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Who can file for an order of protection?
You can file an order for protection against a family or household member who has committed acts of domestic abuse against you or your minor child; or, if your minor child who is 16 or older. s/he can file on his/her own.1 A family or household member includes:
- your current or former spouse;
- your current or former reciprocal beneficiary,2 which is someone who you have significant personal, emotional, and economic relationships with, but are prohibited from legally marrying;3 (To see the requirements of becoming reciprocal beneficiaries, go to our Selected Hawaii Statutes page);
- someone with whom you have a child in common;
- your parent;
- your child;
- someone related to you by blood or marriage;
- someone with whom you live/lived, except this does not include adults who lived together as roommates or who were cohabitants only for economic reasons or due to a contract or lease; and
- someone who you are dating or used to date.2
You can also file a petition on behalf of a family or household member who is a minor child, incapacitated person, or is physically unable to go to the appropriate place to complete or file the petition.1
1 HRS § 586-3(b)
2 HRS § 586-1
3 HRS § 572C-2
