A protective order is a court order limiting, restricting, or preventing contact between two individuals. The order will dictate how those people are to interact with each other for as long as the order is in place. Protective orders are often given to ensure the safety of one party if they are in imminent or perceived danger of assault from the other party.
Mecklenburg County, as in all of Virginia, does not have a restraining-order process. Protective orders are often incorrectly referred to as restraining orders, but a protective order can only be issued under certain circumstances.