Orange County Restraining Order Attorneys

Helping Our Clients Retain Their Safety

For a person who is actively harassed or abused by another, a restraining order can offer immediate protection from further harm. This is a type of court order that prohibits a certain person from contacting, harassing, or performing other specific actions regarding another person or persons. In an instance of alleged domestic violence, for example, Mary could obtain a restraining order against Bob, which would prohibit Bob from contacting Mary or even coming within a certain distance of her, her home, or her place of work. If Bob violated the court order, he would face arrest and possibly criminal charges.

Restraining orders have serious consequences, and it is important to understand how to obtain one and how to challenge one. At Sullivan Law & Associates, our lawyers help clients throughout Southern California in restraining order proceedings. We are highly experienced attorneys, widely recognized as one of the leading family law firms in Orange County and are committed to providing personalized service so we can truly protect our clients’ best interests.

Call our office at (949) 565-2793 to arrange a consultation with one of our lawyers.

How to File for a Restraining Order

The first step of filing for a restraining order in California is to fill out all the necessary paperwork. There are some forms that everyone will need to fill out, while others will only apply to persons in particular circumstances. It is important to understand which forms are required for your specific situation.

Depending on your situation, you will need to file one of the following forms:

• All who wish to obtain a restraining order – Form DV-100, Request for Domestic Violence Restraining Order; Form DV-110, Temporary Restraining Order; Form DV-109, Notice of Court Hearing

• When the person you need protection from is your child’s other parent – Form DV-105, Request for Child Custody and Visitation Orders; Form DV-140, Child Custody and Visitation Order; if it applies to your case, Form DV-570, Request for Order: No Travel with Children
• If you want spousal or child support – Form FL-150, Income and Expense Declaration or Form FL-155, Financial Statement (Simplified)
• Local court forms – you may have additional forms to fill out that are required by your local court

Our legal team is here to help you fill out the paperwork as quickly and effectively as possible. If you have already filled out your forms, we can conduct a thorough review to ensure that they are filled out correctly before you move ahead with your case.

Once your forms are ready, they will need to be filed with your local court clerk, who will then give them to the judge for a decision by the next business day. If the judge signs the order, the court will file it, and you will have a temporary restraining order. The paperwork must then be served (delivered) to the restrained person. To obtain a permanent restraining order, you will need to attend a court hearing. Based on the evidence presented, the judge will make a decision to grant the orders you requested, give some of the orders but not others, or grant none of the orders that you asked for.

The Duration of Restraining Orders in Orange County

The length of a restraining order depends on the type of order and the specific circumstances of your case.

The three types of domestic violence restraining orders and their duration include:

• Emergency protective order – lasts only five business days or seven calendar days
• Temporary restraining order – lasts up to 15 days or until you attend your hearing for a permanent restraining order, which is usually within three weeks
• Permanent restraining order – lasts up to five years, after which time the victim may request that it be extended another five years or permanently

How Our Orange County Restraining Order Lawyers Can Help

Depending on your situation, our Irvine restraining order attorneys may be able to help you in various ways:

• We can help you obtain a restraining order to protect yourself or your children in the face of abuse or harassment
• We can help you challenge an unnecessary restraining order
• We can protect your interests in the face of an alleged restraining order violation

With our experience in family law and criminal law, we are qualified to deliver sound guidance and counsel related to restraining orders and domestic violence. Our lawyers are here to help you through these challenging times.

For your confidential case review, contact Sullivan Law & Associates at (949) 565-2793. We look forward to assisting you.