How to Get a Protective Order Without a Lawyer (Florida, Illinois, and Maine)

Savage Lex Team · 2026-08-23

How to Get a Protective Order Without a Lawyer (Florida, Illinois, and Maine)

Someone is hurting you, threatening you, or stalking you. You need the court to step in. You can file for a protective order yourself in Florida, Illinois, and Maine. No lawyer required. No filing fee. Here's exactly how each state works, what forms you need, and what happens after you file.

What Is a Protective Order?

A protective order (also called a restraining order or order of protection) is a court order that tells another person to stop contacting you, stay away from your home and workplace, and in many cases surrender their firearms. Violating it is a crime.

You don't need a lawyer to get one. Every state in this guide provides free forms, and court clerks are required to help you fill them out.

Florida: Injunction for Protection

Florida calls protective orders "injunctions for protection" under Fla. Stat. § 741.30. The state recognizes five types:

Domestic violence — for people you live with, used to live with, or share a child with
Dating violence — for someone you dated in the past six months with an expectation of affection
Sexual violence — if you reported the assault to law enforcement
Repeat violence — at least two incidents of violence or stalking, one within the last six months
Stalking — willful, malicious, repeated following or harassment

How to File

Go to your county courthouse and ask the clerk for the 12.980 forms (Petition for Injunction for Protection Against Domestic Violence). You can also download them from your circuit court's website.
Fill out the petition. Include every incident of abuse — dates, locations, what happened. Be specific. The judge reads this before deciding whether to issue a temporary order.
File the petition with the clerk. No filing fee.
A judge reviews your petition, usually the same day. One of three things happens:
The judge issues a temporary injunction (effective up to 15 days)
The judge sets a hearing without a temporary order
The judge denies the petition with written reasons — you can refile with more information
If a temporary injunction is issued, the sheriff serves the respondent personally. The clerk transmits the order to the sheriff within 24 hours.
A full hearing is held before the temporary injunction expires (within 15 days). Both sides can present evidence and testimony.

What the Final Order Covers

If the judge grants a final injunction, it can include:

No contact with you (in person, by phone, email, social media, any other means)
Stay-away orders for your home, school, and workplace
Exclusive possession of a shared residence
Temporary custody and time-sharing of children
Temporary child support or spousal support
Mandatory surrender of firearms and ammunition (for domestic violence injunctions, required by Fla. Stat. § 790.233)

A final injunction lasts for a fixed period set by the judge and stays in effect until the court modifies or dissolves it. Either party can file a motion to modify or dissolve at any time.

Key Florida Details

Filing fee: None
Service: Personal service by law enforcement (required)
Temporary order duration: Up to 15 days
Violation: First-degree misdemeanor under Fla. Stat. § 741.31; arrest without warrant authorized
Forms: Florida Supreme Court Family Law Form 12.980 series

Illinois: Order of Protection

Illinois uses the Illinois Domestic Violence Act (750 ILCS 60) and offers several types of protective orders:

Order of Protection — for abuse by a family or household member, spouse, or dating partner
Civil No Contact Order — for sexual assault victims (no relationship required)
Stalking No Contact Order — for stalking victims
Firearm Restraining Order — for crisis situations involving firearms access

How to File

Go to your local circuit court clerk's office. Ask for the Petition for Order of Protection form. Illinois provides simplified forms specifically for people without lawyers — the clerk is required to help you fill them out (750 ILCS 60/202(d)).
You can file in person or online (750 ILCS 60/202(a-1)).
Fill out the petition. Describe the abuse in detail — what happened, when, where, any injuries, any witnesses.
File the petition. No filing fee for any filing, amendment, certification, or photocopying related to an order of protection (750 ILCS 60/202(b)).
The judge reviews your petition. If there is immediate danger, the judge can issue an emergency order of protection ex parte (without the other side present).
The respondent is served. A hearing is scheduled.

Types of Orders and How Long They Last

| Order Type | Duration | How You Get It |

|---|---|---|

| Emergency | 14–21 days | Ex parte (without the other side) |

| Interim | Up to 30 days | Bridges gap between emergency and plenary |

| Plenary | Up to 2 years | After a full hearing with both sides |

Plenary orders can be extended if you file a motion showing continued need. Extensions can last until the order is vacated or modified.

What the Order Can Include

No contact with you
Stay-away provisions (home, work, school)
Exclusive possession of shared residence
Temporary custody and parenting time
Temporary child support
Counseling for the respondent
Firearm surrender — the court can prohibit possession and order surrender of all firearms and firearm parts. Law enforcement can seize firearms at the time of service. The respondent must surrender any remaining firearms within 24 hours (750 ILCS 60/214(14.5)). The court can also issue a search warrant to seize firearms.

