Last week, we covered the case of an Arizona man who suffered a serious injury when he accidentally shot himself in the penis. He was supposedly trying to get his fiancée's small pistol to stay in the waistband of his pants when a shot went off, hitting him in the scrotum and thigh.

And while reports indicate that the man is okay, it sounds like he has some other worries to ponder while he recuperates. Authorities have agreed to grant an order of protection against the man's fiancée due to a totally unrelated incident.

According to The Arizona Republic, the gunshot victim claims that his fiancée was part of a recent attempt to rob his apartment. He is worried about his safety and, therefore, obtained the restraining order that prohibits the fiancée from getting close to him or even contacting him. If she owns any firearms (The pink pistol involved in the recent incident was hers) she will likely have had to give them up to authorities.

Having a restraining order or order of protection obtained against you can seriously limit your freedoms. Just because someone wants to file a restraining order doesn't mean they will obtain it. In Arizona, a person has the right to request a hearing with a judge wherein the details of the case will be evaluated. The request for the hearing must be made within 5-10 days of the protective order request.

It's important for anyone with a restraining order against them to learn everything they can about the consequences of that order. If the man's fiancée in this case, for example, doesn't understand what she isn't allowed to do and violates the order of protection, she will likely face criminal charges. Understanding one's legal rights and options is the key to any case and protecting one's freedom.

Source

The Arizona Republic: "Chandler man who shot own penis gets order of protection," Laurie Merrill, Aug. 18, 2011