Step 3: Bring your petition to family court.
When you bring your petition to court, a judge will look over your request and decide whether to grant you a temporary restraining order (TRO). The judge may ask you questions about your request or s/he may make a decision based on your application only. The abuser does not need to be present for you to get a TRO.
Note: You may not know right away if the judge will grant you the TRO. The clerk may instruct you to call back later in the day to find out the status of your petition. If you file early in the morning, you will usually hear back later that afternoon. If you file later in the day, you will likely hear back the next day.