Key Illinois Details

Filing fee: None
Service: By sheriff (no charge)
Emergency order: 14–21 days
Plenary order: Up to 2 years, extendable
Violation: Criminal contempt; also a Class A misdemeanor for knowingly violating the order
Forms: Illinois Supreme Court approved forms (updated May 2025), available at your circuit court clerk's office or online at illinoiscourts.gov
E-filing exemption: Protection order petitions are considered sensitive filings and are exempt from mandatory e-filing (Illinois Supreme Court Rule 9)

Maine: Protection from Abuse

Maine's protection from abuse statute is 19-A M.R.S. §§ 4101–4116. The state also has a separate Protection from Harassment order for situations that don't involve domestic or family relationships.

How to File

Get the Complaint for Protection from Abuse (PA-001) form. Download it from maine.gov/courts/forms, pick it up at any District Court clerk's office, or file electronically.
You must also complete PA-005 (Protection Order Service Information), which helps law enforcement locate the defendant.
Fill out the complaint. Section 12 asks you to explain in detail why you need protection — who, what, when, where. Include every incident.
File at the District Court clerk's office. No filing fee for protection from abuse.
You can also file by email. Maine courts accept emailed complaints during business hours (8 AM to 3 PM, Monday through Friday). If filing by email, you sign under penalty of perjury instead of notarization.
A judge reviews your complaint. If the judge finds immediate and present danger of abuse, the judge issues a temporary protection order ex parte.
The defendant is served by law enforcement.
A final hearing is scheduled within 21 days of filing.

What the Order Can Include

No contact with you
Stay-away provisions (home, school, workplace)
Exclusive possession of the residence
Temporary parental rights and responsibilities
Child support
Monetary relief for losses caused by the abuse
Counseling for the defendant
Firearm prohibition — the court can order the defendant not to possess firearms, muzzle-loading firearms, bows, crossbows, or other dangerous weapons. The defendant must relinquish all weapons within 24 hours of service. If the court believes weapons haven't been surrendered, it can issue a search warrant (19-A M.R.S. § 4110).

Key Maine Details

Filing fee: None (for protection from abuse; there may be a fee for protection from harassment)
Service: By law enforcement
Temporary order: Effective immediately when the judge signs it; stays in effect until the final hearing
Final hearing: Within 21 days of filing
Final order duration: Up to 2 years, extendable (file a motion to extend using form PA-013 at least 30 days before expiration)
Violation: Criminal — the defendant can be arrested
Forms: PA-001 (Complaint), PA-005 (Service Information), PA-015 (Confidential Address — optional), available at maine.gov/courts/forms

Comparison at a Glance

|---|---|---|---|

What to Bring to Court

Bring everything you think you might need. Then bring a little more.

Evidence: Photos of injuries, screenshots of threatening messages, voicemails, damaged property
Witness information: Names and contact details of anyone who saw the abuse
Police reports: If law enforcement was called, bring copies
Medical records: If you sought treatment for injuries
Other court orders: Any existing custody, divorce, or prior protection orders
Proof of relationship: Marriage certificate, lease showing shared address, birth certificate of shared child

Common Mistakes

Being too vague. "He was mean to me" won't get you a temporary order. "On March 15, 2026, he grabbed my arm, threw me against the wall, and said he would kill me if I called the police" gives the judge something to work with. Specificity is your strongest tool.

Not showing up to the final hearing. If you don't appear, the judge dismisses your case and any temporary order disappears. The defendant wins by default. Show up.

Thinking the order protects you automatically. A piece of paper doesn't stop someone who wants to hurt you. Make a safety plan. Tell your employer, your children's school, your neighbors. Keep a copy of the order with you at all times. Call 911 immediately if the order is violated.

Not asking for everything you need. If you need custody, child support, exclusive possession of the home, or firearm surrender — ask for it in your petition. Judges can only grant what you request.

Waiting too long. The longer you wait, the harder it gets to document a pattern. If you're in danger now, file today.

Resources

National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233 (available 24/7)
Florida: Florida Courts self-help page at flcourts.gov; your circuit court clerk's office
Illinois: Illinois Legal Aid Online at illinoislegalaid.org; your circuit court clerk's office; State's Attorney's office can help file
Maine: Maine Judicial Branch at maine.gov/courts; District Court clerk's office; Pine Tree Legal Assistance (ptla.org)

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General legal information, not legal advice. Rules vary by jurisdiction and can change. Protective order procedures, forms, and timelines are based on current statutes as of August 2026. Consult an attorney or a local legal aid organization for help with your specific situation.