Restraining Orders

For the purpose of getting a protection from harassment order, Maine law defines “harassment” as:

• three or more acts of intimidation, confrontation, physical force, or threat of physical force that:
  • are directed against any person, family, or business;
  • are made with the intention of causing fear, intimidation, or damage to personal property; and
  • actually cause fear, intimidation, or damage to personal property; or
• a single act or a course of conduct that violates one of the following laws:
  • violation of your constitutional rights;
  • doxing of a minor;
  • interfering with, oppressing or threatening any other person
  • murder;
  • felony murder;
  • manslaughter;
  • aiding or soliciting suicide;
  • assault;
  • aggravated assault;
  • criminal threatening;
  • terrorizing;
  • stalking;
  • reckless conduct;
  • gross sexual assault;
  • sexual abuse of minors;
  • unlawful sexual contact;
  • visual sexual aggression against a child;
  • sexual misconduct with a child under age 14;
  • solicitation of a child to commit a prohibited act;
  • solicitation of a child to engage in prostitution;
  • unlawful sexual touching;
  • prohibited contact with a minor;
  • sexual exploitation of a minor;
  • dissemination of sexually explicit material;
  • kidnapping;
  • criminal restraint;
  • criminal restraint by parent;
  • harassment by telephone or electonic communication device;
  • harassment;
  • violation of privacy;
  • unauthorized dissemination of certain private images;
  • incest;
  • arson;
  • aggravated criminal mischief;
  • criminal mischief;
  • sex trafficking; or
  • aggravated sex trafficking; or
• threatening to commit or cause someone else to commit unauthorized dissemination of certain private images. Note: This has to be done while deliberately ignoring the risk that the threat will make the victim reasonably fear that the images will be shared.¹

If you are being harassed by a current or former intimate partner, relative, or spouse, or if you are an older or dependent adult, you may be eligible for a protection from abuse order. Please see our Protection from Abuse Orders page for more information.

¹ Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 5, § 4651(2)