1. Restraining Orders for Teens

2. What is a Restraining Order?
Why might I want one?
How do I get one?

3. What is a Restraining Order
A Restraining Order is a court order that another person must stay away from you
-usually stay 100 yards away from you
And your home
And your car
And your work
Your school?

4. What else can a Restraining Order do?
Prevents that person from
Calling you
Texting you
ing you
Posting inappropriate things about you on social media
(within limits)

5. Requirements for a Restraining Order
1. A Specific (Domestic) Relationship
2. Proof of an act of abuse

6. A Specific Domestic Relationship
Marriage, dating, used to date
Parents, grandparents, siblings, children

7. A Past Act of Abuse Bodily injury Sexual assault
Reasonable fear of immediate serious bodily injury
Hit, threaten, harass, stalk,
destroy personal property

8. Can I get a Restraining Order? I’m a minor.
Yes.
Age 12 and up
BUT
Court will send a copy to one parent,
unless in best interests of minor not to

9. How do I get a Restraining Order?
Get the forms from court or self help center
Fill them out
Submit them to the court

10. Does it cost money?
NO.

11. What Happens next?
The court will make a decision on your paperwork alone.
If Reasonable Proof
And necessary
Court will issue Temporary Restraining Order

12. Who knows?
Just you.
You can get a temporary restraining order without even telling the other side.

13. Does the other side find out?
YES
The court will set it for a hearing. Then you HAVE to tell the other side. They have a right to be at the hearing and hear what you are asking the judge for and why. They have a right to tell their side.

14. How do you tell the other side?
You don’t
The papers must be served
In person
By someone over 18
Not by you
Usually by the sheriff

15. What is the purpose of the hearing
To see if the temporary order should last longer
One, two or three years
To allow the other side an opportunity to tell their side

16. What Happens at the Hearing?
Do I have to go?
Can I go without my parents?
Do I have to be in the same room as the other side?
Do I have to talk?
Support person?
Do they get to talk?

17. How do I Win? Reasonable proof of a past act of abuse Your testimony
Photos
Copies of texts
Witness
Whatever may be helpful

18. How do I win Reasonable proof of a past act of abuse
Necessary to prevent a recurrence of domestic violence
Not just a one time thing

19. What if there is a tie?
What if it is my word against his/her word?

20. How do I enforce a Restraining Order?
Call the police.