5. Keep a copy of your order
Question & Answer
What is a restraining order?If the judge decides to give you a , court staff will prepare the order and give it to you. They will also send a copy to the police.
Make sure you ask court staff for copies of the restraining order. They will give you 2 certified copies for free. You have to pay for additional copies or to replace a lost copy.
You should not leave the courthouse until you get a copy of the restraining order.
Keep a certified copy of the restraining order with you at all times. If the person doesn't follow the conditions in the restraining order, the police need to see the order before they can do anything.
The police can arrest them, charge them with a crime, and hold them for a . If the person is released, the bail conditions will probably be stricter than the conditions in the restraining order.
If the person is charged with a crime for not following the restraining order, you might have both family and criminal court happening at the same time.
You might also want to give a copy of the restraining order to someone else. For example, if the order says that the person can't contact your child, you should give a copy to your child's teacher or principal. They can show the order to the police if the person tries to pick up your child from school.
