Served with a Temporary Protective Order (TPO) in Marietta — or need to file one? Protective orders are serious, emotional, and they move fast. Whether someone has hurt or threatened you and you need protection, or you’ve been served with a TPO that could force you out of your home and away from your children, you deserve someone steady in your corner who knows the Cobb County courts. The Marietta TPO attorneys at MM Criminal Defense handle both sides — with care, and with urgency.
Call 770-693-4357 for a free, judgment-free consultation before your hearing date.
What Is a TPO in Georgia?
A Temporary Protective Order — a TPO — is a civil order, not a criminal conviction, issued under Georgia’s Family Violence Act (O.C.G.A. § 19-13-1 et seq.) and related statutes. It usually begins as an ex parte order, meaning a judge issued it after hearing only one side of the story. The moment you’re served, law enforcement can enforce it — even before you’ve had a chance to respond. A full hearing must then be held, generally within 30 days, and that hearing in Cobb County Superior Court is where your side is finally heard.
The Three Types of Protective Orders in Georgia
Which order you’re facing depends on your relationship with the person who filed:
- Family violence protective orders (O.C.G.A. § 19-13-1) — for current or former spouses, co-parents, family members, and people who have lived together. These carry the most weight: removal from a shared home, temporary child custody, support, even attorney’s fees.
- Dating violence protective orders (O.C.G.A. § 19-13A-1) — for a dating relationship within the past 12 months, even if you never lived together.
- Stalking protective orders (O.C.G.A. § 16-5-94) — no relationship is required; a neighbor, coworker, or stranger can petition.
Want the full plain-English walkthrough? Read our guide: So You’ve Been Served With a Protective Order in Georgia. Now What? If your case reaches beyond Marietta, see our Cobb County restraining order attorney page.
What a Marietta TPO Puts at Stake
A TPO is not a minor inconvenience. While it’s in effect it can force you out of your own home, cut off contact with your children, and — under federal law — bar you from possessing firearms. It is entered into the Georgia Protective Order Registry and can last up to 12 months, or be extended to as long as three years or made permanent. Violating a family violence order is a crime; violating a stalking order can be charged as aggravated stalking, a felony. If you’ve been served, the worst thing you can do is nothing.
How Our Marietta TPO Attorneys Help — On Either Side
MM Criminal Defense represents both people seeking protection and people defending against a protective order in Marietta and across Cobb County.
If you’ve been served (respondent):
- We make sure nothing is missed before the hearing — responses, evidence, and witnesses.
- We challenge the allegations on the merits. The petitioner carries the burden of proof by a preponderance of the evidence — not you.
- We coordinate your defense with any related criminal charge, so a statement in the civil hearing doesn’t come back to hurt you.
- Where appropriate, we pursue dismissal, modification, or a tailored agreement.
If you need protection (petitioner): we help you seek a TPO quickly, prepare your petition and evidence, and stand with you at the hearing.
Why MM Criminal Defense
MM Criminal Defense is a women-led firm founded by two former prosecutors, Michaela Devine and Megan Torok, based right here in Marietta. We have been on the other side of these cases, so we know how they are built — and how to take them apart. You will get plain talk, no judgment, and lawyers who know the Cobb, Cherokee, and Paulding County courtrooms where these hearings actually happen.
Schedule Your Free Consultation With a Marietta TPO Attorney
If you’ve been served with a TPO anywhere in Georgia — or you need to file one — don’t wait for the hearing date to sneak up. Call 770-693-4357 for a free, judgment-free consultation. From our Marietta office we serve Cobb, Cherokee, Paulding, Bartow, Fulton, DeKalb, and Gwinnett counties.
Common Questions
How quickly do these hearings happen?
Quickly. A hearing is often set within about 30 days of the initial order, so there’s no time to wait — the sooner we prepare, the better.
Can a protective order affect my custody or my record?
It can. That’s exactly why having counsel matters, whichever side of the petition you’re on.