Protective orders are issued through which court?

• A. Civil court
• B. Administrative court
• C. Criminal court
• D. Family court

Answer: (C)

Protective orders are court directives designed to shield someone from harm or unwanted contact. In many policing and court contexts, the protective order is issued by the criminal court as part of responding to an alleged offense, such as domestic violence. A judge can grant a temporary protective order quickly to provide immediate safety, with a full hearing later to determine a longer-term order. This linkage to the criminal case makes the order easily enforceable by police, and violations become offenses to arrest for. While civil or family courts can issue protective orders in other contexts, the scenario here centers on the criminal court issuing and enforcing the protection as part of the criminal process.