Sometimes a person served with a no contact order (domestic violence related or otherwise) complains that they were the one being harassed, stalked and/or otherwise assaulted, not the reverse. Well, to provide that person a modicum of relief, the legislature added within the applicable statute (RCW 7.105) the right for a respondent to request that the parties in the cause of action be “realigned”.
Specifically, RCW 7.105.210 states: “In proceedings where the petitioner is seeking a domestic violence protection order or an antiharassment protection order, the court may realign the designation of the parties as “petitioner” and “respondent” where the court finds that the original petitioner is the abuser or harasser and the original respondent is the victim of domestic violence or unlawful harassment. The court may issue a temporary protection order in accordance with this chapter until the victim is able to prepare a petition for a protection order in accordance with this chapter.”
A request to realign the parties, it should be noted, is not often granted by the court, but it does provide some level of protection to those who initially are served with papers to stay away from someone else on the basis that they are allegedly committing domestic violence, harassment, or stalking of another. In short, the shoe may be put on the other foot if one isn’t careful about alleging wrongdoing by another person; they may find themselves having to defend themselves as the respondent, not the petitioner.
If you or a loved one is in a bind as a result of criminal allegations, immediately contact a Seattle Criminal Attorney. A Criminal lawyer is not going to judge you and understands that everyone makes mistakes. Hiring a Seattle Criminal Lawyer to help can – at a minimum – reduce penalties and can help direct people on how to best deal with their criminal charge, and many times even get them dismissed. So, it should go without saying that someone cited for a misdemeanor or felony should hire a qualified Seattle Criminal Lawyer as soon as possible. Criminal charges can cause havoc on a person’s personal and professional life. Anyone charged with a crime in Washington State should immediately seek the assistance of a seasoned Seattle Criminal Lawyer. SQ Attorneys can be reached at (425) 359-3791 and/or (206) 441-0900.
