Domestic Violence (DV) and Gun Violence (GV) Restraining Orders

You can ask for a domestic violence restraining order if: 

• Someone has abused you,  

AND 

• You have a close relationship with that person (married or registered domestic partners, divorced, separated, dating or used to date, have a child together, or live together or used to live together — but more than roommates), or you are closely related (parent, child, brother, sister, grandmother, grandfather, in-law). 

You can ask for an elder or dependent adult abuse restraining order if: 

• You are 65 or older, OR 
• You are between 18 and 64 and have certain mental or physical disabilities that keep you from being able to do normal activities or protect yourself. 

AND 

• You are a victim of: 
• Physical or financial abuse, 
• Neglect or abandonment, 
• Treatment that has physically or mentally hurt you, or 
• Deprivation by a caregiver of basic things or services you need so you will not suffer physically, mentally, or emotionally.

Only certain people can ask for a gun violence restraining order if they think someone is dangerous and should be restricted from having or buying firearms and ammunition, including:  

• Law enforcement officer or agency 
• The person's immediate family member, including a spouse, parent, child, grandparent, or any other person who regularly lives with them now or lived with them in the last 6 months  
• The person's employer 
• The person's co-worker who has regular contact with the person and has worked with them for at least a year, and has the employer’s permission to ask for this restraining order  
• An employee or teacher at a school that the person has gone to in the last six months, who has permission from a school administrator or staff supervisor 

You can ask a law enforcement officer to ask for a gun violence restraining order. If it is an emergency, you can call police and ask for one right away. 

You can ask for a workplace violence restraining order if: 

• You are an employer, 

AND 

• You ask for a restraining order to protect an employee who has suffered stalking, serious harassment, violence, or a credible (real) threat of violence at the workplace. 

An employee CANNOT ask for a workplace violence restraining order. If the employee wants to protect him or herself, he or she can ask for a civil harassment restraining order (or a domestic violence restraining order if the abuser is a partner/spouse or former partner/spouse or close family member). 

You can ask for a school violence restraining order if: 

• You are the chief administrative officer (principal, president, or highest-ranking official) or a school safety officer from a private postsecondary school can ask for a school violence restraining order. 

AND 

• Ask for protection for one or more students, as well as the student’s family or household members.