How to File for a Domestic PPO
READ BEFORE YOU START: You may either print the documents and complete them by hand or you can complete them using a computer or other device. If you complete them on a device, it is VERY IMPORTANT that you download them first and open them with Adobe Acrobat so you can save them and as PDF files. If you start completing the documents from the link without downloading them first, your information will not save!
You are filing for a Domestic PPO. In order to file for a domestic PPO, you will need to complete the following documents and you will need to write a statement about why you need a PPO. You can either use our statement packet or you may write or type a statement out on blank sheets of paper. Do not write on the back of any pages. For tips on what to include in your statement, click here.
COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTS:
1.) Domestic PPO Petition: You are only completing and turning in Page 3 of this document. You are filling out all of Page 3 starting with names at the top.
A. You are the Petitioner. You must provide your first and last name and a mailing address. This must be an address where you can receive mail. It does not have to be the address where you are living, so if the person you are filing against does not know where you are living and if you can get mail at a different address they do know (for example work, P.O. Box) you can write in that mailing address and not your home address. If the person does not know your phone number, you do not have to list it.
The person you are filing against is the Respondent. All you need to know about someone in order to file for a PPO against them is their 1) first and last name; 2) Race; 3) Sex; and 4) Date of Birth or accurate age. So if you don’t have their address or phone number, you can still complete the paperwork.
B.1. Check all of the boxes that are true about you and the respondent in box B.
C.2. If the respondent has to carry a firearm for their job, check box C. If they do not have to carry a firearm for their job, leave box C blank. If you are unsure, check ‘Unknown’.
D.3. If you have other court cases with the Respondent, list them here. If they are open, list them in section D.3.a. If they are closed, list them in section D.3.b. Examples might include family law cases (divorce, child support, custody, paternity), civil cases (for example, small claims actions) or even criminal cases where one party is the defendant and the other party is the victim.
E.4. This will be a separate document. Go to F.5.
F.5. Next, you are going to tell the Judge what you don’t want the Respondent to be allowed to do by checking boxes in 5.a. through 5.l. If you check boxes 5.c. and 5.g. write/type your name on that line. You can add children’s names to 5.c. and 5.g. too.
G.6. When you check box G.6., you are asking the Judge to make a quick decision without a court hearing. This means the Judge will decide whether or not to grant you a PPO within one business day of you turning in your paperwork and will make the decision without a court hearing and without any advance notice being given to the Respondent.
H.7. You will not check box H.7.
I.8. Date and sign at the bottom. If you cannot print this paperwork and sign it and scan it in again, then type your name using the following format for your signature: /s/ First name Last name (for example: /s/ Jan Jones)
2.) Domestic Order: You need to submit pages 3-5 of this document but you are ONLY completing C and D on page (Leave the rest of page 3, and all of pages 4 & 5 blank.)
C. is your information again (it is the same as section A in the petition). It must include your first and last name and a mailing address.
D. is Respondent’s information. There are two sections to D. One that looks the same as section A in the petition, and the other on the next line, asking you to list information asking about the Respondent’s height, weight, race, sex, date of birth or (accurate) age, hair color, eye color, and other identifying information, such as tattoos and scars. You must list the Respondent’s race, sex, date of birth, if you have it, and age if you don’t. If you know the other things, list them. If you don’t, leave them blank.
3.)Case Inventory Addendum: If you have never had a family division case in Michigan, simply fill out the parties' names section at the top of this page and date and sign the bottom of this page, leaving the middle section blank. If you have had (or currently have) a family division case, read below:
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Read the instructions on the form to verify whether or not you have had family division cases you need to list on the form. If you have cases you need to list, do the following:
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Fill in the parties names at the top. In this form, you are the Plaintiff. The person you are filing for the PPO against is the Defendant. Leave “In the matter of” blank.
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Next, make sure you have read the instructions to see what court cases you need to list in the middle section of this form. Remember, these are family division cases that the two of you have together.
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Check the proper box to state whether the case is in this court (the 30th Circuit Court where you are filing for this PPO) or a different one.
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Write the case name: this is typically the names of the parties: the name of the person who filed the case vs. the name of the other person.
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The case number if you have it (usually found in the upper right-hand corner of court documents). If you do not have that information and cannot obtain it with an online search (many family law cases are in online court databases, but some cases, such as PPOs, are not found online), write what you know. If you can remember the year it was filed and the type of case it was, that can be helpful. (For example, 18-3456-DM might be the case number, but if you don’t have it and can at least write down that it was a 2018 divorce, do that.)
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Assigned Judge is the Judge who had that case.
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You will check the box ‘Pending’ if the case is still open, or ‘Resolved’ if the Judge has already made his/her order(s) and the case is closed or if the case was dismissed. Check off if there are any child support or spousal support orders in effect and if there are any custody or parenting time orders in effect, even if these orders are not being followed.
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Date and sign at the bottom. If you prefer to type your signature, do so using the following format: /s/ First name Last name (for example: /s/ Jan Jones).
NOTE: This form is not a fillable form like the others, but when you download it and save it as a PDF file, you may be able to edit it by using the ‘fill and sign’ feature. If this does not work and if you cannot print it, please obtain a hard copy from the PPO Office or the Circuit Court Clerk's Office and complete before you file your paperwork.
Put parties’ names at the top. (Petitioner v Respondent- names)
Answer the four questions at the top half of the page. Leave the bottom half blank.
Next: You will need to write your statement so the Judge knows what’s been happening to cause you to need a Personal Protection Order.
Click here if you want to use our statement packet.