In Colorado, for the purpose of a civil protection order, domestic abuse/violence is defined as when someone with whom you have a specific relationship commits any of the following:

• any act, attempted act, or threatened act of violence, stalking, harassment, or coercion against you; or
• any act, attempted act, or threatened act of violence against:
  • your children who are under 18; or
  • any animal owned by you or the abuser or by a child of you or the abuser. The purpose of the violent act or threat against the animal must be to coerce, control, punish, intimidate, or get revenge upon you or a minor child of you or the abuser.¹

Coercion, mentioned above, is defined as using force, the threat of force, or intimidation to:

• make you do something that you have the right not to do; or
• to make you not do something that you have the right to do.¹

Note: The Colorado courts website lists various behaviors on their Protection Order Incident Checklist that may be relevant in a court case for a civil protection order. However, even if one or more of these actions took place, you still need to be able to prove to the judge that these actions meet the legal definition of domestic abuse, explained above.

¹ Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-14-101(2)

A temporary (ex parte) or permanent protection order may:

• order the abuser to stop hitting, threatening, or harming you or your children;
• order the abuser to stay away from you and/or your children;
• order the abuser to stop contacting you and/or your children;
• order the abuser to move out of the home you share or out of your home if you can prove that physical or emotional harm would happen if s/he stayed in the home;
• order the abuser to stay away from your home;
• order the abuser to not interfere with your job or school or do anything that would harm your employment or educational relationships/environment;
• give you temporary care and control of your children and order parenting time rights, supervised or unsupervised, which can last up to one year;
• give you temporary decision-making responsibility when it is related to preventing domestic abuse or preventing the child from witnessing domestic abuse;
• order the abuser to continue to make payments on the mortgage or rent, insurance, utilities and related household services, transportation, medical care, or child care when the respondent has an existing duty or legal obligation;
• order the abuser to not hide or get rid of your personal effects, land, or homes that are yours alone or shared with the abuser;
• order the abuser to not threaten, harm, kill, hide or take any animal owned by you or by a child of you or the abuser;
• make specific arrangements for the possession and care of an animal owned by you or by a child of you or the abuser;¹
• order both of the following if, after reviewing the petition, the judge determines that an act of domestic violence took place and it involved physical force or the threat or attempt to use physical force:
  • order the abuser to not have firearms or ammunition while the order is in effect;
  • order the abuser to give up any firearms that s/he currently has in his/her possession to a licensed firearms dealer, private party, or to law enforcement;² and
• do anything else that the judge thinks is necessary for your safety.¹

An emergency protection order can do any of the following:

• order that the abuser stop contacting, harassing, injuring, intimidating, threatening, molesting, touching, stalking, sexually assaulting or abusing the victim, the victim’s child, or the abuser’s child;
• order that the abuser be removed from the home you share or from your home if it is shown that physical or emotional harm would otherwise happen;
• give temporary care and control of any minor child involved;
• order the abuser to not contact the child at school, at work, or wherever s/he may be found;
• order the abuser to not threaten, harm, kill, hide or take any animal owned by the victim or by a child of either party; and
• make specific arrangements for the possession and care of an animal owned by the victim or by a child of either party.³

Whether a judge orders all or some of the above depends on the facts of your case.

¹ Colo. Rev. Stat. §§ 13-14-105(1)(a)-(j), (1)(I); 13-14-104.5(8)
² Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-14-105.5(11), (1)(a), (2)(c)
³ Colo. Rev. Stat § 13-14-103(1)(b)

When you and the abuser live in different states, the judge may not have “personal jurisdiction” (power) over an out-of-state abuser. This means that the court may not be able to grant an order against him/her.

There are a few ways that a court can have personal jurisdiction over an out-of-state abuser:

1. The abuser has a substantial connection to your state. Perhaps the abuser regularly travels to your state to visit you, for business, to see extended family, or the abuser lived in your state and recently fled.
2. One of the acts of abuse “happened” in your state. Perhaps the abuser sends you threatening texts or harassing phone calls from another state but you read the messages or answer the calls while you are in your state. The judge could decide that the abuse “happened” to you while you were in your state. It may also be possible that the abuser was in your state when s/he abused you s/he but has since left the state.
3. If you file your petition and the abuser gets served with the court petition while s/he is in your state, this is another way for the court to get jurisdiction.

However, even if none of the above apply to your situation, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you can’t get an order. If you file, you may be granted an order on consent or the judge may find other circumstances that allow the order to be granted.

