Recently introduced legislation seeks to heed the call from domestic violence groups to change Michigan law to ensure that victims don’t have to pay anything to have personal protection orders (PPO) served on their abusers. The bills come in the wake of the death of Latricia Green, who authorities say was shot and killed by her ex-husband at Detroit’s Henry Ford Hospital, where she worked.
Green was granted a PPO against her ex-husband, but it was never served, according to a Free Press review. It remains unclear why that never happened. The Wayne County Sheriff’s Office doesn’t have a record of her requesting service.
The legislation would require a PPO be served immediately by a law enforcement agency at no cost, according to a news release detailing the proposal. The change would apply to PPOs for domestic abuse, stalking and assault. The recently approved state budget for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2026, sets aside $1 million for reimbursements to cover the cost of serving PPOs.After a judge issues a PPO in Michigan, law enforcement does not always serve the order to the other party. Instead, victims sometimes hire a process server, have a friend or family member personally hand over the paperwork or send it in the mail. If the order hasn’t been served, the respondent won’t necessarily face arrest for violating it, according to Michigan Legal Help.
«No one should have to forgo the safety provided under a Personal Protection Order simply because of the amount of money in their wallet,» said bill sponsor state Sen. Stephanie Chang, D-Detroit. «By eliminating longstanding barriers that leave victims vulnerable to those who seek to harm them, our bipartisan legislation would save lives and make Michigan safer.» State Sen. Ruth Johnson, R-Holly — another bill sponsor — called the proposed changes «critical, common-sense and long overdue» in a statement.State Rep. Helena Scott, D-Detroit, introduced the same bills in the Michigan House of Representatives.
«Latricia Green should still be alive today, and by making these urgent changes to Michigan’s PPO process, this legislation can help prevent what happened to her from happening to others in our state who are facing the same situation,» she said in a statement.
Michigan advocates fighting domestic violence in the state celebrated the bills for requiring law enforcement to serve PPOs and removing any financial barrier to protect victims’ safety.
How to get help
For more information on personal protection orders and how to get them served, go to bit.ly/michiganlegalhelpppo and bit.ly/mlhservingppo.
For information on PPOs by county, go to bit.ly/WayneCountyPPO for Wayne County; bit.ly/MacombCountyPPO for Macomb County and bit.ly/469Rbe5 for Oakland County.
For information on Extreme Risk Protection Orders by county, go to bit.ly/4819rZA for Wayne County; bit.ly/481ona3 for Macomb County and bit.ly/4m5i3Sx for Oakland County.
First Step serves victims in Wayne County and has a 24/7 helpline: 734-722-6800.
Act Now Services helps people with the PPO process primarily in Wayne County. Call 313-473-9599 for 24/7 PPO requests and 586-204-2004 for the process services office.
The Michigan Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence lists several statewide resources and also has a 24/7 hotline. Call Michigan’s Domestic Violence Hotline at 866-864-2338 or text 877-861-0222.