"There are many considerations before making a decision to file an emergent appeal."

A protective order cannot guarantee the abuse will stop and the victim and children will be safe. Nonetheless, it is a critical step to take because it helps to legally document the abusive experience.

Where a child has disclosed abuse, the child needs immediate protection and the court is place to go, because unlike Child Protective Services, the court has the power to stop contact between a child and a parent. To succeed ...