Restraining Orders

For the purposes of getting a domestic violence protective order, stalking can mean one of two things:

1. when someone repeatedly harasses you or follows you, including with a tracking device, in a way that:

• is done on purpose (willfully) and with bad intent (maliciously);
• would cause a “reasonable person” or a member of their immediate family to feel frightened, intimidated, threatened, harassed, or bothered (molested); and
• actually causes you to feel terrorized, frightened, intimidated, threatened, harassed, or bothered (molested).¹

2. when the abuser does two or more separate acts (a “course of conduct”) over a period of time, even a short one. The acts must show a continuing intention to make contact or “unconsented contact” with you. This includes any contact you did not agree to, or that continues even after you have clearly said you don’t want any more contact.¹ 

A stalker can be an adult, an emancipated minor, or a minor who is at least 13 years old.¹

A “course of conduct” can include, but is not limited to, the following:

1. following you or appearing within your sight;
2. approaching or confronting you in a public place or on private property;
3. coming to your workplace or contacting your employer or co-workers;
4. coming to your home or contacting your neighbors;
5. entering or remaining on property that you own, lease, or occupy;
6. contacting you by telephone, text message, mail, electronic message, e-mail, or other electronic communications;
7. causing your phone or electronic device, or the phone or electronic device of any other person, to ring or generate notifications repeatedly or continuously;
8. photographing, videotaping, audiotaping, or, through any other electronic means, monitoring or recording your activities;
9. sending you any physical or electronic material;
10. contacting you by any means, including any message, comment, or other content posted on any Internet site or web application;
11. sending your family or household member, your friend, or your current or former employer or coworker any physical or electronic material or contacting such person by any means, including any message, comment, or other content posted on any Internet site or web application, for the purpose of getting information about you, communicating with you, or spreading information about you;
12. placing an object on, or delivering an object to, property that you own, lease, or occupy;
13. delivering an object to your family or household member, your friend, or your current or former employer or coworker, or placing an object on, or delivering an object to, property owned, leased, or occupied by any of those people with the intent that the object be delivered to you; or
14. getting someone else to do any of the acts described above.¹

Note: The rest of this section will discuss protective orders against someone who is a family or household member, or intimate partner. To read more about protective orders due to stalking against non-intimate partners and non-family members, go to our Stalking Protective Orders page.

¹ 22 O.S. § 60.1(10)