People seek anti-stalking orders (ASOs) in Washington, D.C. for many different reasons. Some petitions involve conduct that legitimately falls within the protections provided by the ASO statute. Others arise from interpersonal disputes that, while frustrating or upsetting, do not satisfy the statutory requirements for stalking. For example, a person may seek an anti-stalking order because of problems with a neighbor, …

Presiding over civil protection order (CPO) and anti-stalking order (ASO) cases is one of the most demanding assignments for D.C. Superior Court judges. Each morning, parties begin logging on at 8:30 a.m. The calendar typically includes 20 to 40 cases. Two judges—currently Judge McCabe in Courtroom 113 and Judge Truong in Courtroom 114—must move through that crowded docket while dealing …

Domestic violence charges in criminal court are frequently accompanied by a petition for a civil protection order (CPO) or anti-stalking order (ASO). This is because one incident can lead to two separate cases – one criminal and the other civil.  The target of misconduct allegations can be simultaneously the defendant in a criminal case and the respondent in a civil …