Restraining Orders

In a temporary or final interpersonal protective order, the judge can:

1. order that the abuser not:
   • commit any acts of dating violence and abuse, stalking, or sexual assault;
   • contact you or another person;
   • throw away or damage any of your property or joint property;
   • come within 500 feet of you or another person;
   • come within a specific distance of your home, school, workplace, or other place you go to frequently; and
   • do anything else that the judge believes could put you in danger of future acts of dating violence and abuse, stalking, or sexual assault;
2. give you possession of any shared domestic animal;
3. order that you and/or the abuser receive counseling services available in the community in cases of dating violence and abuse; and
4. order the following if you you request them:
   • specifically state which communications are allowed and which are not allowed, which could mean limited communication is OK; and
   • allow you and the abuser to be in a common area together under limited circumstances with specific restrictions laid out by the judge.¹

¹ KRS §§ 456.040(2)(a)(1), (2)(a)(2); 456.060(1)