Family Law Since 1998 on Both Sides of the Courtroom
If you’re threatened by domestic violence or facing an unwanted civil protection order, Law Office of Greg Quimby, P.C. is ready to act quickly. Our Colorado Springs restraining order attorneys represent both those seeking protection and those defending against one. Attorneys Greg Quimby and Erica Vasconcellos, a father-daughter team, have led this practice since 1998. They are supported by experienced paralegals and legal assistants who work alongside them on every case. We offer a free consultation so you can understand your options right away.
Restraining orders, also called protection orders or civil protection orders in Colorado, arise in some of the most urgent, emotionally charged situations a family can face. They also frequently surface alongside divorce and child custody proceedings, which means our family-law practice is positioned to address all of it in one place.
Safety is your legal right. Call our Colorado Springs restraining order attorneys for a free consultation: (719) 212-4227 or contact us online.
How to Get a Restraining Order in Colorado
The process moves in two stages: a temporary restraining order followed, if needed, by a permanent one.
File for a temporary restraining order (TRO) at the El Paso County Judicial Building, Room S101. For a same-day hearing, your petition must be submitted between 7:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m., Monday through Friday. The TRO is granted ex parte. Only the petitioner’s account is heard, and it lasts up to 14 days. The order includes the scheduled date and time of your permanent restraining order (PRO) hearing, and it doesn’t take effect until it is served on the respondent.
Return to court on the date listed on the TRO. If you don’t attend, the TRO expires and no permanent order is issued. If the court finds ongoing need for protection, the judge determines the length of the PRO.
What Proof Do You Need for a Restraining Order?
At the TRO stage, your own sworn testimony that harm occurred or is threatened can be sufficient. No corroborating evidence is required. At the PRO hearing, the burden shifts: you must demonstrate an ongoing need for protection. Acceptable proof includes:
Your testimony that the respondent harmed you
Witness testimony from someone who saw the harm occur
A police report documenting physical harm you sustained
Medical records reflecting treatment for your injuries
Photographs of injuries caused by the respondent
The respondent also has the opportunity to present counter-evidence and testimony at the PRO hearing, which is why preparation on both sides matters.
Temporary Restraining Orders: Filing & Defense
A TRO is typically granted the same day as filing when the petition is submitted within the morning window at the El Paso County Judicial Building. Because the hearing is ex parte, the judge hears only the petitioner’s account. That makes the quality of that initial filing consequential. Our attorneys are experienced in building TRO petitions for those seeking protection, and we’re equally prepared to represent respondents who need to defend against an order that isn’t warranted.
Permanent Restraining Orders: What’s at Stake
At the PRO hearing, the burden falls on the person requesting the order to prove an ongoing need for protection exists. Our Colorado Springs restraining order attorneys can represent petitioners in making that case and respondents in challenging it. On either side, early representation matters. The consequences of a permanent order are serious and lasting.
How a PRO Can Affect Your Life
Once a PRO is entered in Colorado, the restrained party can’t petition for its removal for four years. The order can appear on background checks, affecting employment prospects, housing applications, and even passport eligibility. Under Colorado law, a restrained party subject to a civil protection order involving violence is prohibited from possessing firearms. Federal law reinforces that restriction through the Lautenberg Amendment. For members of the Colorado Springs military community, that firearms restriction can directly threaten a career. Violating a PRO is a criminal offense: a first offense is generally a Class 2 misdemeanor, and subsequent violations can be elevated to a Class 1 misdemeanor.
When Restraining Orders Intersect with Divorce & Child Custody
Restraining order matters frequently arise in the middle of divorce proceedings. When a dissolution of marriage action is already pending in Colorado, a motion for a protection order can be filed within that same case rather than as a separate action. Courts distinguish between legitimate safety concerns and orders sought as a tactic in an adversarial separation. Our attorneys are experienced in presenting those distinctions to the court.
A PRO can also affect child custody arrangements, either as an interim order during divorce or as part of a final parenting plan. If your spouse is seeking a restraining order against you, the time to get counsel isn’t after the hearing. It’s now. Our Colorado Springs restraining order attorneys can gather the evidence needed to protect your rights at both the TRO and PRO stages and address any related family law matter in the same representation.
