An Order of Protection may be sought in the Washington County Circuit Court or the Benton County Circuit Court, depending on which county in which the incident occurred. A citizen may use their private attorney to obtain an Order of Protection or may contact the Victim Advocate of the Washington County Prosecutor's office (if the incident occurred in Washington County) at 444-1570. If you need further information or assistance about obtaining an Order of Protection, you can also contact the City Attorney's Office at 479-750-8173.
A restraining order is different than an Order of Protection. Restraining orders are usually issued only in divorce cases. Violations of restraining orders are enforced by the issuing court rather than through criminal prosecution in District Court. However, a violation of an Order of Protection is a Class A misdemeanor in the State of Arkansas, and therefore, if an Order of Protection has been issued and served on a person who subsequently violates terms of the order, the police are allowed under Arkansas law to arrest that person if they have probable cause.