Walk It Through: Leaving to Be Safe
A tenant afraid of an ex, an emergency order, new locks, a lease ended early, and time off for court.
A tenant whose former partner has threatened her asks the court for protection.
Two things a person in this spot might do. Picking one shows what the law says about it.
A tenant protecting herself from a former partner who does not live there. A shared lease with the abuser, children's custody under the order, and a stalking order by a stranger are not worked through here.
A practice walkthrough, not a prediction of how any real one will go. Legal information, not legal advice.
Words this turns on
Terms with a legal meaning that is narrower than the everyday one. Each links to the definition and the authority behind it.
- Protected tenantA tenant who reasonably fears imminent harm from abuse, sexual assault or stalking, or who was sexually assaulted on the premises, and may end a lease early.
- Parental rights and responsibilitiesThe rights and duties a court divides, shares, or awards to one parent, in the child's best interests.