RESTRAINING ORDER
A restraining order is a court order that prohibits contact and/or certain behavior directed to the person needing protection. It may be referred to as a civil order for protection, a stay-away or no hit order, an injunction or a temporary restraining order. The term is most commonly used in reference to domestic violence, harassment, stalking or sexual assault. All protective order statutes permit the court to order the abuser to stay away from someone, their home, their workplace or their school and to stop contacting them. Victims generally also can ask the court to order that all contact, whether by telephone, notes, mail, fax, email or delivery of flowers or gifts, is prohibited. Courts can also order the abuser to stop hurting or threatening someone. Many jurisdictions also allow the court to make decisions about the care and safety of the children. Courts can order the abuser to stay away from and have no contact with the children's doctors, daycare, school or after-school job. Most courts can make temporary child custody decisions, visitation or child support orders. A victim can also ask the court to order supervised visitation, or to specify a safe arrangement for transferring the children back and forth.