Using Both Criminal And Civil Court
If you are eligible to use the Family Court, then you also have the right to use both the Family and Criminal Courts as sources of legal relief and protection at different times or at the same time. You can cooperate with the prosecutor's office in trying to have your abuser convicted of a crime and can have an Order of Protection from Criminal Court and, at the same time, file for an Order of Protection in Family Court as a way to get issues like custody, visitation and child support decided very quickly.