Restraining Orders

Only the state that issued your protective order can change, extend, or cancel the order.  You cannot have this done by a court in Texas.

To have your order changed, extended, or canceled, you will have to file a motion or petition in the court where the order was issued.  You may be able to request that you attend the court hearing by telephone rather than in person, so that you do not need to return to the state where the abuser is living.  To find out more information about how to modify a restraining order, see the Restraining Orders page for the state where your order was issued.

If your order expires while you are living in Texas, you may be able to get a new one issued in Texas but this may be difficult to do if no new incidents of abuse have occurred.  To find out more information on how to get a protective order in Texas, visit our TX Family Violence Protective Orders page.