Restraining Orders

You might want to if you won’t be getting mail at your old address. The court that gave you your protective order needs to have an up-to-date address for you at all times because they will communicate with you only by mail if anything happens to your protective order - for example, ifther abuser asks the court to dismiss the order to change it in any way. If you will not be receiving mail at your old address, you must provide the court with a new address where you can receive mail. The Iowa law says that a change of address should be reported to the court within five days after the old address is no longer valid.¹

If you provide your new address to the court, you can ask that it be kept confidential. It will be kept in a confidential part of your file, and the public will not have access to it. However, your new address could possibly be released to court officials in your new state or law enforcement officials in either Iowa or your new state. If you feel unsafe giving your new address, you can use the address of a friend you trust, a safe house, or a P.O. Box instead.²

¹ IA ST § 236.10(2)
² IA ST § 236.10(1)