Restraining Orders

Your out of state protection order can be enforced in Tennessee as long as each of the following are true:¹

• It was issued to prevent violent or threatening acts, harassing behavior, sexual violence, or it was issued to prevent another person from coming near you or contacting you.²
• The court that issued the order had jurisdiction over the people and case. In other words, the court had the authority to hear the case.
• The abuser received notice of the order and had an opportunity to go to court to tell his/her side of the story.
  • In the case of ex parte temporary and emergency orders, the abuser must receive notice and have an opportunity to go to court to tell his/her side of the story at a hearing that is scheduled before the temporary order expires.³

Note: Tennessee will not enforce a protection order if the court gave both you and your abuser a protection order based on your petition. However, if the abuser filed a separate petition (cross-petitioned) for a protection order against you, and the court made a finding of domestic violence against you, then both your order and the abuser’s order can be enforced in Tennessee.⁴

For information on enforcing a military protective order (MPO) off the military installation, or enforcing a civil protection order (CPO) on a military installation, please see our Military Protective Orders page.

¹ TN ST § 36-3-622(b)(1), (i)
² 18 U.S.C. § 2266(5)
³ 18 U.S.C. § 2265(a), (b)
⁴ TN ST § 36-3-622(d)