photographs, medical records, police reports, and witness testimony all matter, and so does presenting them in admissible form. Petitions fail when the evidence exists but never makes it properly in front of the judge. They also fail when the story comes out scattered. Preparing the testimony and the exhibits is the core of the representation, whichever side of the case you're on.
If you've been served with a PFA
Take it seriously even if you believe the allegations are false or exaggerated. Until the hearing, obey the order completely: no calls, no texts, no messages through friends, no "just picking up my stuff" without court permission. Every contact is a potential arrest and becomes evidence against you. Understand what's at stake at the hearing: a final order can remove you from your home, restrict your time with your children, and under federal law, being subject to a qualifying protection order prohibits possessing firearms. PFA allegations also travel; they surface in divorce and custody cases and alongside criminal charges. The hearing comes fast, so counsel needs to come faster.
How this firm handles PFA cases
The firm represents both petitioners seeking protection and respondents defending against orders, in the Mobile County courts and surrounding counties. These cases blend family law with courtroom evidence work, which is the firm's home ground. You deal with the attorney directly, and given the timelines involved, PFA matters get scheduled with the urgency they carry.
Frequently asked questions
How fast can I get protection?
A temporary ex parte order can issue the same day the petition is filed if the sworn allegations show abuse and danger. The full hearing follows shortly after the defendant is served.
Does filing cost anything?
No. Alabama law charges no filing fee to a person seeking protection under the Act. Costs can be assessed against the defendant.
Do I need a lawyer to file?
You can file on your own, and in an emergency you should never wait. But the final hearing is an evidentiary hearing, and orders are won or lost on preparation. Counsel matters most there.
I was served with a PFA based on false allegations. Can I fight it?
Yes, at the hearing, with evidence. What you cannot do is contact the petitioner to talk it out; that's a crime while the order stands. Obey the order and get counsel immediately.