DV-500-INFO - Can a Domestic Violence Restraining Order Help Me?

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Can a Domestic Violence Restraining Order Help Me?

Text

Form ID: DV-500-INFO
Title: Can a Domestic Violence Restraining Order Help Me?
Effective Date: 2025-01-01
Mandatory Form: no
Languages: 汉语, 한국어, español, Tagalog, Tiếng Việt
Info Page: https://selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/jcc-form/DV-500-INFO
Primary Download URL: https://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/dv500info.pdf
Alternate Download URLs: https://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/dv500infoc.pdf, https://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/dv500infok.pdf, https://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/dv500infos.pdf, https://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/dv500infot.pdf, https://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/dv500infov.pdf
Form Detail Page:
Can a Domestic Violence Restraining Order Help Me?
(DV-500-INFO)
Explains what this type restraining order is and how you can be eligible.
Get form DV-500-INFO
汉语
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(Chinese Simplified)
한국어
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(Korean)
español
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(Spanish)
Tagalog
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(Tagalog)
Tiếng Việt
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(Vietnamese)
Effective: January 1, 2025
Go to
How-to instructions for Domestic Violence
Go to
Domestic Violence Form Packets
PDF Text:
Judicial Council of California, www.courts.ca.gov 
Rev. January 1, 2025, Optional Form Can a Domestic Violence 
Restraining Order Help Me? 
(Domestic Violence Prevention)
DV-500-INFO Can a Domestic Violence Restraining Order Help Me?
What is a “domestic violence restraining 
order”?
It is a court order that can help protect people who have 
been abused by someone they've had an intimate 
relationship with, are closely related to, or have lived with 
as more than just roommates.
How can a restraining order help me?
A judge can order the restrained person to:
Not contact you, your children or relatives, or people 
you live with;
Stay away from you, your children or relatives, or 
people you live with, your home, your job, etc.;
Not have any firearms (guns, including “ghost guns”), 
firearm parts, ammunition, or body armor; 
Move out of a home that you live in;
Obey child custody and visitation orders;
Pay child support;
Pay spousal support; 
Pay debt for property; and
Give you control of property (examples: cell phone, 
car, home). 
Does this request cost money to file?
No, filing this request with the court is free.
How long can a restraining order last?
If the judge makes a temporary order, it will last until 
your hearing date (court date). Your hearing is usually 
three weeks after you turn in your court papers. At your 
hearing, the judge will decide whether to grant you a 
long-term restraining order that can last up to five years. 
How soon can I get the order? 
If you decide to ask for a restraining order, you will 
need to complete court papers. Once you turn in your 
court papers, a judge will decide the same day or next 
business day on whether to grant you a temporary 
restraining order. 
How old must I be to ask for one?
To ask for a restraining order on your own, you must 
be 12 years old or older. In some cases, the judge may 
ask that an adult (someone 18 years old or older), like 
a trusted relative, help you in your case.
What if I don’t have a green card?
You can get a restraining order even if you are not a 
U.S. citizen. If you are worried about deportation, you 
may want to talk with an immigration lawyer.
Can a restraining order protect my 
children?
Yes, you can ask the judge to protect your children. If 
you are asking for a restraining order against someone 
you have children with, you can also ask the judge to 
make child custody and visitation orders. And if you 
think that the other parent might abduct (kidnap) your 
children, you can ask for orders to prevent kidnapping.  
 
Can I use a restraining order to get 
divorced or terminate a registered 
domestic partnership?
No. These forms will not end your marriage or 
registered domestic partnership. You must file other 
forms to end your marriage or registered domestic 
partnership. 
 DV-500-INFO, Page 1 of 3

