English
EspañolStep 2: Go to the courthouse to get and file the necessary forms.
Go to the Superior Court on your island and tell the clerk that you want to file for an order of protection. The clerk may direct you to the Pro Se Center of the Family Court Division to get help with the process. To find contact information for the courthouse in your area, click on our CNMI Courthouse Locations page.
If you are working with an advocate, the advocate will help you find the forms you need. Otherwise, you can get the forms at the courthouse or from our CNMI Download Court Forms page.
On the petition, you will be the “petitioner” and the abuser will be the “respondent.” In the space provided, write about the most recent incidents of violence, using specific language, such as slapping, hitting, grabbing, threatening, etc., that fits your situation. Include details and dates, if possible. Clerks and advocates can show you which blanks to fill in, but they cannot help you decide what to write.
Once the forms have been completed, the judge will review them and decide whether or not to grant you a temporary restraining order (“TRO”). If your TRO is granted, you will be given a copy along with information about your initial court date.
