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Legal Information: Massachusetts

Restraining Orders

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Updated: 
December 14, 2023

How do I register my protection order in Massachusetts?

To register your protection order, bring a certified copy of your order to any district, probate, family, or superior court, or the Boston municipal court in order to file in with the court. You will have to swear under oath in an affidavit (a written statement) that, to the best of your knowledge, the order is currently in effect as written.1 See MA Courthouse Locations for contact information. You may want to ask the court to “impound”, or keep confidential, your address so that the abuser cannot learn where you are from a court record.

You do not need a lawyer to register your protection order. If you are confused or worried about the process, you can contact a local domestic violence organization in Massachusetts to ask for help from a local advocate. To find a local domestic violence organization in Massachusetts, please go to our MA Advocates and Shelters page.

1 M.G.L.A. 209A § 5A