Smith v. ADEBCO, Inc.

**Smith v. ADEBCO, Inc. - Court Ruling Summary** This case involved a dispute between an employee named Smith and their employer, ADEBCO, Inc., that resulted in stalking and no contact order proceedings. Smith had sought a protective order against someone at work, but the request was denied by the lower court. When Smith's petition was rejected, they asked the court to make the other party pay their attorney fees. The appellate court ruled against Smith and in favor of ADEBCO. The court found that under the relevant stalking protection law, when a petition for a no contact order is denied, the person who filed the petition cannot recover attorney fees from the other party. The court reversed the lower court's decision to award attorney fees to Smith. **Why This Matters for Workers:** This ruling is important because it clarifies the financial risks workers face when seeking protective orders in workplace situations. If you file for a stalking no contact order related to work and your petition is denied, you likely cannot force the other party to pay your legal costs. Workers should understand these potential expenses before pursuing legal protection and may want to consult with an attorney about the strength of their case beforehand.