You can read more about personal jurisdiction in our Court System Basics - Personal Jurisdiction section.

Note: If the judge in your state refuses to issue an order, you can file for an order in the courthouse in the state where the abuser lives. However, remember that you will likely need to file the petition in person and attend various court dates, which could be difficult if the abuser’s state is far away.

You can ask a civil court for a protection order if the abuser has committed domestic violence against you or your children as long as  s/he is one of the following:

• A relative or former relative (either by blood or marriage);
• A spouse or ex-spouse;
• The father or mother of your child;
• A current or former intimate partner (not married to you); or
• A current or former housemate.¹

Also, if the judge finds that there is an immediate danger to the employees of a business, the judge can issue a protection order in the name of the business for the protection of the employees.² 

A parent may file on behalf of a minor child (under 18).³  You cannot get a protection order against someone who is under 10 years old.⁴  You may want to contact a domestic violence organization or a court clerk for more information on minors requesting protective orders.  See CO Advocates and Shelters and CO Courthouse Locations for contact information.

Note: Colorado also has protection orders based on stalking, assault and threatened bodily harm, sexual assault or unwanted sexual contact, and emotional abuse of an elderly or at-risk person – the abuser does NOT have to be related to you or in an intimate relationship with you to qualify for one of these orders.  For more information on each of the these orders, see Protection Orders for Stalking, Sexual Assault, Physical Harm/Threats, and Elder Abuse.

¹ Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-14-101(2)
² Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-14-104.5(7)(b)
³ Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-14-101(2.2), Colorado Rules of County Civil Procedure Rule 317(C)
⁴ Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-14-104.5(1)(a)

It is not clear according to Colorado law if a minor victim of abuse can file for his/her own order without a parent.  For minors under 18, a parent or guardian can file for the protection order.¹  If a parent or guardian is not available, it may be possible to have someone else apply on the minor’s behalf but you may want to check your court’s clerk’s office to make sure they would accept a petition brought by an adult who is not the parent or guardian.  You may want to contact a domestic violence organization or a court clerk for more information on minors requesting protective orders.  See CO Advocates and Shelters and CO Courthouse Locations for contact information.

Note: You cannot get a protective order against someone who is under 10 years old.²

¹ Colo. Rev. Stat.§ 13-14-101(2.2); see Colorado Rules of County Court Civil Procedure Rule 317(C)
² Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-14-104.5(1)(a)

No, you do not need a lawyer to file for a protection order, but it may be better to have one. If the abuser has a lawyer, you should try to get one too. Even if the abuser does not have a lawyer, it is recommended that you contact a lawyer to make sure that your legal rights are protected.

In addition, the domestic violence organizations in your area and/or court staff may be able to answer some of your questions or help you fill out the necessary court forms. You will find information on legal assistance and domestic violence organizations on the CO Places that Help page. You will find contact information for courthouses on the CO Courthouse Locations page.

For more information, you can also write to our Email Hotline. We cannot represent you in court or give you legal advice, but we may be able to answer some of your questions.

If you are going to be in court without a lawyer, our Preparing for Court – By Yourself section may be useful to you.

Carefully fill out the appropriate forms. When you are filling out the forms, you will be the “petitioner” and the abuser will be the “respondent.” Be prepared to provide the following information:

• The county where you live or work and the county where the abuser lives or works;
• The names and birthdays of children who will also be protected by the protection order;
• A description of what happened and when – in other words, you’ll need to explain why you are seeking a protection order; and
• What kind of relief you are seeking – in other words, you need to tell the court whether you want the abuser to get out of your home, to not contact you at all, to only contact you in specific ways, etc.

When filling out the forms, be sure to include a detailed description of the facts and circumstances of the domestic violence that you have been through. If you would like the court to give you a temporary (ex parte) protection order, be sure to also explain why you need immediate protection. You must show the court why your need for protection is urgent and cannot wait. (The complaint/motion for protection order will use the word “imminent” instead of “immediate.”)

Read the application carefully and ask questions if you don’t understand something. Describe in detail how the defendant (abuser) injured or threatened you. Explain when and where the abuse or threats occurred. Write about the most recent incident of violence, using descriptive language (“slapping,” “hitting,” “grabbing,” “choking,” “threatening,” etc.) that fits your situation. Be specific. Include details and dates, if possible. Colorado provides a form called an “incident checklist,” which may help you identify the different forms of abuse that the abuser committed against you.

