California Supreme Court (2023)

Protection fixes at a glance

This section tells you how you can use the courts to protect yourself and your family from abuse and harassment. It also includes information on resources to make sure you and your family are safe. In addition, it provides links to help you determine if you or someone you care about is in an abusive relationship and to get help.

THIS SECTION EXPLAINS:

• Various types of restraining orders,
• admission requirements,
• Steps to get a restraining order and
• How to resist a restraining order.

THE TYPES OF RESTRAINING ORDER ARE:

• emergency protective order:Protects victims of abuse, severe harassment, or stalking. An emergency response warrant is available from the police 24 hours a day.
• Domestic Violence Limiting Ordinance:It protects people from family members, spouses or ex-spouses, people who have a child in common, or people who are in a current or past relationship.
• Order Limiting Civil Harassment:Protects people from abuse, threats of abuse, stalking, sexual assault, or serious harassment by someone they have not dated and are NOT close to, such as a family member. B. a neighbor, roommate, friend, or relative not listed in the Domestic Violence Reduction Order section.
• Restraining Order and Elder Abuse for Dependent Adults:Protects seniors and dependents from physical and financial abuse, neglect, isolation, kidnapping, harm, or deprivation at the hands of a caregiver.
• Workplace Violence Prevention Restraining Order:Protects employees from violence in the workplace.
• criminal injunction:Protects the victims and witnesses of the defendant in a criminal proceeding.
• youth ban:A juvenile detainer is a court order to protect a person who is being subjected to unlawful violence or a credible threat of violence by a minor.
• Injunction to prevent violence in a private post-secondary school:Protect students from violence at a private university.
• Order to temporarily restrain internal misconduct:Protects transitional housing program participants or program staff or neighbors on the program site.
• Order to Limit Gun Violence:A court order prohibiting any person from possessing weapons or ammunition.

Regardless of whether or not an injunction is issued,Make sure the other party receives the paperwork correctly and plan to attend the future hearing scheduled by the judge. On the future hearing date, the judge will rule on the permanent precautionary measure.

Various restriction fixes

It is not uncommon to have a criminal protective order and civil harassment restraining order; or an order to limit domestic violence; or an elder abuse order; when it comes to criminal proceedings. Even in the case of a criminal guardianship measure, the party may request family or civil law security measures. Tell the judge and the prosecutor if you have another restraining order. The criminal protection order takes precedence over other conflicting orders. This means that if the criminal order differs from another restraining order, it supersedes all other orders as the primary order that must be obeyed. FOR EXAMPLE: If the family law order allows contact and the criminal order says no contact, the parties cannot have contact.

Telephone, face-to-face or online support

POLICE:

If you are in danger or need help now, call911.

ORANGE COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT SELF-HELP CENTERS:

Self Help Center staff are available Monday through Friday to provide legal assistance and answer your questions in the courts listed below.

Hours: Monday to Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; Friday 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ASSISTANCE OFFICE:

Lamoreaux Justice Center: For domestic violence orders, all documentation must be submitted to the Family Law Office, located in Room 706 on the 7th Floor, by 3:00 p.m. m. Monday to Friday. Requests for same-day emergency assistance on all general family law matters, with the exception of domestic violence, must be submitted to the Family Law Office in Room 706 on the 7th Floor no later than 10 a.m. :00 a.m. m. Monday to Friday. The Domestic Violence Service Center, located in room 705 on the 7th floor, will help you complete the forms before submitting them to the Family Law Department.

OFFICE OF CIVIL AND FAMILY LAW:

See below for locations, hours, and phone numbers.

ORANGE COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT WEBSITE:

The plate offers a variety ofonlineServices such as finding resources and information, accessing and completing your forms, and viewing your case.

