WomensLaw serves and supports all survivors, no matter their sex or gender.

Legal Information: Rhode Island

Restraining Orders

View all
Updated: 
November 30, 2023

Step 3: A judge will review your application.

After you finish filling out your application for the restraining order, bring it to the court clerk. The clerk will forward it to a judge. The judge may wish to ask you questions as s/he reviews your complaint. Based on what you write in the complaint, the judge will decide whether to issue an immediate temporary order. The decision will be based on whether or not you and/or your child is at risk for immediate and severe injury, damage or loss. The judge will then set a date for a hearing for the final order. You will be given papers that state the time and date of your hearing for a final order. The hearing should be scheduled to happen within 21 days.1

Note: If you received a temporary order, you should keep a copy of it with you at all times.

1 RI Gen. Laws §§ 8-8.1-4(a)(2); 15-15-4(a)(2)

Legal Information

© 2008–2024 WomensLaw.org is a project of the National Network to End Domestic Violence, Inc. All rights reserved. This website is funded in part through a grant from the Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. Neither the U.S. Department of Justice nor any of its components operate, control, are responsible for, or necessarily endorse, this website (including, without limitation, its content, technical infrastructure, and policies, and any services or tools provided). NNEDV is a 501©(3) non-profit organization; EIN 52-1973408.