Protection Paper, Not a Parenting Spat
This page is for parents who are preparing an Arizona order of protection packet when safety, threats, or harassment are in play. It is intentionally narrow: organize facts and exhibits for a protective-order judge, not recycle a parenting plan argument. If you are only arguing about pickup times or support math, you are usually in parenting time or support modification lanes instead. If you are in immediate danger, call 911 first, then use court and advocate resources for filing.
Protection lane
Short timeline of incidents, labeled exhibits, clear request for stay-away or no-contact relief, and county filing steps from official instructions.
Routine custody lane
Schedule proposals, decision-making disputes, or support worksheets without an acute safety frame. Wrong venue wastes urgency and annoys clerks.
List 3 to 5 dated incidents
Match one exhibit per date
State the relief you need
Confirm county packet
Related guides
More Arizona forms
General support (not Arizona-specific)
Official protective order resources
- AZCourtHelp: https://www.azcourthelp.org/forms/protective-orders-form
- Arizona Courts Self-Service Center: https://www.azcourts.gov/SelfServiceCenter/Protective-Orders-Forms
Checklist questions
How is a protective order checklist different from ordinary custody conflict paperwork?
Protective orders focus on safety, threats, harassment, or violence patterns and the relief you need now. Custody motions argue schedules and decision-making under family rules. The packet, timeline, and judge questions are not interchangeable.
What kinds of facts belong in this lane?
Dated incidents, what was said or done, where it happened, witnesses, and a small set of exhibits that match those dates. Judges read for specificity, not for a general history of the relationship.
Why is this not where I fix holiday exchanges or support?
Because those problems live in parenting plans, support modifications, or enforcement unless safety makes the protection order the right first step. Use the lane that matches the harm you are trying to stop.
MyCustodyCoach is not a law firm. Court rules, fees, and form versions change by county; confirm what applies to your case with official court resources or counsel you hire.
Last reviewed: 2026-06-03