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Legal Information: New York

Restraining Orders

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Laws current as of September 18, 2024

Can the abuser's gun be taken away as part of a temporary order of protection?

With a temporary order of protection, the judge should take away the abuser’s guns and suspend his/her gun license if any of the following exist:

  • the judge finds that there is a “substantial risk” that the abuser may use or threaten to use a gun against you or anyone else on your order of protection, such as your children;
  • the abuser has a prior conviction of a violent felony offense;
  • the abuser has been convicted in the past of stalking; or
  • a judge found that the abuser “willfully” (purposefully) violated an order of protection in the past and, in committing such violation, the abuser caused you serious physical injury; or used or threatened to use a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument; or his/her behavior qualified as a violent felony offense.1

If the judge does not check off the appropriate box or write in this gun restriction on the order, be sure to speak up and ask the judge to do this. Otherwise, you may have to wait until you are given a permanent order to get his/her guns and gun license taken away.

1 NY Family Court Act § 842-a(1)(a), (1)(b)