Legal Advocacy

LEGAL ADVOCATES

AWARE, Inc., employs two Legal Advocates.  They are located in the Jackson County Clerk’s office on the first floor of the Jackson County Courthouse.  The address is 312 S. Jackson Street in Jackson.  The County Clerk’s office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.  The advocates, Susan Griwatch and Kathy Brindle, may be reached by telephone at (517)841-2952.

The Legal Advocates assist with Personal Protection Order (PPO) applications, explain how to utilize the PPO, and when time permits, will accompany you to court, but not for civil proceedings.  The Legal Advocates are NOT attorneys’ and cannot give legal advice, or represent you in court hearings.

Basic information needed in seeking a PPO, includes the other person’s name and address, date of birth, driver’s license number, height and weight, approximate dates of incidents leading to the PPO and, if available, police report number.  Please bring your identification with you to see the Legal Advocates.

PPO’s are free and are potentially a warrantless arrest.  It generally takes about an hour to write the PPO application and testimony before a judge may be required.

There are two types of PPO’s:

1)       A Domestic PPO may be sought if the other party is:

-          Your spouse or a former spouse;

-          Someone with whom you have a child;

-          Someone you have dated;

-          Someone you live with or lived with, in the past.

2)       Stalking PPOs differ in that the other party must have committed two or more acts against you in which you felt threatened, harassed, frightened or molested. 

PPO’s are a tool and are potentially a warrantless arrest. They do have limits.  A parent cannot get a PPO against their minor age child, and a minor cannot get a PPO against their parent. 

PPO’s are NOT the same as restraining orders.  PPO’s cannot guarantee your safety.  Safety planning is important when you are in a potentially violent situation