How to File a Restraining Order in Riverside County

To file a restraining order in Riverside County, choose the type of order that fits your situation, complete the Judicial Council forms for that type, and submit them to the Riverside County Superior Court in person or through the court’s eSubmit system. A judge usually reviews your paperwork the same day and can grant temporary protection immediately, with a full hearing set within a few weeks.

Pick the Right Type of Order

California has four categories, and the one you file determines which forms you use and which law governs your case.

File a domestic violence restraining order if the person is a current or former spouse, dating partner, cohabitant, co-parent, or close relative such as a parent, sibling, grandparent, or in-law.¹ The abuse does not have to be physical. California defines domestic abuse to include emotional and psychological harm, threats, stalking, sexual assault, and coercive control such as isolating you from friends, monitoring your finances, or restricting access to basic needs.²

File a civil harassment restraining order if you have no close relationship with the person, such as a neighbor, coworker, landlord, or distant relative like an aunt or cousin.³ You need to show a pattern of conduct that would cause a reasonable person substantial emotional distress, a credible threat of violence, or actual violence.⁴

File an elder or dependent adult abuse restraining order for someone aged 65 or older, or a dependent adult between 18 and 64 whose physical or mental limitations restrict daily activities or self-protection.⁵ It covers physical, financial, and emotional abuse, along with neglect, abandonment, and isolation.

Workplace violence restraining orders exist, but only an employer or a collective bargaining representative can file one. An individual employee cannot.⁶ If you’re being threatened at work and your employer won’t act, file a civil harassment order yourself.

If You’re in Immediate Danger

Call 911. A responding officer can reach an on-call judge any hour of the day and request an emergency protective order on the spot.⁷ An EPO takes effect immediately but lasts only five to seven days, so use that window to file the court paperwork below.

Fill Out the Forms

Each order type has its own Judicial Council forms. Download them from courts.ca.gov or pick up paper copies at any Riverside County Superior Court clerk’s office.

Domestic violence: DV-100 (the request describing the abuse), DV-109 (notice of court hearing), and DV-110 (temporary restraining order).⁸
Civil harassment: CH-100, CH-109, and CH-110.
Elder or dependent adult abuse: EA-100, EA-109, and EA-110.

Every petition also requires a Confidential CLETS Information form (CLETS-001), which gives law enforcement what they need to enter the order into the statewide database.⁹

The narrative section of the DV-100 or CH-100 is where most filings succeed or fall short. The judge decides whether to grant temporary protection based largely on what you write there, so describe each incident in concrete terms: specific dates, specific locations, what the person said or did, and the effect on you. Pull together the restrained person’s full legal name, address, date of birth, physical description, and vehicle details if you have them, and attach supporting evidence where you can:

Police reports from any incidents.
Medical records documenting injuries.
Photos or videos of injuries, property damage, or violations of boundaries.
Threatening texts, emails, voicemails, and social media messages, ideally as screenshots with visible timestamps.
Names and contact details for witnesses.

Think through what protections you want to request: a stay-away distance covering your home, workplace, and children’s schools; a no-contact order covering calls, texts, and contact through third parties; and, if you share children with the person, temporary custody and visitation.

File at the Riverside County Superior Court

Submit your completed packet to the Superior Court. Riverside County has courthouses throughout the region, including the Riverside Family Law Courthouse, Larson Justice Center in Indio, Blythe Courthouse, and Moreno Valley Courthouse, among others.¹⁰ Different courthouses handle different filing categories, so confirm the right location on the court’s website before you go.¹¹ You can also file electronically through the court’s eSubmit system.¹²

Filing Fees

There is no filing fee for domestic violence restraining orders. Civil harassment petitions involving violence, stalking, or a credible threat of violence are also free to file.¹³ For civil harassment petitions based on other forms of harassment without an allegation of violence or stalking, the base filing fee is $435, with a small Riverside County surcharge for courthouse construction.

If you can’t afford the fee, file a Request to Waive Court Fees (Form FW-001). You qualify if you receive certain public benefits, have a low income, or don’t have enough income to cover both basic needs and court costs.¹⁴

What the Judge Does Next

The clerk stamps your forms with the filing date, and a judge reviews the packet, often the same day. If the judge signs form DV-110 (or the equivalent CH-110 or EA-110), you have a temporary restraining order in effect immediately.⁸ Your paperwork will include a notice listing the date, time, and location of your full hearing, typically within a few weeks. If the judge declines to issue a TRO, your case still moves forward; you’ll have your hearing and can present evidence and testimony in person.

Serve the Other Person

Before the hearing, the restrained person has to be formally notified by receiving copies of everything you filed, along with the hearing notice. You cannot deliver the papers yourself.

