Restraining Orders

You may qualify for a protection order if you were a victim of domestic violence/dating violence committed by:

• a family or household member;
• someone with whom you are or were in a dating relationship.¹ (See below for the legal definition of a “dating relationship.”)

“Family or household member” is defined as:

• someone with whom you have a child in common, even if you never lived together;² or
• any of the following people but only if you live with them currently or in the past:
  • your spouse or ex-spouse;³
  • a person “living as a spouse” (common law spouse)³ but only if you lived together at some point in the five years prior to the domestic violence incident described in your petition;⁴
  • your parent, foster parent, or step-parent;
  • your child or step-child;
  • anyone else related to you by blood or marriage; or
  • the parent, child, or anyone related by blood or marriage to the “person living as a spouse” of the abuser (for example, the mother of the abuser’s common-law wife may be able to file against the abuser).²

A “dating relationship” is defined as a romantic or intimate relationship that:

• is between adults;
• is beyond a typical social relationship or casual acquaintance; and
• took place within twelve months of the domestic violence incident.⁵

If someone other than a family or household member or dating partner is hurting you, you may be eligible for a stalking or sexually oriented offense protection order.

¹ Ohio Rev. Code § 3113.31(A)
² Ohio Rev. Code § 3113.31(A)(3)(b)
³ Ohio Rev. Code § 3113.31(A)(3)(a)
⁴ Ohio Rev. Code § 3113.31(A)(4)
⁵ Ohio Rev. Code § 3113.31(A)(8), (A)(9)