Emergency Orders
After the Complaint is filed, the Court can issue "ex-parte" orders (i.e., orders issued
by the Court on the application of one party without participation by or notice to the
other party). Courts are reluctant to grant such orders, as they are based on only "one
side of the story". The Court has the authority however to give the Plaintiff (1) a
financial restraining order against the Defendant preventing the Defendant from selling,
mortgaging or giving away any property without Court approval; (2) a physical restraining
order preventing the Defendant from harassing the Plaintiff; (3) temporary custody of
the minor child or children (only in exceptional circumstances) and (4) an order
protecting the children from one parent for up to 72 hours. These ex-parte orders can
be requested in the Complaint and obtained shortly after the Complaint is filed.