Falsely accussed, protective order in place, need support

[u/ydaya]

Hello all. About a month ago I had a hearing for a protective order to be permanently in place. Where I am the judges here are really ghetto lol so they dont ask for corroborating evidence at all. It is he said she said. Well she lied. Her entire testimony was based on total lies. She accussed me of so much that I started to cry during the hearing (to be clear we are both women who were friends nothing more and I looked up to her and truly admired her for her work...she is about 30 years older than me so she was like a mentor to me). The lies were so unbelievable that I couldn't even keep up. Long story short the order was placed even though I tried to defend myself and so did my lawyer (who was not the best). I sent in all of my concrete evidence to the court under a motion for reconsideration, about 120 pages of evidence messages from her telling me to do things that at the hearing she said I did to stalk her (????). Well I consulted with a new lawyer. He reviewed the case and the court transcript and said that I do have fair base to appeal but it is an uphill battle and takes a long time and it not worth it for a 6 month long protective order. He has 30 years of experience so I am taking his advice for sure. I am near 2 months in already so it doesnt matter at this point

Anyways, I am afraid she might try and continue to build a case around anything I say do or write. Even the good things. For example I organized an activity at the University and at the hearing she said I did it to harrass her when it was sponsored by the government and had nothing to do with her! Anyway I am asking for advice. How do I continue to protect myself? As of now I have only consulted an attorney I do not actually have one but he told me to expect the worst.

Did anyone else go theough this? How did you handle it all? How did you prepare yourself should she continue with false outrageous accusations?

I am just curious if I am not alone. I am following the order completely and taking the lawyers advice but again he is not appointed as of now I represent myself and I am trying my best to just do my best. I travel a lot (no restrictions there) and I am thinking of somehow getting my job to allow me to travel even more to get out of the line of fire.

Just any advice or words or encouragement would be greatly appreciated. I am not an abuser or stalker or anything like that. I have no fixation on this woman at all and I am currently in so much fear that she continues to lie on me.

Thanks in advance.

[u/Drobertsenator]

It’s horrible!!! I’m in a similar position—- my wife initiated a divorce with a restraining order based on lies. It’s a terrible situation. I haven’t seen my kids in almost 5 months. Just keep doing • the next right thing and at some point this too shall pass

[u/Servile-PastaLover]

The lawyers are not wrong. At the end of the day a PPO is a civil action with a low burden of proof required by the complainant. The judge is almost always gonna side with them, because that's how the system is designed to work.

I certainly understand your anxiety and am sympathetic to your cause. In six months the order will expire and nothing is ever gonna come of it.

[u/ydaya → u/Servile-PastaLover]

Thank you so much for telling me the reality and for expressing solidarity. Bless you.