Domestic Violence
If you are in immediate danger call 911.
Assistance available at the Self-Help Center includes instructional packets, limited individual assistance and document checks of your completed forms. Some help may also be available for victims of domestic violence through Casa De Esperanza at (530) 674-5400.
IF YOU ARE IN IMMEDIATE DANGER CALL 911
The Self-Help website for the State of California has additional helpful information.
Restraining Orders
There are several types of restraining orders: domestic violence, civil harassment, workplace violence and elder or dependent adult abuse. This page contains information about domestic violence restraining orders. Find information about the other types of restraining order on the California Courts website.
A domestic violence restraining order is a court order that helps protect people from abuse and/or threats of abuse from someone they know.
Abuse is defined as any of the following:
- Physically hurting or trying to hurt someone intentionally or recklessly
- Sexual assault
- Threats or promises to harm someone
- Harassment, stalking, disturbing someone's peace, or destroying someone's personal property
A Restraining Order can order the restrained person to:
- Refrain from contacting or approaching you, your children, your relatives, or others who live with you
- Stay away from your home, work, or your children’s schools
- Move out of your house (even if you live together)
- Forfeit the right to own or possess a gun
- Follow child custody and visitation orders
- Pay certain bills, child support, spousal or partner support
- Stay away from your pets
- Release or return certain property
If you are looking for guided assistance with filing a restraining order online please select the restraining order type below:
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Domestic Violence Restraining Order
Domestic Violence Restraining Orders can be filed using a step-by-step interview system, Guide and File, to complete your forms and file them with the court.
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Gun Violence Restraining Order
Gun Violence Restraining Orders can be filed using a step-by-step interview system, Guide and File, to complete your forms and file them with the court.
Filing Instructions
The forms that you need to file a domestic violence restraining order are available online or are available free at the civil division or Self-Help Center of the Sutter County Superior Court.
The person seeking protection will need to fill out the forms and file them with the court. Once filed, if the protected person is asking for temporary orders (orders that are in effect between now and the time of the hearing) the forms will be given to the judge for review and the judge will make a decision whether all or some of the orders will be granted. A court date will be set a few weeks out and the restrained party will need to be served with both the request for the restraining order and any temporary orders that have been issued. The protected party must appear for the court date in order to ask for any temporary restraining orders to be continued, or to ask for a more permanent order.
Instructional Packets
The Self-Help Center has put together two instruction packets to help you fill out the forms to ask the court for a domestic violence restraining order. The instructions do not include all of the forms that could be attached to a request for an order but do contain the most commonly requested forms.