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Legal Information: Hawaii

Restraining Orders

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Laws current as of November 15, 2024

Step 3: A judge reviews your petition and may grant you a temporary restraining order.

After you complete the necessary forms, a judge will look at your petition for an injunction against harassment and may grant you an immediate temporary restraining order, known as a TRO, which can last up to 90 days or until your full court hearing. The judge may ask you questions about your request or s/he may make a decision based on your petition only. The harasser does not need to be present for you to get a TRO.

If the TRO is granted, a hearing will be scheduled within 15 days. If the harasser has not been properly notified before the date of the hearing, the court may set a new date for the hearing, as long as it is not more than 90 days from the date the TRO was granted.1

If the judge grants a TRO, the court clerk will give you certified copies of the order. Ask the clerk to “conform” all copies by stamping the judge’s signature and date on all orders.2 Review the order before you leave the courthouse to make sure that the information is correct. If something is wrong or missing, you can ask the clerk how you can correct the order before you leave. Be sure to keep it with you at all times. You may want to keep copies in your car, at your workplace, or at your child’s daycare.

Your TRO is not officially in effect until the respondent receives a copy.2

1 HRS § 604-10.5(g)
2Hawai’i State Judiciary website