Judicial places to request restraining orders

COURT PLANTS FOR RESTRAINING ORDERS:

• Lamoreaux Justice Center: For domestic violence orders, all documentation must be submitted to the Family Law Office, located in Room 706 on the 7th Floor, by 3:00 p.m. m. Monday to Friday.
• Justice Center:Temporary Restraining/Protective Orders for Ex Parte Civil Harassmentcan be heard Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. m. to 4 p.m. m. Disputants must be at the civil department office by 3:00 p.m. The last check-in to fill out and submit documents is at 3:30 p.m. at the registry office. Petitions are judged the same day except after 3:30 p.m. m., in which case they are judged the next business day. All forms must be complete andwith precisioncompleted before putting it in the file.
• Central Justice Center: Hearings forElder Abuse Protection Orderstakes place Monday through Friday at 9:00 a.m. Before a judge can hear your case, he must give the other person at least four hours' notice that he intends to file for a protection order against her. If he does not give notice, he must explain his reasons to the judge in his written statement, and the judge will determine if he needs to be rescheduled for an alternative appointment to allow the other party to receive proper notice. He will receive his order the same day he appears in court if his paperwork is completed correctly and submitted to the Probate Office by 4:00 p.m. m.

ETS:

All Justice Centers (including the Lamoreaux Justice Center):
Monday to Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Friday – 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Domestic Violence Center (located in the Lamoreaux Justice Center, 7th floor):
Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm (closed 12pm to 1pm)

IMPORTANT:

• Visit for self-help serviceswww.occourts.org/autoayudaMore information about current hours and services.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I HAVE A DISABILITY AND NEED SPECIAL ACCOMMODATION?

If you have a disability and need help, fill out aHousing Application for Persons with Disabilities (MC-410)and file it with the court as soon as possible, but at least five days before the hearing date.

WHAT IF I NEED AN INTERPRETER?

SELECTING AN INTERPRETER

California law requires that all official court business be conducted in English. If a party or witness in a case does not speak English well, that person will need a court interpreter (who speaks both English and the native language of the person who does not speak English) so they can understand what is happening and talk to the judge. .
For more information on how to request a free interpreter, contact usClick here to access the court language access page.

If you decide to hire your own interpreter, be sure to get an experienced court interpreter, you should consider a professional interpreter who has passed the required exams.officially registered and licensed as a court interpreter by the California Judiciary.

There are two types of officially licensed court interpreters in California:

• Certified Court Interpreters:Only interpreters who pass the court interpreter certification exam and register with the Judicial Council are said to be "certified" in these 13 languages:
  American Sign Language, Arabic, Cantonese, Eastern Armenian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Vietnamese, and Western Armenian.
• Approved Court Interpreters:Spoken language interpreters who do not have a state exam are called "registered language interpreters." They must pass an English proficiency test and register with the state judiciary.

DOCUMENTS TRADUCTION

oCalifornia Courts websitehas a list of certified and registered interpreters for oral interpretation. Certified and registered interpreters can also translate documents; however, California courts do not test or certify an interpreter's written translation skills. EITHERAmerican Association of TranslatorsYou can also interpret documents.

TIPS FOR USING AN INTERPRETER

Using a court interpreter can be difficult, as you will need to contact someone else to get your information or to speak to the judge. Follow these tips when using an interpreter in court:

• Listen carefully to the interpreter.
• Wait for the interpreter to finish before answering.
• Speak slowly so that the interpreter understands everything you say.

Do not interrupt even if someone says something bad about you in court. You have the opportunity to speak.

Interpreters for people who are deaf or hard of hearing

Supervision:American Sign Language interpreters and real-time captioning are also available for parties and witnesses who are deaf or hard of hearing (or otherwise hard of hearing). The court will provide you with a sign language interpreter or sign writer or any other accommodations you may need. You can read more about this atFor people with disabilities requesting accommodationSection of this website for more information on the Court's guidelines on housing for people with disabilities. File your request as soon as possible, but at least 5 days before the hearing.

CAN I TAKE THE CHILDREN TO COURT?

Children can be brought before the courts and remain in "children's chambers" while their caregivers do business with the court. Children's Chambers is a safe child care center where children can be children instead of spending long sessions listening to adult interactions that can be painful or frightening.

Read more about which courts offer juvenile chambers and which onesguidelines.