Restraining orders can protect you and your baby if the other parent has hurt you or has threatened to hurt you. You will usually get them from a court, but the police can issue one in an emergency.
If the person you are dating or used to date has hurt you or threatened to hurt you, you may want to think about asking the court to give you a restraining order. Anyone over 12 years old can apply for a restraining order on their own and it is free to apply. You can get a restraining order against someone who:
- You are dating
- You used to date
- You have a child with
- You are closely related to
You can get a restraining order even if there has not been any physical violence. However, you will have to show the court how you were abused in another way, like through threats of violence or repeated harassment or emotional abuse.
If you already have a family law case involving the person who has hurt you, the restraining order will be part of that case. If you don’t already have a family law case involving the person who has hurt you, you can file a request for a restraining order on its own, and you can ask for child custody, visitation, and child support as part of your restraining order case.
You can file a restraining order case at many different courthouses in Los Angeles, and they all have someone there to help you with the paperwork. The courthouse located at 111 N. Hill Street even has a Restraining Order Center (called the ROC) on the second floor.