The Intersection of Criminal and Family Law: Protective Orders and Other Related Issues

The MSBA recently sponsored a webinar for CLE credit entitled, The Intersection of Family and Criminal Law: Protective Orders and Other Related Issues. The presenters were criminal lawyer Tara LeCompte, Forster & LeCompte, LLC, and family lawyer Jana Ponczak, Royston, Mueller, McLean & Reid, LLP. Both practitioners often work together on domestic violence cases and protective orders.

The focus of the webinar was Protective Orders. There was emphasis throughout the presentation on the importance of collaboration between family law and criminal law practitioners. As Ponczak said, “Family and criminal law are the closest of law cousins.” LeCompte echoed those sentiments and repeatedly urged her fellow members of the criminal bar to develop a good working relationship with a family law practitioner to be able to call on in domestic violence or protective order cases. Ponczak fully agreed.

Ponczak walked viewers through the protective order process by first pointing to the criminal statutes which enumerate what type of abuse is covered in a protective order: serious bodily harm, fear of serious bodily harm, assault, rape, or sex offense, false imprisonment, stalking, and revenge porn. LeCompte suggested the Criminal Pattern Jury Instructions are a good place to find elements for the requirements of the criminal statute.

Read the full article here.