Protection orders are widely used legal interventions intended to reduce the risk of future harm by one person considered to be a threat to another. However, there has been controversy about when and whether such orders are useful. This article is a review of empirical studies of outcomes associated with protection orders and factors associated with violations of the orders. Although protection orders are not a panacea, the results support that they can serve a useful role in threat management. We describe factors to consider before implementing a protection order.