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Legal Information: Ohio

Restraining Orders

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Laws current as of October 1, 2024

What protections can I get in a stalking or sexually oriented offense protection order?

An ex parte or final sexually oriented offense protection order (SSOOPO) can:

  • prohibit the stalker or sexual offender from harming or attempting to harm you, threatening, following, stalking, harassing, contacting you, or forcing sexual relations upon you;
  • prohibit the abuser from entering your home, school, business, or place of employment, children’s school or daycare (including the grounds and parking lot) or that of any of your family or household members;
  • prohibit the abuser from shutting off any utilities or removing or damaging any of your property or pets, canceling any insurance or health benefits, interfering with your phone service or mail delivery;1
  • order that the respondent not remove, damage, hide, harm, or get rid of any companion animal owned or possessed by you (and the judge can allow you to remove your companion animal from the possession of the abuser).2

In addition, as part of a final order, the judge can order that the respondent wear electronic monitoring as long as you include the following in your petition:

  • that at any time before you filed the petition, the respondent engaged in conduct that would cause a “reasonable person” to believe that his/her health, welfare, or safety was at risk;
  • a description of the nature and extent of that conduct; and
  • that the respondent presents a continuing danger to you.3

1 See sample ex parte order on Ohio courts website
2 Ohio Rev. Code § 2903.214(E)(1)(a)
3 Ohio Rev. Code § 2903.214(C)(2), (E)(1)(b)