Close X

RHODE ISLAND CRIMINAL DEFENSE BLOG

Rhode Island Restraining Order Laws Run Amok

Posted by Matthew Marin | Jul 27, 2009 | 0 Comments

Last week I was again able to help an individual facing a Complaint for Protection from Domestic Abuse in the Rhode Island Family Court. In my experience, these Complaints (commonly known as Restraining Orders) generally fall into one of three categories:

1) Legitimate Abuse and Fear Perpetrated by the Defendant upon the Plaintiff (individual seeking protection);
2) Abuse of the Court's Power and Authority to Continue Personal Disputes; and
3) Abuse of the Court's Power to Settle Issues Concerning Child Custody and Visitation

Unfortunately, all too often these Restraining Orders are sought for reasons Number 2 and 3. In my most recent case, my client was divorced from the Plaintiff and they had two children in common. The Plaintiff had physical custody (placement) of the children and my client, the Defendant, had unsupervised visitation every other weekend.

I knew this Restraining Order was clearly a Type 3 from the moment my client started discussing the situation. The Plaintiff and Defendant constantly fought about issues regarding the pickup, drop-off, where the kids were going to be, who was going to be taking care of them, and almost every other issue that one can think of.

At the date scheduled for Hearing, I was able to work with the Plaintiff on behalf of the Defendant to settle these custody and visitation issues. With the help of Domestic Violence Victim services we were able to have the Restraining Order petition DISMISSED and have the court enter an order on the parties old divorce case. The order set forth the ground rules that each party must follow for visitation and custody to function properly. Both parties left court relieved and their situations improved.

However, this pleasant outcome should not overshadow the fact that Restraining Orders are continually abused to gain the upper hand in custody and personal matters and one must carefully approach these situations or risk ending up with a three-year restraining order against them.

If you have any questions or problems with either defending or prosecuting a Restraining Order in Rhode Island, my office would be happy to work with you to bring your case to a positive resolution. Call us now at 401-228-8271 and ask for Matthew Marin or Katherine Godin.

For more information about our firm visit our website at:http://www.matthewtmarin.com/

About the Author

Matthew Marin

Attorney Matthew T. Marin is a highly skilled criminal defense lawyer with an outstanding track record in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. With expertise in DUI/DWI, drug offenses, domestic violence, and white-collar crimes, he is dedicated to providing personalized and effective representation for his clients. A "Rising Star" by Super Lawyers and a member of the National College for DUI Defense and the National Trial Lawyers Top 100, Attorney Marin is committed to staying current with the latest legal developments and giving back to his community through pro bono work.

Comments

There are no comments for this post. Be the first and Add your Comment below.

Leave a Comment

Attorney Marin Named A SuperLawyer for Ten Consecutive Years 2014-2023

Attorney Matthew Marin has been named a Rhode Island SuperLawyer for 10 consecutive years from 2014 thru 2023. Each year, no more than 2.5 percent of the lawyers in Rhode Island are selected by the Research Team at Super Lawyers to receive this honor. Super Lawyers selects lawyers who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement in their practice area.


Rhode Island Members of the National College for DUI Defense

Attorneys Marin and Barrett are both Rhode Island General Members of the National College for DUI Defense. Members represent some of the most experienced and cutting edge DUI defense attorney's throughout the Country. Nationwide, DUI laws are extremely complex and constantly changing and the College facilitates the exchange of innovative defenses throughout the Country.