2013 Mississippi Code
Title 93 - DOMESTIC RELATIONS
Chapter 21 - PROTECTION FROM DOMESTIC ABUSE
Article 1 - PROTECTION FROM DOMESTIC ABUSE LAW
§ 93-21-13 - Emergency domestic abuse protection order; duration of order; extension; entry of protection order into Mississippi Protection Order Registry; de novo hearing for parties aggrieved by issuance or denial of issuance of order

(1) (a) The court in which a petition seeking emergency relief pending a hearing is filed must consider all such requests in an expedited manner. The court may issue an emergency domestic abuse protection order without prior notice to the respondent upon good cause shown by the petitioner. Immediate and present danger of abuse to the petitioner, any minor children or any person alleged to be incompetent shall constitute good cause for issuance of an emergency domestic abuse protection order. The respondent shall be provided with notice of the entry of any emergency domestic abuse protection order issued by the court by personal service of process.

(b) A court granting an emergency domestic abuse protection order may grant relief as provided in Section 93-21-15(1)(a).

(c) An emergency domestic abuse protection order shall be effective for ten (10) days, or until a hearing may be held, whichever occurs first. If a hearing under this subsection (1) is continued, the court may grant or extend the emergency order as it deems necessary for the protection of the abused person. A continuance under this subsection (1)(c) shall be valid for no longer than twenty (20) days.

(2) The Attorney General, in cooperation with the Mississippi Supreme Court and the Mississippi Judicial College, shall develop standardized forms for emergency domestic abuse protection orders. Use of the standardized forms in protection order proceedings pursuant to this chapter shall be fully implemented by all courts no later than July 1, 2015. However, in any criminal prosecution or contempt proceeding for a violation of a domestic abuse protection order, it shall not be a defense that the order was not issued on the standardized form.

(3) Upon issuance of any protection order by the court, the order shall be entered into the Mississippi Protection Order Registry by the clerk of the court pursuant to Section 93-21-25, and a copy provided to the sheriff's department in the county of the court of issuance.

(4) Any person aggrieved by the decision of a municipal or justice court judge to issue an emergency domestic abuse protection order or to deny issuance of an emergency domestic protection order shall be entitled to request a de novo review by the chancery or county court. All parties shall be advised of the procedure for seeking a de novo hearing.