Protection Orders
ORC 2919.27 — five ways to get one, one way to break any of them
Ohio has several kinds of protection order and people use one word for all of them, which is where most of the confusion starts. They come from different statutes, are issued by different courts, and require different things. Breaking any of them is the same offence.
| What it is | Section | What it turns on |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic violence civil protection order | ORC 3113.31 | A family or household member, or a person in a dating relationship |
| Civil stalking or sexually oriented offense protection order | ORC 2903.214 | The conduct, with no relationship between the parties required |
| Temporary order in a criminal domestic violence case | ORC 2919.26 | An existing criminal case, lasting as long as that case |
| Temporary order in a menacing or stalking case | ORC 2903.213 | The same, for that set of charges |
| Juvenile protection order | ORC 2151.34 | Its own section, in juvenile court |
On the civil side an order can be issued without the other person present, where the court finds immediate and present danger. That is an ex parte order. A full hearing follows, with both sides, and it is at the full hearing that a longer order is decided.
Dismissing a petition before a full hearing is a different act from modifying an order after one. A petitioner can ask the court to dismiss the petition before the hearing starts. Once an order exists, it exists until the court says otherwise.
| Violating a protection order | Degree | What puts it there |
|---|---|---|
| The ordinary case | M-1 | Recklessly violating the terms of an order or consent agreement |
| With a qualifying prior | F-5 | A previous violation of an order under any of the five sections, or two or more menacing, stalking or aggravated trespass convictions involving the same protected person |
| While committing a felony | F-3 | The violation happens in the course of a felony offence |
The enhancement reaches across the whole family of orders. A prior violation of a juvenile order, a temporary order in a criminal case, or a civil stalking order all count towards the same escalation, which is why the section that matters is the one that punishes the violation rather than the one that created the order.
The Supreme Court of Ohio publishes the standard forms for these orders and every common pleas court handles the filings. This section describes what the statutes say the orders are and what breaking one carries. It does not describe anyone's situation, and a licensed Ohio attorney is who reads a specific order and says what its terms actually require.
Sources for this section (7)
- ORC 2919.27 — Violating a protection order or consent agreement
- ORC 3113.31 — Domestic violence civil protection order
- ORC 2903.214 — Civil stalking protection order and sexually oriented offense protection order
- ORC 2919.26 — Temporary protection order in a criminal domestic violence case
- ORC 2903.213 — Temporary protection order in a menacing or stalking case
- ORC 2151.34 — Juvenile protection orders
- ORC 2903.211 — Menacing by stalking
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Talk to a licensed Ohio attorney about your situation.