Restraining Orders

After you finish filling out your application, bring it back to the court clerk. The clerk will forward it to the judge. The judge can issue you an order ex parte (without the abuser being notified beforehand or being present in court) if the judge believes that notifying the abuser ahead of time would further endanger the safety and welfare of you and/or minor child/ren. However, if the abuser is already represented by an attorney, then the attorney may need to be notified beforehand.¹ After you file your petition, the judge may ask you some questions at an ex parte hearing. (However, if you are not in court but rather your attorney is filing the papers for you, the judge can still issued the temporary order.) The order will last for up to 10 days until the case is set down for a “show cause hearing.”²

¹ MR 2.1.3(A)(1),(3)
² MR 2.1.3(A)(4),(B)(4),(5)