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FH Law, Farley & Hopper
Dedicated Legal Support For Individuals, Families And Injury Victims
Shepard Helton and Jonathan Fultz

Domestic Violence Attorneys In Covington

Last updated on June 16, 2025

Violence in the home is a devastating problem, and you have every right to safety and security in the face of it. No one deserves to live in fear of anyone in their life, and we are prepared to help you take back control.

At FH Law, we’re family law attorneys who help people in Covington and all over Kentucky. In a domestic violence case, the stakes couldn’t possibly be any higher for you: it combines the already stressful issues of divorce with the fear for your safety. When we work with clients facing these problems, we put all our attention and care into finding a resolution.

Protective Orders Available In Kentucky

Domestic violence is a dangerous situation to be in, and it puts people in real physical and emotional jeopardy. It includes such issues as:

  • Stalking
  • Assault
  • Sexual assault
  • Dating violence

Kentucky offers options for victims of domestic abuse to find and secure safety from their abuser: protective orders. A protective order is very much what it sounds like, a civil court order that forbids contact and restricts other actions of the target of the order. Kentucky has two types of protective order available:

  • Temporary protective orders: These are issued as emergency measures in the case of imminent violence and assault. They are intended to happen quickly and must be followed by a court hearing relatively quickly, within 14 days of the initial order.
  • Long-term protective orders: These orders typically result from the hearing of a temporary protective order. They make the same restrictions, but the timeline is much longer. These can last up to three years.

If the person who is under an order violates it, there are further complications including arrest and potential contempt charges.

Filing a petition for a protective order is done through the court clerk of your county Circuit Court, and they can be filed 24 hours a day. It does not cost you any money to pursue a protective order. However, we can help you successfully craft your petition to meet the rigorous standards of Kentucky and provide you with the safety and security you need.

If you’re afraid of what your living situation holds for you, we are absolutely ready to get to work to protect you.

How Domestic Violence Impacts Divorce And Custody

While Kentucky is a no-fault divorce state, and domestic violence does not impact the necessity or ability to get a divorce in any way, it is not inconsequential. In fact, domestic violence may be a central issue in several areas of the divorce:

  • Child custody: Obviously, if one parent is a physical danger to the children, the court will likely award full custody to the other parent.
  • Visitation: Parents do have a right to visitation in Kentucky, but again, a history of domestic violence will likely lead to conditions on that visitation.
  • Property division: Survivors of domestic abuse face serious financial hardships, and the court may see fit to increase their share of the marital estate to compensate for that.
  • Spousal support: Financial abuse – taking total control of another’s finances and money – is often an aspect of domestic abuse. Spousal support orders may require the abusive spouse to pay a greater share for longer.

Securing a protective order against someone abusing you is the first step to getting away from an unsafe situation and moving into the next stage of your life. It also begins the court record of the suffering you’ve endured.

Resources And Answers For Domestic Violence

There are numerous resources available to you when it comes to domestic violence. There is the national violence domestic help line, which you can call to get information. You can contact the ION center, which has been a major source of support for people in domestic violence trouble for years. You also can come to us with your questions; below, we have answered some of the questions we commonly hear.

What is the law on domestic violence in Kentucky?

In Kentucky, there really isn’t a specific “law on domestic violence.” There are criminal consequences for domestic violence, and there are ways to utilize the law to secure protections. Acts that counts as domestic violence include any form of assault or sexual violence against a member of one’s own household.

Can you sue for emotional abuse in Kentucky?

If you intend to pursue a civil lawsuit for domestic violence, there are ways to do that. If that lawsuit is focusing on the emotional damage caused by the abuse, it will be somewhat harder to prove your case. Emotional damages are non-economic damages, and it is difficult to calculate a dollar amount for them. 

However, you have the right and you should demand the help you need to move forward.

What makes a strong domestic violence case?

A strong domestic violence case will always be predicated on proof. Hospital bills, witness testimony, police reports, documents of protective orders; all of these are pieces of proof that tells a story. That story is what will make or break a domestic violence case.

Personalized Domestic Violence Service From Attorneys Who Care

We care about our clients. Domestic violence victims need to be able to put together their trust in people again, and we want to help you with that. It’s hard to take that first step, but we will be with you and make that step as easy as possible. Reach out to us by phone at 859-440-2338 or send an email using this form.