Domestic Violence & Protective Orders in Charlotte, NC

If you or your children are in danger, the law can protect you — quickly. You don’t have to face this alone.

North Carolina courts can issue emergency protective orders (50B) the same day in urgent situations — removing an abuser from the home, restricting contact, and granting temporary custody. Mr. Warren also defends clients wrongly accused, where a false allegation can upend a custody case. If you are in immediate danger, call 911 first.

If You Are in Danger Right Now

Call 911. A protective order is a legal remedy, not an emergency response. Get to safety first.

The National Domestic Violence Hotline is available at 1-800-799-7233, 24 hours a day. In Mecklenburg County, advocates are available to assist with safety planning and with filing.

Legal steps follow immediate safety. They do not replace it.

What a 50B Protective Order Is

North Carolina’s domestic violence protective order — commonly called a 50B — is a civil court order restricting an abuser’s contact and conduct.

It requires a personal relationship between the parties: current or former spouses, people who live or lived together, parents and children, people who have a child together, or persons of the opposite sex who are or were in a dating relationship.

Where no personal relationship exists — a neighbor, a coworker, a stranger — the corresponding remedy is a 50C civil no-contact order, which offers narrower relief.

Emergency Relief, Often the Same Day

Where there is a risk of immediate harm, a court can enter an ex parte temporary order without the other party present. These are frequently obtained the same day the complaint is filed.

A full hearing follows, generally within ten days, at which both parties can present evidence. The temporary order remains in effect until that hearing.

A one-year DVPO can be entered after the hearing and may be renewed. Come to the hearing prepared: photographs, medical records, messages, police reports, and witnesses. This is the proceeding that determines the outcome.

What a Protective Order Can Actually Do

A DVPO is broader than most people expect. It can:

• Order the abuser to have no contact with you, at home, at work, or anywhere else
• Remove the abuser from a shared residence, regardless of whose name is on the lease or deed
• Award temporary custody of the children and establish or restrict visitation
• Order temporary support
• Require surrender of firearms
• Address possession of a vehicle and personal property
• Order the abuser to complete an abuser treatment program

Violation of a DVPO is a crime, and certain violations carry mandatory arrest.

When the Allegation Is False

False allegations of domestic violence occur, and they are frequently deployed for leverage in a custody dispute. The consequences are immediate and severe: removal from your home, loss of contact with your children, firearms surrender, and a record that follows you.

If you have been served with a 50B complaint, two things matter above all. Comply with the temporary order completely, even though you believe it is unjust — a violation converts a civil dispute into a criminal charge and destroys your credibility. And appear at the hearing with counsel. Failing to appear results in an order entered against you by default.

The hearing is your opportunity to present evidence, cross-examine, and establish the actual facts. It is not a formality, and it will shape the custody case that follows.

How Domestic Violence Affects Custody

North Carolina courts must consider acts of domestic violence in custody determinations. A substantiated finding can result in supervised visitation, restricted contact, or denial of custody.

This cuts both ways. Genuine safety concerns must be raised and documented properly — they are directly relevant to the child’s best interests. And fabricated allegations must be met with evidence, because unrebutted they can determine custody by default.

How We Help

You work directly with Mr. Warren — not a junior associate — from the first consultation through resolution.

Common Questions

Serving Charlotte and the Surrounding Counties

Warren Family Law represents clients in Mecklenburg County and throughout the surrounding area, including Union, Cabarrus, Gaston, Iredell and Lincoln counties. The office is on Elizabeth Avenue, minutes from the Mecklenburg County Courthouse.

To discuss your situation confidentially, call (704) 333-7770.