Family Relations Officer’s Role in a Darien Protective Order Hearing

The family relations officer’s role in a Darien protective order hearing is to interview both parties before going to the hearing. They will gather information, share their findings with the judge, and make recommendations to the judge.

It is important to remember that anything you disclose to the family relations officer can also be disclosed to anyone in the case. If you have a meeting with a family relations officer, it is important for an attorney to be present so you do not say anything to implicate yourself or make them recommend a larger protective order. Reach out to a top protective order attorney for help with your case.

Safety Assessment

During a meeting, the family relations officer will conduct a safety assessment. This involves going through a list of questions about the actual incident that occurred. After they ask all the questions, they make an assessment about whether or not the defendant is a risk to the alleged victim or if they are a risk to offend again. Any information that is shared with the family relations officer during these meetings could be shared with the judge.

During the protective order hearing, the judge uses this safety assessment to determine whether or not a protective order is put in place and what level of a protective order to issue. The Judge will also consider this information when accepting a disposition in the case.

Because the family relations officer’s role in a Darien protective order hearing is so critical to the outcome of the case, it is important to consult with an attorney. A lawyer could make sure that all information shared with the officer during the assessment is positive.

Court Procedures During Family Violence Hearings

Normal court rules of evidence are suspended during protective order hearings, meaning it depends on the prosecutor to ask questions. They typically would not be allowed to ask and introduce evidence, such as hearsay, during the standard hearing.

This affects the relevant evidence and materials to the case because it makes it more likely that this evidence would be admitted and brought before the judge. It could be beneficial or harmful to the accused individual, depending on what the evidence is. However, a protective order lawyer could work to minimize harmful evidence for a more positive outcome.

Benefits of Hiring a Protective Order Attorney

An experienced attorney understands the family relations officer’s role in a Darien protective order hearing, and they could advocate for the accused during the safety assessment. Hiring an experienced protective order attorney might also help an individual during a protective order hearing. A domestic violence attorney could make sure the accused individual gets a fair hearing, has their story on record with their version of events, and poke holes in the alleged victim’s version of events if it is made up.

If you need top-notch advocacy for your protective order hearing, reach out to an attorney to schedule a consultation. The best lawyers understand that you should not leave domestic violence matters up to chance. Instead, let a lawyer work towards an optimum outcome for your case.