Gerald McOscar

Gerald McOscar is an attorney in Pennsylvania. In the following viewpoint, he maintains that restraining orders are frequently ineffective and unjust. He contends that a victim who seeks a restraining order may so anger an abusive partner that the batterer sometimes responds with deadly violence. In addition, McOscar argues, since restraining orders can be issued merely on the word of the alleged victim, they are frequently used by vengeful spouses to gain the advantage in divorce or custody cases. There are other legal recourses victims and their advocates can take to achieve justice in domestic violence cases, he asserts.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. According to McOscar, why can restraining orders be effective yet inappropriate"
2. In the author’s opinion, why does the law concerning protection orders work too well"
3. When...