Please note that the court will not deny you a protection order solely because of a lapse of time between an act of abuse or threat of harm and filing of the petition for a protection order.¹

Note: If you are divorced from your abuser, you may have to include in your application for a protection order either a copy of the divorce decree (court order) or a statement that the decree is currently unavailable, but that you will file a copy of the decree with the court before the hearing date on the application.

¹ Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-14-104.5(7)(a)

The abuser must be served with: (1) a copy of the verified complaint/motion for protection order and (2) a temporary protection order (if one is granted) before the date of your hearing for a permanent protection order.¹

You may ask a local sheriff in the county where the abuser will be located when served, a private process server, or someone you know who is at least 18 years old, is not involved in the case, and is familiar with the Colorado rules of service to serve the abuser.²

You cannot be charged a fee for having a sheriff serve a protection order related to domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.³

Once service is complete, whoever completed service has to fill out the affidavit/certificate of service, sign it in front of a notary (unless the process server is a deputy sheriff), and give it back to you. You should then make a copy of it and and keep it with your copy of the protection order and bring the original to the hearing. This document is very important, especially if the abuser doesn’t show up in court; it is your proof that the abuser was served with the papers and notified of the court date. The order is not enforceable until the defendant has been served.

You can find more information about service of process in our Preparing for Court – By Yourself section, in the question called What is service of process and how do I accomplish it?

¹ Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-14-104.5(9)
² See Rule 4 C.R.C.P.
³ Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-14-109(2)

Here are some steps that you may want to take as you are preparing to leave the courthouse:

• Review the protection order before you leave the courthouse.  If something is wrong or missing, ask the clerk to correct the order before you leave.
• Get several copies of the protection order.
• Leave a copy of the protection order at your work place, at your home, in your car, with a sympathetic neighbor, in your purse, and if children are included, then at the children’s school or daycare.  Basically, make sure that you have a copy of the protection order available at all times.  Once the defendant has been served, put a copy of the return of service with all copies of the protection order.
• Give a copy to the security guard or person at the front desk where you live and/or work along with a photo of the abuser.
• Give a copy of the protection order to anyone who is named in and protected by the order.
• Be sure that the information you provided on the information sheet for registering a protection order is complete and accurate so that police are able to effectively enforce the order.  For more information about the information sheet for registering a protection order, see Step 1: Get the required forms.

Note: A protection order is not a guarantee of your safety.  Ongoing safety planning is important after receiving the order.  Many batterers obey protection orders, but some do not, and it is important to build on the things you have already been doing to keep yourself safe.  For suggestions on staying safe, visit our Safety Planning page.  Advocates at local resource centers can assist you in designing a safety plan and can provide other forms of support.  To find an advocate in your area please visit our CO Advocates and Shelters page.  Remember that if the abuser violates the order in any way, you can report the violation to your local law enforcement, and s/he may be arrested.

Violation of a protection order can be a class 2 misdemeanor, which carries a punishment of up to three months imprisonment, a fine of up to $750, or both. It can be a class 1 misdemeanor, which carries a punishment of up to 12 months imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000, or both if any of the following are true:

• the abuser was previously convicted of violating a protection order;
• the protection order was issued as part of a criminal case and meets the requirements in section 18-1-1001 of the law;
• the basis for issuing the protection order included an allegation of stalking; or
• the parties were in an intimate relationship.¹

In addition, if s/he committed a separate crime when violating the order (such as burglary, assault, etc.), s/he can be charged with that crime as well as being charged with the violation of the order.

There are generally two ways to deal with a violation. You could file a motion for contempt in which you are telling the court that issued the order that the respondent has violated it and you are asking the court to find that the abuser in contempt of court and to punish him/her accordingly.

The other option is to contact law enforcement to report the violation by calling 911 or contacting your local law enforcement office. When the police arrive:

• The officer/deputy should interview you and the defendant (if s/he is still on the premises) separately. If they do not do this, ask the officer/deputy to speak to you in private, away from the abuser.
• Show the officer your protection order and the return of service form if the order is temporary. The return of service form proves that the abuser was served with the temporary order.
• Try to stay calm and tell the police what happened in the order that it happened.
• Save any evidence of the violation (e.g., damaged property, photos of injuries, photos of the scene, caller ID info, taped conversations, emails, voicemails, text messages, etc.) and show the evidence to the police. Provide the police with the names and addresses of any other witnesses to the violation.
• Get the officer’s/deputy’s name, badge number, and report number as this will help you in following up on the report.

