Which statement is true about Emergency Protective Orders?

• A. Presiding judges have authority to administer the oath to someone swearing to a complaint, associate judges do not.
• B. Municipal judges, acting as magistrates, may issue Emergency Protective Orders for an offense involving family violence.
• C. Usually, clerks are responsible for establishing and maintaining a financial management program for the court.
• D. A municipal judge may dismiss a case filed by a citation if the peace officer asks for the dismissal.

Answer: (B)

Emergency Protective Orders are temporary protections designed to safeguard someone from threats or acts of family violence, and they can be issued by a judicial officer who acts as a magistrate. In many jurisdictions, a municipal judge who sits as a magistrate has authority to issue these orders for offenses involving family violence. This allows immediate protective action after an incident, often without the respondent being present, with the order requiring service and typically followed by a hearing for a longer-term order. The other statements don’t describe how Emergency Protective Orders are issued or their authority: administering oaths, clerks’ financial duties, and dismissing a case at a peace officer’s request are separate functions and procedures that don’t pertain to issuing EPOs.