Restraining Orders

Generally, only the state that issued your protection order can change, extend, or cancel it. To have your order changed, extended, or canceled, you will likely have to file a motion or petition in the court where the order was issued. You may be able to ask to attend the court hearing by telephone or video rather than in person so that you do not need to return to the state where the abuser lives. Find out if this is possible by calling the clerk of the court that issued your order. To learn more about changing your order, see the Restraining Orders page for the state where your order was issued. To get the information for the court that issued your order, go to Courthouse Locations and choose the state from the drop-down menu.

If your order expires while you are living in Rhode Island, you may be able to get a new restraining order in Rhode Island. However, this may be difficult to do if no new incidents of abuse have occurred in Rhode Island. To find out how to get a restraining order in Rhode Island, visit our Rhode Island Restraining Orders page.