"Respond" means to let the judge and the other side know whether you agree or disagree with the request for restraining order, and why. If you want to respond in writing, you can complete a form and turn it in to the court. Responding in writing is optional and there is no penalty if you don't.
Find a specific page or step-by-step instructions within our Civil Harassment Restraining Order content.
After you get a court date for your civil harassment restraining order, you must have someone give a copy of your court papers to the person you need protection from (the other side in your case). This lets the other side know that a case was filed, what they can do next, and what they can't do (if there's a temporary restraining order). This is
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After you get a court date, you must have someone give a copy of your court papers to the person you need protection from. This is called serving papers. A sheriff or marshal may be able to do it for you, but you can also choose someone else to serve for you. Serving the papers lets the other side know that a case was filed, what they can do next
If you've never been to a court hearing before, it can be helpful to know some of the basics about what happens in a courtroom.
After you file your forms, a judge will review your court papers to decide whether to give you temporary protection, if you asked for it. After the judge decides, you'll need to go back to the courthouse to pick up your court papers. If you did not ask for a temporary restraining order, you will get your papers back once the clerk stamps your
