Restraining Orders

If you move within West Virginia, your order will still be valid and good.  You may want to to call the clerk to change your address within the court files but make sure that it will be kept confidential if you don’t want the abuser to see your new address.

Please see our Moving to Another State with a Protective Order page for more information on moving with your West Virginia protective order.

Additionally, the federal law provides what is called “full faith and credit,” which means that once you have a criminal or civil protection order, it will be effective, or follow you, wherever you go, including U.S. Territories and tribal lands.  Different states have different rules for enforcing out-of-state protection orders.  You can find out about your state’s policies by contacting a domestic violence program, the clerk of courts, or the prosecutor in your area.

If you are moving out of state, you should call the battered women’s program in the state where you are going to find out how that state treats out-of-state orders. 

If you are moving to a new state, you may also call the National Center on Protection Orders and Full Faith & Credit (1-800-903-0111, ext. 2) for information on enforcing your order there.