Restraining Orders

In general, if someone wants to modify (change) any court order, s/he can return to court and file a petition to modify or amend the order. The clerk can give you the correct forms that you need. Generally, with any petition that is filed, the other party is served and can appear in court and then a judge would hold a hearing and decide whether the make the changes that you requested.

If you are thinking of taking away the major protections in the order because the respondent has not been bothering you lately, you may want to consider that some abusers may not bother the petitioner out of fear of violating the order and being arrested. Many abusers continue to abuse their partners even after they’ve “promised not to” or after they swear that they have “changed.” Once a petitioner gets rid of a certain protections in his/her order, the same abusive behavior may return. If you decide that changing your order is right for you, it is often a good idea to plan ahead in case the respondent resumes the abuse. We have safety planning tips available on our website at, and your local domestic violence organization [Add link to Advocates and Shelters page] may be able to help you find resources in the event of emergency in your community.

Lastly, if you would like to read more general information about protection orders in your state, you can go to our Restraining Orders page. [Add hyperlink to state RO page]