If you have been charged with a domestic violence related crime in Orange County California, and many other courts in Southern California, the District Attorney or the court may attempt to issue a Protective Order or a Restraining Order against you. This could mean that you are to have no contact with your spouse, boyfriend or girlfriend, and/or you may be forbidden from going within 100 yards of your house. Very clearly, the consequences of the issuance of a Protective Order or a Restraining Order are very serious.

Protective Orders and Restraining Orders can be appropriate legal vehicles to protect those who have been injured, are likely to be injured in the future, or could be subject to witness intimidation. These are all valid reasons to issue such a protective order. Unfortunately, in Orange County, California and in many courts throughout Southern California, Protective Orders and Restraining Orders are being issued like traffic tickets.

Imagine that you and your spouse get into an argument. He or she throws an object at you, and of course there's lots of yelling and screaming. The other spouse responds and grabs his wife or her husband by the arms to stop the aggression. A neighbor calls the police. The police arrive at the scene determined to remove one party from the house. The officer is often called upon to make a very unscientific and counterfactual split second decision as to who he feels is the aggressor. Based on nothing more than the officer's feelings and perhaps the excited statements of the participants, one person is arrested. That person spends a weekend in jail and on Monday is in Arraignment Court facing a judge. That person is often blindsided when the judge issues a Protective Order saying that even if the person bails out of jail, he or she cannot go home to the house that they own, and cannot have contact with their spouse-- many times directly against the other spouse's wishes who wants nothing more than her husband or his wife back home. More disturbing is the fact that these protective orders or restraining orders can be in effect for months. The consequences are devastating. But they don't have to be. Your first move, your first action, should be to contact a qualified criminal defense attorney to help prevent the issuance of such an order. Mr. Bruno is that Attorney.

If you have been charged with a crime involving domestic violence, or if you were charged with a crime for violating a protective or restraining order, please contact the Law Office of Keith J. Bruno immediately. Mr. Bruno has defended countless number of these cases as both a public defender and a private lawyer. Mr. Bruno understands the law with respect to the issuance of a protective orders and restraining orders and vigorously fights to keep his client's liberty and freedom. Mr. Bruno has successfully litigated cases involving the following:

• Violation of a protective order
• Violation of a restraining order
• Opposing the issuance of a protective order
• Opposing the issuance of a restraining order
• Obtaining a "peaceful contact" order, allowing a defendant back into the home and we're turning lawful contact with one's spouse and children.

If you have been accused of a crime and there is a chance that a protective Order or Restraining Order may issue contact the Orange County, Los Angeles and San Diego criminal defense firm of The Law Office of Keith J. Bruno. We offer a free face-to-face consultation and can work out a payment plan in most situations.

The Newport Beach, Orange County, California, Law Office of Keith J. Bruno represents Californians who have been accused, charged, or arrested for criminal offenses in Orange County, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego.