Domestic Violence & Protective Orders
If you are being abused or threatened, the law offers protection. Learn how restraining and protective orders work, the difference between emergency and long-term orders, what they can require, and how they affect custody and housing — procedures and terms differ by state. If you are in danger, call 911.
All Domestic Violence & Protective Orders guides
- How to Get a Restraining Order on Someone
Step-by-step guide to getting a restraining order: who qualifies, how to file, emergency orders, the hearing, and how orders are enforced across state lines.
- Can You Lose Custody for Domestic Violence?
Yes, domestic violence can cost you custody. How courts weigh DV in custody, what evidence matters, supervised visitation, and steps for both parents.
- How Much Does It Cost to Get a Restraining Order?
Domestic violence restraining orders are usually free to file. Learn what costs to expect, how fee waivers work, and where to get free legal help.
- How to Drop a Permanent or Civil Restraining Order
Only the court that issued a permanent or civil restraining order can end it. Here is how to file a motion to terminate, modify, or drop the order.
- How to Drop an Emergency Protective Order (EPO)
An EPO is fast, police-initiated, and short-lived. Learn who can actually drop it, the narrow window to act, and the safe steps to take before court.
- How Long Does It Take to Drop a Restraining Order?
How long it takes to drop a restraining order, who can ask, why only a judge can dismiss it, and the steps to move your hearing faster.
- Can You Drop a Restraining Order Without Going to Court?
Usually no. A restraining order is a court order only a judge can lift. Learn how to ask the court to drop it, and why contact alone won't end it.
- How to File a Protective Order for a Child
A calm, step-by-step guide for parents and guardians on how to file a protective order for a minor child, what to bring, and what happens in court.
- How Easy or Hard Is It to Drop a Restraining Order?
Dropping a restraining order is harder than people expect: a judge decides, not the parties. Here's how the process works and what to expect.
- How to Drop a Restraining Order Before the Court Date
Only the person who asked for a restraining order can move to drop it before the hearing. Here is how to withdraw or dismiss it the right way.
- How to Drop a Domestic Violence Restraining Order
Only a judge can end a domestic violence restraining order. Learn who can ask, how to file to dismiss, and the safety and criminal-case traps to avoid.
- How to Drop a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO)
Only a judge can drop a temporary restraining order. Here's how the person who requested it asks the court to dismiss a TRO, plus CA and NJ steps.
- How to File a Protective Order: Step-by-Step Guide
A calm, step-by-step guide to filing a protective order: where to file, what to bring, how the hearing works, and how the order is enforced.
- How Much Proof Do You Need to Get a Restraining Order?
How much proof to get a restraining order? Usually a preponderance of the evidence for a final order, less for an emergency order. What that means in practice.
- How Long Do You Have to File a Protective Order?
Most states set no fixed deadline to file a protective order. What matters is showing recent abuse or a real threat. Here's how the timing actually works.
- How to Drop a Restraining Order: Your Rights and the Process
Only a judge can drop a restraining order. How to ask the court to dismiss or terminate one - whether you filed it or it's against you - and the steps.
- How to Convince a Judge to Drop a Restraining Order
How to ask a judge to drop or dismiss a restraining order: who can request it, what a motion to dismiss looks like, and why a lawyer matters.