The officer/deputy must have “probable cause” to arrest the defendant. Probable cause is defined as “reasonable cause to believe that a crime has been committed or is currently being committed.” Even if the officer/deputy determines that there is no probable cause to arrest the defendant, an Incident Report should be made, which documents what happened. If the officer/deputy determines that probable cause exists to arrest the defendant but the abuser has already left the scene, the officer/deputy may apply for an “arrest warrant,” which would allow the police to arrest him/her once s/he is found. It may take several days before the arrest warrant is actually issued by a court and the arrest is made.

¹ Colo. Rev. Stat. §§ 18-6-803.5(2)(a); 18-1.3-501(1)(a.5)

The respondent can apply to the court for a modification, asking the judge to shorten or dismiss a permanent protection order.¹ Then there would be a hearing, where you can be present, during which the respondent would try to prove why the modification is appropriate or why the protection order is no longer necessary.² However, the respondent must wait two years after the permanent order was issued or after any prior motion by the respondent to modify or dismiss the order.¹

In considering whether or not to modify or dismiss a protection order, the judge will consider all relevant factors, including but not limited to:

1. whether or not the respondent has followed the terms of the protection order;
2. whether or not the respondent has met the conditions associated with the protection order, if any;
3. whether or not the respondent has been ordered to participate in, and has completed, a domestic violence offender treatment program or sex offender treatment program, or has made significant progress in a sex offender treatment program as reported by the sex offender treatment provider;
4. whether or not the respondent has voluntarily participated in any domestic violence offender treatment program or any sex offender treatment program;
5. the amount of time that has passed since the protection order was issued;
6. when the last incident of abuse or threat of harm occurred or other relevant information concerning your safety and protection;
7. whether or not, since the issuance of the protection order, the respondent has been convicted of or pled guilty to any misdemeanor or any felony against you, other than the original offense that formed the basis for the issuance of the protection order;
8. whether or not any other restraining orders, protective orders, or protection orders have been issued afterwards against the respondent in any state;
9. the circumstances of the parties, including how close the distance is between the parties’ residences, schools or work places, and whether or not the parties have minor children together; and
10. whether or not your continued safety depends upon the protection order remaining in place because the order has prevented additional harm to you.³

Note: If after the permanent protection order is issued, the respondent is convicted of any misdemeanor or any felony against you, other than the original offense that was the basis for the protection order, then the respondent can never modify or ask for dismissal of the permanent protection order.⁴

¹ Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-14-108(2)(b)
² Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-14-108(5)
³ Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-14-108(6)
⁴ Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-14-108(3)(a)(I)

If you need to get personal belongings or clothing, you may contact the local police department or county sheriff’s office.  A peace officer will accompany you one time to the residence.¹

You will find a list of sheriff departments on our CO Sheriff Departments page.

¹ Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-14-104.5(11)

Below, we define stalking according to Colorado law. Please note that for the purposes of getting a protection order, however, you can be a victim of stalking or of any attempted act or threatened act of stalking.¹ Stalking can happen in two ways.

The first definition of stalking is when someone directly, or indirectly through another person, makes a threat, physical action, or repeated conduct that causes you to be in fear for your safety or the safety of your immediate family or intimate partner. As a way of making you fearful, the stalker must do one of the following to you, your immediate family or intimate partner:

• repeatedly follow, approach, contact or put under surveillance; or
• repeatedly make any form of communication (i.e., phone calls, texts, emails). Note: it does not matter if any words are spoken or not – for example, the stalker can keep calling and hanging up.²

The second definition of stalking is when someone directly, or indirectly through another person, repeatedly follows, approaches, contacts, places under surveillance, or makes any form of communication with you, your immediate family or intimate partner that causes you, your immediate family or intimate partner to suffer serious emotional distress (pain).²

Note: “Immediate family” means your spouse, parent, grandparent, sibling, or child.³

The big difference between the two definitions is that the first one involves the stalker causing you to fear for the safety of you or your family and the second one does not. In the second one, the behavior must cause you to be seriously distressed (upset) but you don’t necessarily have to fear for your life or safety.

