Annual Protection Order CLJ Report Glossary
This glossary is provided to help with understanding the Annual Protection Order Summary Reports used to track cases and order filed beginning in.
Case Filings
Criminal Filings
Courts of Limited Jurisdiction (CLJ), comprising district and municipal courts, have jurisdiction over various case types such as Criminal Traffic, Criminal Non-Traffic, Probable Cause, and in some cases, Criminal Felony offenses. These courts primarily handle misdemeanors and gross misdemeanors, including offenses like driving under the influence (DUI), reckless driving, and assault in the fourth degree. Both district and municipal courts are authorized to issue No-Contact Orders. Based on the report the Case Count includes criminal and non-criminal case types.
CT - Criminal Traffic - Cases that cite RCW 46.61.502, driving while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs, or RCW 46.61.504, actual physical control of a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs. All citations and complaints other than those counted under DUI or Physical Control, that pertain to the operation or use of a vehicle. Cases that pertain to the operation or condition of a vehicle whether it is moving, standing, or stopping, and pedestrian offenses.
CN - Criminal Non-Traffic - Criminal cases, excluding DUI and Physical Control, Other Traffic misdemeanors, and Felony complaints, punishable by up to one year in jail and/or a fine of up to $5,000.
PC - Probable Cause - A probable cause case occurs when law enforcement has sufficient evidence or reasonable grounds to believe a person committed a serious crime. This standard allows arrests, searches, or charges to be made before trial.
CF - Criminal Felony - Complaints filed in district court that allege the commission of a criminal act punishable by a prison sentence. The jurisdiction of district courts is to provide a preliminary hearing; superior courts have jurisdiction for trying felony complaints. Each defendant is counted only once, regardless of the number of charges on the complaint.
Non-Criminal
Protection and restraining orders can be filed in non-criminal cases to prevent harassment, domestic violence, stalking, or other harmful behavior. These orders are issued by a judge and do not require the respondent (restrained party) to have a criminal charge or conviction. The person seeking protection, called the petitioner, must prove by a preponderance of the evidence that protection is necessary. If granted, the respondent must follow the terms of the order; violations can result in arrest and potential criminal charges. The case types counted in this category include:
CV - Civil: All complaints or petitions filed by a private or corporate party against another private or corporate party requesting the enforcement or protection of a civil right, alleging civil damages, or calling for the redress or prevention of a wrong. In addition, these filings include small claims judgments that have been transferred to the civil court.
Court Order Types
Criminal No Contact Orders
In Washington State, Criminal No-Contact Orders are legal directives issued by courts to protect victims or witnesses from contact with defendants during criminal proceedings. These orders are commonly employed in cases involving domestic violence, harassment, stalking, or other offenses where the court determines that such protection is necessary.
DVP - Domestic Violence Protection: To protect against domestic violence or threat of violence by an "intimate partner" or a "family or household member." Domestic violence may include controlling behavior ("coercive control"). Petitioners may seek protection for themselves and for family or household members who are minors or vulnerable adults.
HNO - Harassment No Contact Order: To protect against unlawful, repeated invasions of a person’s privacy, including through stalking, by acts and threats which show a pattern of harassment designed to coerce, intimidate, or humiliate the victim. The crime must be reported, and the defendant has to be charged before a court can issue this order.
HTP - Human Trafficking/Promoting Prostitution NCO (Effective 7/23/2017): Designed to protect victims and witnesses involved in criminal cases related to human trafficking and promoting prostitution.
NCO - No Contact Order (criminal): Typically issued in criminal cases to prevent the defendant from contacting the victim during the duration of the case and sometimes as part of the sentencing. Unlike civil protection orders, no action from the victim is required to initiate this order.
NCODV - No Contact Order - Domestic Violence (criminal): To protect a victim against future violence or threats of abuse by the defendant. The abuse must be reported, and the defendant has to be charged before a court can issue this order.
STK - Stalking Protection Order: To protect against stalking behavior that serves no lawful purpose and has reasonably caused the protected person to feel intimidated, frightened, under duress, significantly disrupted, or threatened. The respondent either knows or should know that their behavior causes those feelings, even if that was not respondent's intent.
