Domestic Violence Unit

Throughout the years, the Texas Legislature has created a system of legal protections for victims of family violence.  Protective orders have been the primary civil legal remedy since 1979.  The advantage of these orders is the criminal penalty that occurs when the orders are disobeyed.  Over time, protective orders have come to protect not only members of the same family but also members of the same household, individuals who have or have had a dating relationship, and victims of sexual assault.  Collin County Criminal District Attorney Greg Willis is committed to helping these victims obtain enforceable protective orders.

Persons seeking to apply for a protective order may contact the Victim Assistance Division of the Criminal District Attorney’s Office during business hours, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  The legal secretary will provide the applicant with a Protective Order Application and will also conduct a preliminary screening.  The applicant may then complete the application and submit it to the Domestic Violence Unit (applicants, please allow yourselves at least 30 minutes to complete the application).  Upon meeting the legal requirements of the initial inquiry, an applicant meets with a prosecutor, who then handles the case from the intake stage, through filing and disposition of the application.

The Domestic Violence Unit attorneys prosecute select cases involving assault–family violence and violations of protective orders.  In addition to trial work, this Section educates police officers on the special issues that arise in the investigation and prosecution of these cases.  Members of this unit also sit on the Collin County Council on Family Violence and the Collin County Crime Victim’s Council to ensure that effective steps are taken with our community partners to decrease the incidents of domestic violence by community awareness, intervention, and successful prosecution.