¹ Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-14-101(3)
² Colo. Rev. Stat. § 18-3-602(1)
³ Colo. Rev. Stat. § 18-3-602(2)(c)

A person commits physical assault if s/he causes bodily harm (injury) to another.¹ The law also allows you to apply for a protection order if you are not injured but the abuser threatens you with physical harm/injury.²

¹ Colo. Rev. Stat. §§ 18-3-202 ; 18-3-203; 18-3-204
² Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-14-104.5(1)(A)(I)

There are a three types of civil protection orders, which are described below.  The first two can be issued regardless of whether or not you have called the police about the abuse.¹ 

1. Temporary (ex parte) Protection Orders: A temporary (ex parte) protection order can be issued if the judge believes that you are in immediate danger.²  (Note: “Ex parte” means that you can get the order without the abuser being notified beforehand or present in court.)  The judge is not supposed to deny you the order based solely on the fact that the act of abuse or threat of harm happened a while before you filed for the order.²   A temporary (ex parte) protection order is designed to protect you during the time that it takes for your full court hearing for a permanent order to take place, which is usually within the next 14 days.³  The order is not enforceable until the abuser is personally served.⁴

2. Permanent Protection Orders: When both you and the abuser return to court for the hearing after you get a temporary protection order, the judge can either:

• continue the temporary protection order for up to 1 year (if both parties are present at the hearing and both agree to the continuance); or
• if the judge determines that the abuser has committed the act(s) that you allege and that without the order, s/he will continue to commit such acts or will intimidate or retaliate against you, the judge can grant you a permanent protection order (with provisions different from the temporary protection order, if necessary).⁵  

Note: Permanent protection orders can sometimes cover temporary care and custody of minor children.  However, even if your permanent protection order lasts for many years, the part of the permanent protection order that deals with custody can only last for one year.⁶  To get a long-term custody order, you would likely have to file a separate custody petition – we suggest talking to a lawyer about how to do this.  You can find free and paid lawyers on our CO Finding a Lawyer page.

3. Emergency Protection Orders: An emergency protection order can be requested by local law enforcement based on the belief that an adult is in immediate and present danger of domestic abuse, assault, stalking, sexual assault/abuse.  This type of order last only for a few days and is generally issued when the courts are closed or if you file for a temporary ex parte protection order but the judge cannot hold a hearing on the same day you file.⁷

¹ Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-14-104.5(1)(b)
² Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-14-104.5(7)(a)
³ Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-14-104.5(10)
⁴ See Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-14-104.5(9)
⁵ Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-14-106(1)(a),(b)
⁶ Colo. Rev. Stat. §13-14-105(1)(e)(I)
⁷ Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-14-103(1)(e),(f)

Under Colorado law, you may be eligible for a protection order against someone you are not in a relationship with and not related to if that person has:

• stalked you,
• sexually assaulted you,
• made “unlawful sexual contact” with you,
• physically assaulted you,
• threatened you with physical harm, or
• threatened or harmed an animal owned by your or by your children (if you are an elderly or at-risk adult).¹

Note: If you are at least 60 years old OR mentally or physically incapacitated, verbal abuse or wrongful confinement can also be reasons for a protection order. See What is the legal definition of abuse of an elderly or at-risk adult? for more information.

¹ Colo. Rev. Stat. §§ 13-14-104.5(1)(a); 13-14-101(1)

There can be no fee charged when the person seeking a protection order is a victim of domestic abuse, stalking, sexual assault or sexual abuse.¹ If you are required to pay a filing fee but are unable to afford it, you may apply to have the fee waived. More information can be found on the Colorado State Judicial Branch website.

¹ Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-14-109(1)

The person filing for an extreme risk protection order is known as the petitioner. The person who the order is filed against is called the respondent.

You can file for an extreme risk protection order if the respondent poses a significant risk of causing personal injury to himself/herself or others in the near future by having a firearm in his/her custody or control, or by purchasing, possessing, or receiving a firearm and you are:

1. the respondent’s “family or household member;” or
2. a law enforcement officer or agency.¹

You are the respondent’s family or household member if:

1. you and the respondent:
   • are related by blood, marriage, or adoption;
   • have a child in common;
   • regularly live together or regularly lived together within the last six months;
   • are domestic partners;
2. you have a biological or legal parent-child relationship with the respondent;
3. you have acted as the respondent’s legal guardian; or
4. you and the respondent have or had an intimate relationship.²

¹ Colo. Stat. § 13-14.5-103(1)
² Colo. Stat. §§ 13-14.5-102(2); 18-6-800.3(2)

The judge can order the respondent to:

