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Legal Information: Tennessee

Restraining Orders

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Updated: 
October 6, 2020

What is the legal definition of domestic abuse?

This section defines domestic abuse for the purposes of getting a protection order.

For purposes of getting a protection order, you must allege that the abuser has done one or more of these things to you:

  • physically hurts you, tries to physically hurt you, or puts you in fear of physical harm;
  • threatens you with serious physical harm;
  • physical restraint (i.e., confines your movements or imprisons you in any way, such as locking you in a room);
  • destroys or damages your property on purpose (maliciously); or
  • injures, attempts to injure, or puts you or your minor child in fear that s/he will injure any animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by you or your minor child.1

Note: The abuser must also have a specific type of relationship to you to qualify for a protection order.

1 TN ST § 36-3-601(1)

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