Restraining Orders

An ex parte temporary order can do any of the following:

• Order the respondent to stop stalking, harassing you or interfering with you and your immediate family;
• Order the respondent to stay a certain number of yards away from you;
• Order the respondent to have no contact, directly or indirectly, with you and your immediate family.¹

A final protective order can do any of the following:

• Order all of the protections listed above;
• Order the respondent (or you) to get psychiatric or psychological services to prevent continued stalking in the future; and
• Order the respondent to pay your attorney’s fees (or, if you lose the case, order that you pay the respondent’s attorney’s fees).²

Note: If the stalker is also arrested for stalking, you also have the right to be notified when bail hearings are scheduled and when the stalker is released from custody if you provide the court with a landline telephone number.³

¹ O.C.G.A. § 16-5-94(d); see GA Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority, petition for a stalking ex parte temporary protective order
² O.C.G.A. § 16-5-94(d); see GA Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority, petition for a stalking twelve month protective order
³ O.C.G.A. § 16-5-93