Someone 18 or older who is not named in the petition must personally hand the documents to the restrained person. That can be a county sheriff’s deputy, a registered process server, or any other uninvolved adult.¹⁵ The server then completes a Proof of Service form: DV-200 for domestic violence, CH-200 for civil harassment, or EA-200 for elder abuse.¹⁶ File the completed Proof of Service with the court before your hearing. If service isn’t completed in time, the judge will reschedule, and any existing TRO usually gets extended to the new date.

If you can’t find the person despite genuine effort, you can ask the court for permission to serve by publication or posting. File an Application for Order for Publication or Posting (form FL-980) documenting every attempt you made.¹⁷ Publication runs once a week for four consecutive weeks in a newspaper serving the area where the person is most likely to be, and you cover the cost. Posting at the courthouse is only available if you qualify for a fee waiver.

Go to the Hearing

Arrive early. Security lines take time, and failing to appear can get your case dismissed. Bring originals and copies of your evidence, plus any witnesses who can support your account.

Both sides speak. You describe what happened and present your evidence; the restrained person responds. The judge can grant a restraining order after hearing for up to five years, deny the request, or continue the hearing to a later date.¹⁸¹⁹ If the restrained person doesn’t show, the judge can still grant the order on your evidence alone.

Continuances happen most often because the restrained person wasn’t served in time, because the restrained person asks for more time to prepare (which the judge must grant at the first hearing), or because the judge needs more time. When a TRO is in place, the judge will usually extend it to the new hearing date.

Firearms Surrender

Once the order is issued, the restrained person is barred from owning, possessing, or purchasing firearms and ammunition. California law requires surrender of all firearms and ammunition within 24 hours of being served, either to local law enforcement or to a licensed gun dealer.²⁰ Handing weapons to a friend or relative is not allowed.

Within 48 hours of being served, the restrained person must file a receipt proving the weapons were surrendered or sold, with one copy to the issuing court and another to the law enforcement agency that served the order. Failing to file the receipt on time is itself a violation.²⁰ In civil harassment cases, the proof-of-surrender form is CH-800.²¹

How Long It Lasts and When to Renew

A TRO lasts only until your hearing. An order after hearing can last up to five years for both domestic violence and civil harassment cases.²²⁴ If a civil harassment order doesn’t specify an end date, it defaults to three years.

You can request a renewal within the three months before your order expires. For domestic violence cases, file DV-700 and DV-710, then serve the restrained person before the new hearing. A DVRO can be renewed for an additional five years or made permanent at the judge’s discretion, and you don’t need to prove new abuse; the court applies a “reasonable apprehension” standard, asking whether a reasonable person in your situation would still fear abuse could resume if the order expired.²² Civil harassment orders can be renewed for up to five additional years under the same standard.⁴

The timing is strict. File the renewal even one day after the existing order expires and the court cannot renew it; you’d have to start over.

If the Order Is Violated

Call 911 immediately. Law enforcement across the country can see California restraining orders through the CLETS database, and the order is enforceable in all 50 states, U.S. territories, and tribal lands.²³

Knowingly violating a restraining order is a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in county jail, a fine of up to $1,000, or both.²⁴ A violation causing physical injury carries a minimum 30 days in jail and a fine of up to $2,000. A repeat violation involving violence or a credible threat within seven years of a prior conviction can be charged as a felony.

Free Help in Riverside County

Filing without a lawyer is common. The Riverside County Superior Court Self-Help Center assists with restraining order paperwork.¹² The California Courts self-help site at selfhelp.courts.ca.gov has step-by-step guides for each order type along with fillable versions of every form.

1
Judicial Branch of California. Domestic Violence Restraining Orders in California
2
California Legislative Information. California Family Code 6320
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Judicial Branch of California. Civil Harassment Restraining Orders in California
4
California Legislative Information. California Code of Civil Procedure 527.6
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Judicial Branch of California. Elder or Dependent Adult Abuse Restraining Orders in California
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Judicial Branch of California. Workplace Violence Restraining Orders in California
7
California Courts. Guide to Protective Orders
8
California Courts. File Your Request for a Domestic Violence Restraining Order
9
California Courts. Confidential Information for Law Enforcement (CLETS-001)
10
Superior Court of California, County of Riverside. Locations and Contact Info
11
Superior Court of California, County of Riverside. Where to File
12
Superior Court of California, County of Riverside. Restraining Orders
13
Judicial Branch of California. Statewide Civil Fee Schedule Effective January 1, 2026
14
California Courts. Request to Waive Court Fees (FW-001)
15
Judicial Council of California. Proof of Personal Service (DV-200)
16
Judicial Council of California. Proof of Personal Service (CH-200)
17
California Courts. Ask to Serve by Publication or Posting
18
California Courts. What to Expect in the Courtroom
19
Judicial Branch of California. Prepare for Your Restraining Order Court Date
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California Legislative Information. California Family Code 6389
21
Judicial Council of California. How Do I Turn In, Sell, or Store My Firearms, Firearm Parts, and Ammunition
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California Legislative Information. California Family Code 6345
23
California Courts. Enforce Your Restraining Order
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California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 273.6