Restraining Orders

You can file for this protection order if you are a victim of stalking, which the law defines as any of the following:

• any act of stalking;
• any act of cyber harassment; or
• any course of conduct involving repeated or continuing contacts, attempts to contact, monitor, track, surveil you, keep you under observation, disrupt activities in a harassing manner, or follow you when all of the following are true:
  • it would cause a reasonable person to feel intimidated, frightened, under duress, significantly disrupted, or threatened;
  • it serves no lawful purpose; and
  • the stalker knows or reasonably should know their conduct threatens, frightens, or intimidates you, even if the stalker did not intend to intimidate, frighten, or threaten you.¹

Note: The judge cannot deny your order because you would qualify for another type of order, such as a domestic violence protection order (“DVPO”). However, the law does encourage someone being stalked by an intimate partner or family or household member to file for a DVPO instead.² 

¹ R.C.W. §§ 7.105.010(35); 7.105.100(1)(c); 7.105.225(1)(c)
² R.C.W. § 7.105.100(5)