• give up any firearms and concealed carry permits;
• not have a firearm in his/her custody or control; and
• not possess, purchase, or receive a firearm.¹

¹ Colo. Stat. § 13-14.5-105(9)

The steps to get an extreme risk protection order are similar to the steps to get a domestic violence protection order, but you will fill out different forms. You can find the petition and affidavit for an ERPO on the Colorado Courts website. The petitioner must file for an extreme risk protection order in the county where the respondent lives.¹

¹ Colo. Stat. § 13-14.5-104(1)

The petitioner, the respondent’s family or household member, or a law enforcement officer or agency can file a motion to renew the order at any time before the order is set to expire. The judge will schedule a hearing on the request within 14 days. The respondent must be served with notice of the motion and have the opportunity to appear in court at the hearing to object to the renewal. The judge will consider evidence from both the petitioner and the respondent to decide whether to renew the order. If the judge finds that it is more likely than not that the requirements for issuing an extreme risk protection order continue to be met, the judge will renew the order.¹

¹ Colo. Stat. § 13-14.5-107(2)

If you have a valid Colorado protection order that meets federal standards, it can be enforced in another state. The Violence Against Women Act, which is a federal law, states that all valid protection orders granted in the United States receive “full faith and credit” in all state and tribal courts within the US, including US territories. See the question below to find out if your protection order qualifies.

Each state must enforce out-of-state protection orders in the same way it enforces its own orders. Meaning, if your abuser violates your out-of-state protection order, s/he will be punished according to the laws of whatever state you are in when the order is violated. This is what is meant by “full faith and credit.”

An ex parte temporary order can be enforced in other states as long as it meets the requirements listed in How do I know if my protection order is good under federal law?¹

Note: The state where you are going generally cannot extend your ex parte temporary order or issue you a permanent order when the temporary one expires. If you need to extend your temporary order, you will have to contact the state that issued the order and arrange to be at the hearing in person or by electronic means. However, you may be able to reapply for one in the new state that you are moving to if you meet the requirements for getting a protective order in that state – but, if you apply for one in a new state, the abuser would know what state you are living in, which may put you in danger.

¹ 18 U.S.C. § 2265(b)(2)

Federal law does not require you to take any special steps to get your protection order enforced in another state.

Many states do have laws or regulations (rules) about registering or filing of out-of-state orders, which can make enforcement easier, but a valid order if protection is enforceable regardless of whether it has been registered or filed in the new state.¹ Rules differ from state to state, so it may be helpful to find out what the rules are in your new state. You can contact a local domestic violence organization for more information by visiting our Advocates and Shelters page and entering your new state in the drop-down menu.

¹ 18 U.S.C. § 2265(d)(2)

You do not need a lawyer to get your protection order enforced in another state.

However, you may want to get help from a local domestic violence advocate or attorney in the state that you move to. A domestic violence advocate can let you know what the advantages and disadvantages are for registering your protection order, and help you through the process if you decide to do so.

To find a domestic violence advocate or an attorney in the state you are moving to, select your state from the Places that Help tab on the top of this page and then click Finding a Lawyer.

Custody, visitation, and child support provisions that are included in a protection order can be enforced across state lines. Law enforcement and courts in another state are required by federal law to enforce these provisions.¹

¹ 18 USC § 2266

Generally, only the state that issued your protection order can change, extend, or cancel the order. You usually cannot have this done by a court in Colorado.

To have your order changed, extended, or canceled, you will have to file a motion or petition in the court where the order was issued. You may be able to request that you attend the court hearing by telephone rather than in person, so that you do not need to return to the state where the abuser is living. Contact the court that issued your protective order to find out if this is possible. To find out more information about how to modify a restraining order, see the Restraining Orders page for the state where your order was issued.

If your order does expire while you are living in Colorado, you may be able to get a new one issued in Colorado but this may be difficult to do if no new incidents of abuse have occurred in Colorado. To find out more information on how to get a protective order in Colorado, visit our CO Domestic Violence Protection Orders page.

Some courts in Colorado will notify the abuser if you register your Protection Order. If you fear that your abuser may try to locate you in Colorado, you may wish to consult a local domestic violence advocate to find out whether your county court will notify your abuser.

You can find contact information for local domestic violence organizations in CO on our CO Advocates and Shelters page.

There is no fee for registering your out-of-state protection order in Colorado.¹

¹ Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-14-110(3)