Rev. January 1, 2025 Can a Domestic Violence 
Restraining Order Help Me? 
(Domestic Violence Prevention)
DV-500-INFO Can a Domestic Violence Restraining Order Help Me?
Am I eligible?
To qualify for a domestic violence restraining order, you 
must have a (1) required relationship and (2) show that 
the person you want a restraining order against has been 
abusive.
Required relationship
Your spouse, ex-spouse, registered domestic 
partner, or ex-registered domestic partner;
Someone you have a child with;  
Your parent, child, sibling, or grandparent 
(includes in-laws and step relationships);
Someone you live with or used to live with (more 
than just roommates); 
Abuse
Abuse can be spoken, written, or physical. It can be 
physical, sexual, or emotional. It includes threats to 
harm you or your family, stalking, harassment, 
destroying personal property, repeated contact, and 
disturbing the peace.   
What does disturbing the peace mean? 
It means to destroy someone’s mental or emotional 
calm. Disturbing the peace includes coercive 
control. Coercive control means a number of acts 
that unreasonably limit the free will and individual 
rights of any person. Examples include:
Isolating someone from their friends, 
relatives, or other support;
Keeping them from food or basic needs;
Controlling or keeping track of them, including 
their movements, contacts, actions, money, or 
access to services;
Threats to immigration status;
Making them do something that they don’t 
want to do; and
Controlling or interfering with someone’s 
contraception (birth control, condoms); 
pregnancy or ability to become a parent; or 
access to health information.
What if I don’t qualify for a domestic 
violence restraining order?
There are other kinds of restraining orders you can ask 
for. Here are some examples:
Civil harassment order (can be used for 
neighbors,roommates, cousins, uncles, and aunts).
Dependent adult or elder abuse restraining order (if 
you are at least 65 or a dependent adult).
Gun violence restraining order (to prevent someone 
from hurting themselves or others with a firearm).
Note that all restraining orders include a firearms and 
ammunition restriction. A gun violence restraining 
order gives limited protection because it only restrains 
the person from having firearms and ammunition. To 
learn more about other kinds of restraining orders, go 
to https://selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/restraining-orders.
How do I ask for a domestic violence 
restraining order?
See form DV-505-INFO, How to Ask for a Domestic 
Violence Restraining Order. The forms are available 
online at www.courts.ca.gov/forms. If you want a paper 
copy, go to any California courthouse. You can also 
check with your county’s law library.
Will I have a court hearing (court date)?
Yes. The court will give you a day and time to attend 
court. If you want to attend court remotely (by phone or 
videoconference), go to the court’s website to find out 
how to attend remotely. To learn more about what to 
expect at your hearing, read form DV-520-INFO, Get 
Ready for Your Restraining Order Court Hearing, or go 
to https://selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/DV-restraining-order/
prepare-court-date. 
DV-500-INFO, Page 2 of 3

Rev. January 1, 2025
Can a Domestic Violence 
Restraining Order Help Me? 
(Domestic Violence Prevention)
DV-500-INFO Can a Domestic Violence Restraining Order Help Me?
Do I need a lawyer to make this request?
No, but this type of request can be hard to get through 
on your own. Free help may be available at your local 
court’s self-help center. (See below.) 
Where can I find a self-help center?
Find your local court’s self-help center at  
www.selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/find. Self-help center 
staff will not act as your lawyer but may be able to 
give you information to help you decide what to do in 
your case, and help you with the forms. 
What if I need an interpreter?
If you decide to ask for a restraining order, you 
will need to talk to a judge. If you need an 
interpreter, use form INT-300 to request an 
interpreter or ask the court clerk how you can 
request one.
I have a disability. How can I get help?
You may use form MC-410 to request assistance. 
Contact the disability or ADA coordinator at your local 
court for more information.
Request for Accommodations 
Assistive listening systems, computer-assisted 
real-time captioning, or sign language 
interpreter services are available if you ask at 
least five days before the hearing. Contact the 
clerk’s office or go to www.courts.ca.gov/
forms.htm for Disability Accommodation 
Request (form MC-410). (Civil Code section 
54.8.) 
Confidential Address Program
If you are a victim of domestic violence or live with a 
victim of domestic violence, there is a special program 
called Safe At Home that you can apply for. It is a free 
program that would help you keep your address private. 
To learn more about the program, go to 
https://www.sos.ca.gov/registries/safe-home/. 
Note that it may take several weeks to be approved.
For more information on other steps of 
the process
Form DV-505-INFO, How to Ask for a Domestic 
Violence Restraining Order
Form DV-200-INFO, What Is “Proof of Personal 
Service”?
Form DV-520-INFO, Get Ready For Your 
Restraining Order Court Hearing
Form DV-530-INFO, How to Enforce Your 
Restraining Order
Information about the court process is also 
available online
https://selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/DV-restraining-order/
process.
Where can I find other help?
The National Domestic Violence Hotline provides free 
and private safety tips. Help is available every day, 24 
hours a day, and in over 100 languages. Visit online at  
www.thehotline.org or call 1-800-799-7233; 
1-800-787-3224 (TTY).
DV-500-INFO, Page 3 of 3

Retrieval chunks

• #1

  Form ID: DV-500-INFO Title: Can a Domestic Violence Restraining Order Help Me? Effective Date: 2025-01-01 Mandatory Form: no Languages: 汉语, 한국어, español, Tagalog, Tiếng Việt Info Page: https://selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/jcc-form/DV-500-INFO Primary Download URL: https://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/dv500info.pdf Alt…

• #2

  three weeks after you turn in your court papers. At your hearing, the judge will decide whether to grant you a long-term restraining order that can last up to five years. How soon can I get the order? If you decide to ask for a restraining order, you will need to complete court papers. Once you turn in your cour…

• #3

  What does disturbing the peace mean? It means to destroy someone’s mental or emotional calm. Disturbing the peace includes coercive control. Coercive control means a number of acts that unreasonably limit the free will and individual rights of any person. Examples include: Isolating someone from their friends, …

• #4

  Do I need a lawyer to make this request? No, but this type of request can be hard to get through on your own. Free help may be available at your local court’s self-help center. (See below.) Where can I find a self-help center? Find your local court’s self-help center at www.selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/find. Self-help…