If your landlord has sued you in Landlord and Tenant Court, you can ask the court to allow you to pay your rent into the registry of the court until the case is over. Either party may request a protective order. If the protective order is not entered by consent of both parties, the court will determine the amount of money that should be paid each month, which usually is the amount of the monthly rent. A defendant may request that the court reduce the amount of the protective order based on housing code violations. If a defendant makes this request, the court may continue the case for the parties to present evidence at a hearing called a Bell Hearing.