Restraining Orders

A protection order can order:

• the abuser to:
  • avoid all personal contact and communication with you;
  • move out of and stay away from your home, business, school, or other locations;
  • stop all harassing, threatening, and violent behavior;
  • attend counseling;
  • attend parenting classes by the Department of Social Services; Note: The judge must order this if a minor child lives with either you or the abuser;
  • surrender all firearms, and bar him/her from buying or transporting firearms;
• temporary custody and visitation;
• temporary child support;
• temporary spousal support; or
• anything else the judge believes is necessary to protect you.¹

Whether a judge orders any or all of the above depends on the facts of your case. For more information about protections against the abuser having a gun, see our Guns and Protection Orders section.

¹ SDCL § 25-10-5; see Domestic Temporary Ex Parte Order of Protection