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Legal Information: New Jersey

Restraining Orders

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Updated: 
January 8, 2024

What protections can I get in a sexual assault restraining order?

A temporary restraining order can order the abuser not to:

  1. commit or attempt to commit any future act of nonconsensual sexual contact, sexual penetration, lewdness, stalking, or cyber-harassment against you;
  2. have any contact with you or other people named in the order;
  3. enter your or your family or household members’ residence, property, school, or place of employment;
  4. come near any specific place identified in the order that you or your family or household members frequently go to;
  5. personally, or through another person, start any communication that is likely to cause annoyance or alarm with you, your family members, or their employers, employees, or fellow workers, an employee or volunteer of a sexual assault response organization that is providing services to you, or others with whom communication would be likely to cause annoyance or alarm to you. The type of communication could include personal, written, or telephone contact; or contact through electronic devices;
  6. follow you or threaten to harm, stalk, or follow you; and
  7. commit or attempt to commit an act of harassment against you.1

A final restraining order must include the protections in numbers 1 and 2 above.2 A final restraining order can include the protections in numbers 3 through 8 above, if the judge decides each is necessary.3

Note: For either a temporary or final order, the judge can also order any other relief that s/he decides is appropriate.4

1 N.J. Stat. § 2C:14-15(e)
2 N.J. Stat. § 2C:14-16(e)
3 N.J. Stat. § 2C:14-16(f)
4 N.J. Stat. §§ 2C:14-15(e)(6); 2C:14-16(f)(5)