Chapter 16 - The Emergency Petition
Ethan never filed the protective-order petition against Dad.
Important.
He had prepared it.
Gathered materials.
Drafted affidavits.
But Easter interrupted him.
His attorney argued:
Drafting legal documents is not a crime.
Correct.
People can prepare petitions.
They can collect evidence.
They can anticipate threats.
The legal issue depended on whether the material contained knowingly false representations and how it was intended to be used.
The emotional issue was clearer.
Ethan had been preparing a mechanism to cut me off from the person most likely to help me.
If the order were granted even temporarily, depending on the court’s findings and terms, Dad could have been restricted from contact.
Would Ethan definitely have succeeded?
No.
Courts review evidence.
Dad could contest.
But emergency orders sometimes begin with incomplete information because immediate safety matters.
Ethan understood that.
He did not need a permanent victory.
He needed delay.
Confusion.
A few days when Dad hesitated before coming near me.
A few days when I saw helping me might put Dad in legal jeopardy.
May you like
Fear does not require perfect legal success.
Only plausible consequences.
