English
EspañolHow do I get my order for protection enforced in another state?
Federal law does not require you to take any special steps to get your order for protection (OFP) 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 OFP is enforceable regardless of whether it has been registered or filed in the new state.1 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)
Do I need anything special to get my order for protection enforced in another state?
In some states, you will need a certified copy of your order for protection. A certified copy says that it is a “true and correct” copy; it is signed and initialed by the clerk of court that gave you the order, and usually has some kind of court stamp on it. If the copy you originally received was not a certified copy, you can return to the courthouse and ask the clerk for a certified copy.
Do I need to tell the court in Minnesota if I move?
The law says that a petitioner who has an order for protection is supposed to give notification of a change in residence immediately to the court administrator and to the local law enforcement agency in your new location. If you notify the court administrator of your move, the court administrator is supposed to forward a copy of your order to the law enforcement agency in your new location within 24 hours.1
Note: An order for protection is enforceable even if you do not notify the court administrator or the appropriate law enforcement agency that you moved.2
If you provide your new address to the court, you can ask them to keep it confidential. It will be kept in a confidential part of your file, and the public will not have access to it. However, your new address could possibly be released to court officials in your new state or law enforcement officials in either Minnesota or your new state. You or the custodian of your child may also request that the information about where your child lives be similarly kept confidential from the public.3
1 Minn. Stat. § 518B.01(13)(b)
2 Minn. Stat. § 518B.01(13)(c)
3 Minn. Stat. § 518B.01(3b)
Can I get someone to help me? Do I need a lawyer?
You do not need a lawyer to get your order for protection 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. They can let you know what the advantages and disadvantages are for registering your order for protection, 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, please visit Places that Help page and select the state you are moving to.
