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Legal Information: North Carolina

Restraining Orders

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Updated: 
December 22, 2023

Can I file to extend my final civil no-contact order?

You can file to renew the final order one or more times. To file for a renewal, you must file a “motion to renew no-contact order” before the civil no-contact order expires.  You do not need a new incident of unlawful conduct to renew your order – the judge can renew it if s/he finds there is “good cause” to do so.1

1 NCGS § 50C-8(c)

What happens if the abuser/stalker violates the civil no-contact order?

If the stalker/abuser violates the civil no-contact order, s/he may be charged with civil or criminal contempt of court, which may result in a fine or imprisonment.1 The punishment for criminal contempt can be imprisonment up to 30 days, a fine of up to $500.00, or both.2 To alert the court of the violation, you can file a Motion and Order to Show Cause for Failure to Comply with No-Contact Order form (#AOC-CV-528).

1 NCGS §§ 50C-5(c); 50C-10
2 NCGS § 5A-12

If I get a protection order, will it show up in an internet search?

According to federal law, which applies to all states, territories, and tribal lands, the courts are not supposed to make available publicly on the internet any information that would be likely to reveal your identity or location. This applies to all of these documents:

  • the petition you file;
  • the protection order, restraining order, or injunction that was issued by the court; or
  • the registration of an order in a different state.1

1 18 USC § 2265(d)(3)