Restraining Orders

Your protection order can be enforced in Rhode Island as long as:

• it identifies who is protected by the order and who the order is against;
• it is currently in effect;¹
• it was issued to prevent violent or threatening acts, harassing behavior, or sexual violence, or to prevent another person from coming near you or contacting you;²
• the judge that gave the order had power (jurisdiction) over the people and case; in other words, the judge had the authority to hear the case; and
• the abuser received notice of the order and had an opportunity to go to court to tell his/her side of the story. In the case of ex parte temporary and emergency orders, the abuser must receive notice and have an opportunity to go to court to tell his/her side of the story at a hearing that is scheduled before the temporary order expires.³

Note: For information on enforcing a military protective order (MPO) off the military installation, or enforcing a civil protection order (CPO) on a military installation, please see our Military Protective Orders page. 

¹ R.I. Gen. Laws § 15-15.1-3(d)(1), (d)(2)
² 18 U.S.C. § 2266(5)
³ 18 U.S.C. § 2265(a), (b); R.I. Gen. Laws § 15-15.1-3(d)(3), (d)(4)