The Effects of a Restraining Order
- Sadly, some criminal activity has occurred (either inside or outside the home) and one person has made a complaint and filed a petition for a family offense, which is a violation of the law such as harassment, assault, or stalking.
- Once a complaint has been lodged, the court will issue a temporary restraining order directing the offender to stay away from the other person or not to commit further offensive acts.
- The matter is no longer simply one person’s complaint where one person alleges some sort of activity against the other. A judge’s order says, “You can’t do that,” and defiance would actually violate an order of the court, which has very serious consequences.
- If you are faced with a restraining order, you should seek clear advice as to what you can and can’t do.