SXP - Sexual Assault Protection Order: To protect a victim of nonconsensual sexual conduct or penetration, even if the conduct or penetration only occurred once. A single incident of nonconsensual sexual conduct or nonconsensual sexual penetration is sufficient grounds for a petition for a sexual assault protection order.
TAH - Temporary Anti-Harassment Order: Provides immediate, short-term protection from unlawful harassment until a full court hearing can be held.
TSK - Temporary Stalking Protection Order: Offers immediate protection to individuals experiencing stalking behaviors, effective until a court can conduct a full hearing.
TSX - Temporary Sexual Assault Protection Order: Provides short-term protection for victims of nonconsensual sexual conduct, in effect until a court hearing for a permanent order.
Non-Criminal Full Orders
In Washington State, Non-Criminal Full Orders refer to civil protection orders issued by the court after a hearing, providing long-term relief to individuals seeking protection from various forms of harm or harassment. Unlike temporary or ex parte orders, which are granted without the restrained person's presence and offer immediate but short-term protection, full orders are established after both parties have the opportunity to present their cases in court. These orders can last for a year or longer, depending on the specifics of the case and the judge's determination.
AHO - Anti-Harassment Order: To protect against unwanted contact or behavior that causes substantial emotional distress and serves no legitimate or lawful purpose. The contact could be a pattern of behavior that occurs over time, or a single act or threat of violence. The contact must be directed specifically at the protected person and be seriously alarming, annoying, harassing, or detrimental.
DVP - Domestic Violence Protection: To protect against domestic violence or threat of violence by an "intimate partner" or a "family or household member." Domestic violence may include controlling behavior ("coercive control"). Petitioners may seek protection for themselves and for family or household members who are minors or vulnerable adults.
PRO - Protection Order: A civil directive issued by a court to prohibit the restrained person from contacting or approaching the protected individual.
STK - Stalking Protection Order: To protect against stalking behavior that serves no lawful purpose and has reasonably caused the protected person to feel intimidated, frightened, under duress, significantly disrupted, or threatened. The respondent either knows or should know that their behavior causes those feelings, even if that was not respondent's intent.
SXP - Sexual Assault Protection Order: To protect a victim of nonconsensual sexual conduct or penetration, even if the conduct or penetration only occurred once. A single incident of nonconsensual sexual conduct or nonconsensual sexual penetration is sufficient grounds for a petition for a sexual assault protection order.
Non-Criminal Ex-Parte Orders
An ex parte action is a judicial action on the behalf of one party, without notice to or contestation by any person adversely interested. Such an action may take place on or off the bench and does not necessarily result in a signed order. In civil protection cases, ex parte actions may lead to temporary orders that provide immediate protection until a full hearing can be held with all parties present.
TAH - Temporary Anti-Harassment Order: Provides immediate, short-term protection from unlawful harassment until a full court hearing can be held.
TPR - Temporary Protection Order: A broad term for an interim order offering protection from harm or harassment, effective until a scheduled court hearing determines if a longer-term order is necessary.
TSK - Temporary Stalking Protection Order: Offers immediate protection to individuals experiencing stalking behaviors, effective until a court can conduct a full hearing.
TSX - Temporary Sexual Assault Protection Order: Provides short-term protection for victims of nonconsensual sexual conduct, in effect until a court hearing for a permanent order.
TXR - Temporary Extreme Risk Protection Order-Without Notice (effective 7/1/2022): Allows for the immediate removal of firearms from an individual deemed a significant danger to themselves or others, issued without prior notice to the respondent and effective until a full hearing.
Disclaimer
This report is based on requirements in RCW 9.41.801(12). Types of orders included in this report are listed above. Orders excluded from this report are orders modifying, reissuing, or terminating an existing order. This is to prevent counting issued twice to provide an accurate picture of the number of ex parte and full orders issued Statewide. Foreign orders are also excluded.
At present, further data listed in RCW 9.41.801(12) is unevenly collected across jurisdictions, and AOC believes that reports based on this data would not accurately convey the reality of enforcement across the state. The Administrative Office of the Courts is overhauling entry practices regarding protection orders in order to more accurately and completely receive and report protection order data, with new entry mechanisms in AOC-maintained case management systems which would enable the reporting of more specific data listed in 9.41.801(12). AOC is working with courts that maintain separate case management systems in order to facilitate receiving similar data from such systems as well.
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