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EspañolStep 3: Service of process
The clerk will give a copy of the petition and the TRO to the sheriff’s office to serve the abuser. Remember, your protective order is not valid until the abuser has been served with it. The abuser must be notified and have the opportunity to be present in court on the date and time of the hearing and informed of any temporary or emergency orders that a judge has granted you.
Usually the court will send copies of the order and notice of hearing to the police or sheriff, but in some areas you may have to bring the papers to the sheriff or police yourself. You may want to ask the court clerk or a domestic violence organization for more information about serving the abuser. By the end of the next business day, the clerk will also get the order entered into the Louisiana Protective Order Registry and send a copy of it to the chief law enforcement officer of the parish where you live.1
Do not try and serve the abuser in person with the papers yourself.
You can find more information about service of process in our Preparing for Court – By Yourself section, in the question called What is service of process and how do I accomplish it?
1 LA R.S. 46:2136(H)
