Restraining Orders

There are two types of vulnerable adult protection orders in Washington:

Temporary protection order
A temporary protection order is meant to protect you until the court hearing for a full protection order. The first order can be “ex parte,” which means it is issued without the abuser being notified. Temporary protection orders can also be issued between court dates before the completion of the hearing to decide on the full protection order.¹

In addition to requesting an ex parte temporary protection order, you can ask for an order to surrender and prohibit weapons until the full hearing can be held. If you request this, the judge will include your children in the ex parte temporary order unless there is a good reason not to.² A judge will grant an ex parte temporary order only if they believe that you are in danger of serious immediate harm or permanent (irreparable) injury.³

Ex parte temporary orders last for a fixed period of up to 14 days.² If the hearing date is extended and a temporary protection order is reissued, the new date must be within 14 days.⁴ Any temporary order to surrender and prohibit weapons that the judge gave you will be reissued as well.⁵ If the court permits service of the abuser by publication or mail, the order will last for a fixed period up to 30 days.⁴ Your ex parte temporary order should clearly state the expiration date.⁶

Full protection order
A full protection order can be issued only after the abuser is notified and there is a court hearing in which you and the abuser both have a chance to tell your sides of the story and present evidence, witnesses, etc. It can also be entered by agreement of the parties without the need for a hearing.⁷ The hearing can be held in person or remotely.⁸

Generally, the full vulnerable adult protection order can be for a specific amount of time or permanent. Unless you ask for a shorter amount of time, the order will last for at least one year.⁹ If it only lasts for a fixed period, you can ask to have it extended.¹⁰

Note: If the judge included in the order that the abuser cannot contact their minor children, then that part of the protection order can only last up to one year, but you can apply to extend (renew) that part of the order at the end of the one-year period.¹¹ To get more information, please see How do I extend my protection order?

For information on other types of orders available in Washington, see What other types of orders may help me?

¹ R.C.W. § 7.105.010(36)
² R.C.W. § 7.105.100(8)
³ R.C.W. § 7.105.305(1)
⁴ R.C.W. § 7.105.200(3)
⁵ R.C.W. § 7.105.400(2)
⁶ R.C.W. § 7.105.305(2)
⁷ R.C.W. § 7.105.010(18)
⁸ R.C.W. § 7.105.205(1)
⁹ R.C.W. § 7.105.315(1)
¹⁰ R.C.W. § 7.105.405(1)
¹¹ R.C.W. § 7.105.315(2)(a)