Restraining Orders

A temporary order can include anything that the judge thinks is necessary to protect you from domestic abuse, including:

• making temporary custody or visitation orders; 
• giving you possession of any pets or companion animals that are owned or kept by you, the abuser, or by a minor child of you or the abuser; and
• prohibiting the abuser from coming near such animal, taking it, harming it, threatening it, etc.¹

Temporary orders also have to specifically include a notice that the abuser may be required to give up all firearms, offensive weapons, and ammunition if a permanent order is issued.¹

In a permanent order, the judge can:

1. order the abuser to:

• stop abusing you;
• leave the house or apartment where you are living together, or provide suitable alternate housing for you;
• stay away from your home, school, or job;
• not have in his/her possession any firearms, weapons, and ammunition;
• pay child and spousal support;
• pay your attorney’s fees and costs; 
• go to counseling (Note: The judge can also order you and your children to go to counseling as well);²
• stay away from any pet or companion animal that belongs to you, to the abuser, or to a minor child of you or the abuser; and
• not take, hide, bother, attack, threaten, or otherwise get rid of such pet or companion animal;² and

2. give you:

• temporary custody of your children and allow the abuser to have visitation;³ and
• exclusive care, possession, or control of any pets or companion animals.⁴ 

Note: The judge is supposed to keep your safety and the safety of your children in mind when deciding visitation. If the judge finds that you or your children will be in danger with unsupervised visitation, the judge should:

• restrict visitation;
• order supervised visits; or
• deny visitation entirely.³

The judge should also determine whether any other existing orders awarding custody or visitation rights should be changed (modified).³

Whether a judge orders any or all of the above depends on the facts of your case.

¹ Iowa Code § 236.4(2) - (4)
² Iowa Code § 236.5(1)
³ Iowa Code § 236.5(1)(b)(5)
⁴ Iowa Code § 236.5(1)(b)(7)