Restraining Orders

The court can order one or more of the following terms:

• Order the abuser to leave the home that s/he shares with the victim, regardless of any legal right to the home;
• Order the abuser to stop disturbing, harassing, following, intimidating, or threatening the victim, or interfering in any other way with the his/her legal rights;
• Prohibit the abuser from entering or remaining in the same place in which the victim can be found (if the judge believes that this limitation is necessary to prevent the abuser from bothering, intimidating, threatening or disturbing the peace of the victim or interfering with him/her in any other way);
• In some cases, order the abuser to pay support to the victim;
• Prohibit the abuser from making decisions about / giving away the private property of the petitioner; (Note: If it is a question of the administration of a business, a monthly report must be submitted to the court on the management of the business);
• Order the abuser to pay financial compensation for the damages that were caused by the abuse or neglect, which may include, but it not limited to, moving expenses, expenses for repairs to property, or for legal, medical, psychiatric, or psychological expenses, counseling, housing, shelter, assistive technology or any other similar expenses;
• Order that the owner or person in charge of a residential home or hospital where the victim is living (if applicable), to take the necessary steps to ensure that the order is not violated; and
• Order other measures that are necessary for the safety of the victim.¹

¹ 8 L.P.R.A § 1519