Upper Marlboro Peace and Protective Order Lawyer
FrizWoods represents petitioners and respondents in peace-order and protective-order hearings in Upper Marlboro. Our office at 14513 Main Street, Suite B, Upper Marlboro, Maryland 20772 is a short walk from the District and Circuit Courts at 14735 Main Street.
Max Frizalone is a former Prince George's County prosecutor and Maryland public defender. Luke Woods is a former supervising public defender with more than 20 years of trial experience. We accept standalone civil-order cases as well as matters related to criminal allegations.
In an individual case, the firm represents only one side. Call (877) 343-1031 or request a free consultation about a petition, order, or hearing.
Peace order or protective order?
The difference starts with the relationship between the parties:
- A protective order applies to people within relationships listed in Maryland's protective-order statute, including current or former spouses, qualifying cohabitants and relatives, co-parents, certain recent sexual partners, and other listed categories.
- A peace order generally applies when the petitioner is not eligible for a protective order. These cases may involve neighbors, coworkers, classmates, acquaintances, or other people outside the protective-order relationships.
Both proceedings also require qualifying conduct. A relationship by itself does not prove the case.
Use the private peace or protective order next-step tool for a guided starting point. For the complete legal framework, read the Maryland protective-order page and Maryland peace-order page.
Help for petitioners
If you are considering a petition, we can help you:
- Identify the correct type of order
- Prepare a dated account of the alleged conduct
- Preserve complete messages, photographs, videos, medical or repair records, and witness information
- Match the requested relief to the facts
- Prepare testimony and exhibits for a temporary or final hearing
Peace-order petitions have a 30-day filing period measured from the alleged qualifying act. Protective-order eligibility and timing depend on the specific relationship and alleged abuse.
Help for respondents
If you were served, read every page and follow all current restrictions. Only the court can change an interim or temporary order.
We can review the allegations and requested relief, preserve complete records, identify witnesses, prepare testimony and exhibits, and plan cross-examination. When a criminal charge arises from the same incident, we can coordinate the civil hearing with the criminal case.
Upper Marlboro court preparation
Prince George's County has a District Court location and its Circuit Court in Upper Marlboro. A separate District Court location is in Hyattsville. The hearing notice controls where your matter is scheduled.
Before the hearing:
- Read the petition and every current order.
- Build a timeline using dates, locations, and exact communications.
- Keep complete conversations instead of selected screenshots.
- List each witness and what that person personally observed.
- Organize documents around each allegation and each requested term.
Do not contact a protected person to discuss the case when an order prohibits contact.
Prince George's County order resources
- Prince George's County protective order lawyer
- Prince George's County peace order lawyer
- Protective order vs. peace order guide
- Alleged violation of a protective order
- Alleged violation of a peace order
- Upper Marlboro criminal lawyer
Talk with an Upper Marlboro peace and protective order lawyer
Bring the petition, all orders, the hearing notice, proof of service, complete communications, and available witness information to your consultation. Call (877) 343-1031 or use the confidential consultation form.