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Legal Information: Rhode Island
Laws current as of July 19, 2024 In which county can I file for a restraining order?
You can file for a restraining order in the county where you live. If you move to another county to escape abuse, you can file there immediately. You don’t have to live there for a certain time.1
However, think about your safety. If you want to keep your new address confidential, filing in your new county might not be the safest. The court papers will show the county, which could let the abuser know where you are.
1 R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 8-8.1-2(a); 15-15-2(a), (d)
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