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Common Questions about Changing or Ending Personal Protection Orders

These are common questions about changing or ending Personal Protection Orders (PPOs). 

Common Questions

What if I want the judge to change or end a PPO?

Either the Petitioner or the Respondent in a PPO case can ask the judge to change or end the PPO. To do this, use our Do-It-Yourself Motion to Modify, Extend, or Terminate a Personal Protection Order (PPO) tool to prepare your motion. For instructions on how to file and what to do afterwards, go to the toolkit I Need to Change or End My Personal Protection Order and read the Checklist.

Why would I want the judge to change my PPO?

If the PPO has a protection you no longer want, you can ask the judge to remove it. If there is a protection that isn’t in the PPO that you now want, you can ask the judge to add it.

Maybe your situation has changed since you got your PPO. Maybe the Respondent has started doing something to you that they didn’t do before and isn’t covered in your PPO. Maybe your parenting time arrangements are different, and you want to be able to speak to the Respondent about your children or allow the Respondent to pick up and drop off the children at your home.

Or, maybe you have decided you want the PPO to end. Remember, even if you agree to the behavior, the Respondent can still be arrested and charged with contempt of court for a PPO violation. So, it is important to let the judge know if your situation is different and how you want your PPO changed. Only the judge can change or end the PPO.

Think carefully before you ask the judge to change or end your PPO. Otherwise, you may end up needing to file other motions in the future.

Is there a fee to file a motion to change or end a PPO?

No. There is no charge to file a motion to change or end a Personal Protection Order.

What should I include in my motion to change or end my PPO?

You should tell the judge if you want the PPO ended or changed. If you want it changed, explain what parts of the PPO you want changed. You should also tell the judge why you want the PPO ended or changed. The judge will want to make sure you are not being pressured by the Respondent.

If you’re under 18 and not emancipated, you need a “next friend” to file your motion for you. A “next friend” is an adult you trust, usually a parent or other relative. Include the name of your “next friend” in your motion.

What happens after I get the forms?

After you complete and print your forms, read the checklist in the I Need to Change or End My Existing Personal Protection Order toolkit to learn what to do next. For information about what to expect at court, watch the Going to Court video.

I want to keep my PPO, but I don’t want my abuser to get in trouble. Can I have a PPO and not enforce it?

Enforcing your PPO is very important to your safety. You should not agree to behavior that violates your PPO, such as allowing your abuser in your home if your PPO prohibits it. Your abuser can be arrested for behavior that violates your PPO even if you have agreed to it. If you want to change or end your PPO before it expires, you must go back to court and request the judge to change or end your PPO.

What can a PPO prohibit?

You can ask for specific protections when you file your PPO petition, but the judge will decide which behaviors your PPO will prohibit. The specific protections in your PPO depend on the type of PPO and the protections you need.

In general, a PPO can prohibit the abuser from doing things like:

  • Coming to your home
  • Threatening you
  • Hurting you
  • Coming to your job or school
  • Following you
  • Calling or texting you
  • E-mailing you
  • Having things delivered to you
Can I get temporary custody of my children as part of my PPO?

No. A PPO can’t be used to award custody of children. In some situations your PPO can limit or prohibit contact between the abuser and your children. The judge may order this if they think it is important for your safety or your children’s safety.

Do I have to allow parenting time?

If the abuser is your child’s other parent and has a parenting time order, you must follow the parenting time order unless the judge changes it, or the PPO says the abuser is not allowed to see or contact your child.

If the PPO prevents the abuser from contacting you in any way, the abuser can’t communicate with you about parenting time. You may want to ask a third person to help arrange parenting time. This should be a neutral third person who is not involved in the conflict between you and the abuser. This way, the third person can contact you about any parenting time issues, and the abuser won’t violate the PPO. For example, if the abuser is running late to pick up your child, the third person can let you know. Or if the abuser is not allowed to be at your home or in your sight, they might need the third person to pick up and drop off the child for parenting time. Also, if you need to get a message to the abuser about parenting time, you can pass it on through the third person.

If you do not have someone who can help in this way, the Friend of the Court may be able to suggest other resources. To find the phone number for the Friend of the Court in your county, go to the Courts & Agencies section of the Michigan Legal Help website.

If you want the other parent to be able to contact you directly only to arrange parenting time, you can ask the Court to allow this limited contact in your Petition for a PPO. If you already have a PPO, you can ask the Court to change it to allow only this contact in a Motion to Modify, Extend, or Terminate a Personal Protection Order.