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Legal Information: Tennessee

Restraining Orders

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Updated: 
October 6, 2020

What types of elderly or vulnerable adult protection orders are there? How long do they last?

There are two types of elderly or vulnerable adult protection orders: ex parte and final.

Ex parte orders are issued by a judge without notice to the abuser before you file. Ex parte orders last for up to 15 days or until a hearing on a final order, whichever comes first.1 A judge will issue an ex parte order if s/he finds that you are in immediate danger of abuse, neglect, financial exploitation, or sexual exploitation.2

Final orders are issued by a judge with notice to the abuser and after a hearing. Final orders last up to one year.3

1 Tenn. Code § 71-6-124(a)(5)
2 Tenn. Code § 71-6-124(a)(2)
3 Tenn. Code § 71-6-124(c)

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