MATTER: Civil Protective Order
Our client, who works aboard boats throughout the world, was served with a civil protective order after a fellow crewmember accused him of making threats. Because of the nature of the client’s work and the potential consequences of an active protective order, the allegations required a prompt and thorough response.
Attorney Phillip Wullschleger investigated the crewmember’s allegations in detail, focusing closely on the timeline presented in support of the protective order. By comparing the accuser’s version of events with the timeline Attorney Wullschleger was independently able to establish, significant inconsistencies emerged that undermined the accuracy of the allegations.
Armed with this information, Attorney Wullschleger challenged the continued existence of the protective order and moved for dismissal in Newport Superior Court.
Following a Motion to Dismiss hearing on August 28, Judge Van Couyghen granted the motion and dismissed the protective order against our client.
CASE RESULT: Civil Protective Order dismissed following Motion to Dismiss hearing on August 28.
Practice area(s): Criminal Defense
Court: Newport Superior Court
Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Each case is evaluated on its own facts and circumstances. This post is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
Phillip Wullschleger
Attorney Phillip Wullschleger is a Rhode Island criminal defense and traffic court attorney with Marin & Murphy Law Firm. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Massachusetts School of Law and his B.A. in Philosophy from the University of California, Berkeley, and served as a Summer Clinic Intern in the Veterans Justice Clinic at the WilmerHale Legal Services Center of Harvard Law School. Prior to joining Marin & Murphy, Attorney Wullschleger trained as a Rule 9 Student Attorney with the Rhode Island Public Defenders and later handled expungement and record-sealing matters for that office, clearing or sealing more than 100 cases. He was admitted to the Rhode Island Bar in 2026 and represents clients in the Rhode Island District Courts, Superior Court, and Traffic Tribunal across a range of criminal defense, DUI, and domestic violence matters.
