Restraining Orders

For purposes of getting a protection order, “domestic abuse” is when a family or household member does any of the following:

1. physically hurts you, attempts to physically hurt you, or puts you in fear of physical harm;
2. physically restrains you or puts you in fear of being physically restrained;
3. damages your property on purpose; or
4. financially abuses you.¹

This definition includes acts that are done directly by the abuser or indirectly on behalf of the abuser by a third party, including but not limited to family members, friends, significant others, or co-workers.²

Financial abuse, as included in number four above, means acting in a way that is coercive, deceptive, or unreasonably controls your ability to get or keep economic resources that you have a right to. This can mean restricting your access to money, assets, credit, or financial information, as well as unfairly using your money, assets, or credit to gain an advantage. It can also mean having improper influence (“exerting undue influence”) over your financial behavior or decisions, including:

• forcing you to default on individual or joint financial obligations;
• exploiting a power of attorney, guardianship, or conservatorship; or
• not acting in your best interests if s/he has a duty to protect your best interests (“fiduciary duty”).³

¹ Tenn. Code § 36-3-601(1)(A)
² Tenn. Code § 36-3-601(1)(B)
² Tenn. Code § 36-3-601(6)