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Legal Information: Iowa

Restraining Orders

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Updated: 
November 3, 2023

Step 5: What will I have to prove at the hearing?

As the petitioner requesting the protective order, you must prove that the abuser committed at least one act of domestic abuse against you. Alternatively, the abuser can agree to consent to the order without admitting to committing domestic abuse.1

See the At the Hearing section under the Preparing for Court tab at the top of this page for ways you can show the judge that you were abused. You can learn more about the court system in our Preparing for Court – By Yourself section.

1 IA ST § 236.5(1), (1A)

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