Restraining Orders

For the purpose of getting a protection from harassment order, Maine law defines “harassment” as:

• three or more acts of intimidation, confrontation, physical force, or threat of physical force that are:
  • directed against any person, family, or business;
  • made with the intention of causing fear, intimidation, or damage to property; and
  • actually causes fear, intimidation, or damage to property; or
• when the harasser commits a single act or a course of conduct that violates one of the following laws:
  1. stalking
  2. assault
  3. aggravated assault
  4. criminal threatening
  5. terrorizing
  6. reckless conduct
  7. gross sexual assault
  8. sexual abuse of minors
  9. unlawful sexual contact
  10. visual sexual aggression against a child
  11. sexual misconduct with a child under age 14
  12. solicitation of a child to commit a prohibited act
  13. solicitation of a child to engage in prostitution
  14. unlawful sexual touching
  15. prohibited contact with a minor
  16. sexual exploitation of a minor
  17. dissemination of sexually explicit material
  18. kidnapping
  19. criminal restraint
  20. criminal restraint by parent
  21. harassment
  22. harassment by telephone or electonic communication device
  23. unauthorized dissemination of certain private images
  24. incest
  25. arson
  26. violation of privacy
  27. criminal mischief
  28. aggravated criminal mischief
  29. aiding or soliciting suicide
  30. murder
  31. felony murder
  32. manslaughter
  33. violation of your constitutional rights
  34. sex trafficking
  35. aggravated sex trafficking or
  36. interfering with, oppressing or threatening any other person.¹

If you are being harassed by a current or former intimate partner, relative, or spouse, you may be eligible for a protection from abuse order. Please see our Protection from Abuse Orders page for more information.

¹ 5 M.R.S. § 4651(2)