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Legal Information: North Carolina

Restraining Orders

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Updated: 
April 23, 2021

Will the abuser or stalker be notified that I am trying to get a civil no-contact order against him/her?

The abuser or stalker must be personally served with a copy of your petition and the temporary no-contact order (if there is one) as well as notice of the hearing where the judge will decide whether or not to grant you a final civil no-contact order.1 The legal papers (summons, notice, temporary order) will be served upon the respondent personally by the sheriff and if the sheriff cannot locate the respondent, s/he can be served by publication, which is explained in the law on our Selected North Carolina Statutes page, subsection (j1).2

1 NCGS § 50C-3(b)
2 NCGS §§ 50C-3(b); NC Rules of Civ. Proc. Rule 4(j), (j1)

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