A. All petitions requested, completed and signed by persons seeking protection under KRS Chapter 403 or KRS Chapter 456 shall be made on form AOC-275.1, and shall be accepted and filed with the court. KRS 403.725, KRS 456.030.

B. All protective order cases must be processed consistent with the rules and procedures set forth in the Kentucky Circuit Court Clerk's Manual

C. All cases will be assigned a “D” case number with the appropriate trailer number within the court case management system and may not be consolidated with any other case type.

D. “No drop” policies which place limitations on a petitioner's right to modify or withdraw a petition for a protective order are not permitted.

E. Pursuant to KRS 403.740 and KRS 456.060, any orders for relief issued directing or prohibiting any other actions that the court believes will be of assistance in eliminating future acts of domestic violence and abuse, dating violence and abuse, stalking, or sexual assault shall not order the petitioner to take any affirmative action.

F. Cases may be reassigned within the judicial circuit and, pursuant to FCRPP 12, a case may be transferred to another circuit if there is a pending dissolution or custody matter. If reassignment or transfer occurs, the issuing judge shall re-issue a summons until the matter may be heard by the receiving judge.

G. The court shall review a petition for a protective order immediately upon its filing. KRS 403.730, KRS 456.040. Petitioners shall not be sent away or left waiting for extended periods of time. Petitions should be reviewed within an hour of presentation to a judge unless impossible due to no judge being available.

H. The following agencies and officers are authorized to take protective order petitions and administer oaths to petitioners during regular business hours:

I. The following agencies and officers are authorized to take protective order petitions and administer oaths to petitioner after regular business hours and weekends:

J. Upon receipt of a protective order petition during regular business hours, the authorized agency/officer shall present the petition to the following:

K. Upon receipt of a protective order petition after regular business hours, the authorized agency/officer shall present the petition to a Family Court Judge pursuant to an “After Hours Protocol,” as adopted by the Warren Circuit Family Court, which is as follows:

The authorized agency/officer shall present the petition to the on-call Family Court Judge. Law enforcement will be given the on-call Family Court Judges' schedule at the beginning of the year with amendments as schedule changes occur. From time to time, another Judge may cover for the on-call Family Court Judge. The name of the covering Judge will be provided to law enforcement. Upon completion of the petition, the officer shall immediately telephone the Family Court Judge for his or her location and then present the petition to the on-call Family Court Judge or other covering Judge to review the domestic violence petition or interpersonal protective petition. Upon review, the Judge shall issue the emergency protective order (EPO) and summons or temporary interpersonal protective order (TIPO) and summons, if warranted, or take other necessary action. If the emergency protective order (EPO) and/or the summons or the temporary interpersonal protective order (TIPO) and/or the summons are issued, the law enforcement officer/agency shall make every reasonable effort to immediately perfect personal service upon the Respondent. Telephone notification shall not be given to the Respondent prior to personal service of the actual EPO or TIPO. The law enforcement officer shall give information to the Petitioner regarding the Barren River Area Safe Space (BRASS) regardless of whether the emergency protective order (EPO) or summons or temporary interpersonal protective order (TIPO) or summons has been issued.

L. Pursuant to KRS 403.735 and KRS 456.030, jurisdiction over petitions filed under this chapter is concurrent between district, circuit, and family circuit court.

M. The judge reviewing a petition for an order of protection shall indicate in the “Court Action” section of the petition whether the resulting action is a domestic violence action under KRS Chapter 403 or an interpersonal protective order action under KRS Chapter 456.

N. The circuit clerk shall assign domestic violence hearings and interpersonal protective order cases to the Family Circuit Court,

O. The schedule for hearings on protective orders is as follows:

P. Cases may be reassigned or transferred between courts if it is determined that there are other actions pending or circumstances indicate that review by the other court is proper. KRS 403.725, KRS 456.030. If reassignment or transfer occurs, the issuing judge shall re-issue a summons until the matter may be heard by the receiving judge.

Q. Pursuant to KRS 403.763 and KRS 456.180, civil and criminal proceedings for violation of a protective order for the same violation of a protective order shall be mutually exclusive. Once a criminal or contempt proceeding has been initiated, the other shall not be undertaken regardless of the outcome of the original proceeding.

R. Petitioners seeking to initiate contempt proceedings should contact:

Warren Circuit Court Clerk's Office

1001 Center Street

Bowling Green, KY 42101

S. No petitioner may be held in contempt for failure to appear at a protective order hearing,