Restraining orders last for one year. Typically after a year is up, the parties have moved on and the restraining order is not necessary. There’s some clients that want to renew it the next year because they say they still feel afraid. There are two sides of it: the person that wants to renew it or the person that doesn’t want it renewed and wants it to be done and over with and off their record. Typically, if your client or the other party has violated the restraining order during that one year, if they have contacted the person, come to their house, texted them, sent them a letter, done anything to violate it in that one year and tried to contact the other party, then that is a good reason to renew the restraining order because they have obviously not taken it seriously and they still obviously have issues.
But if the parties have gone their separate ways and no one has ever violated it or contacted the other person the entire 365 days, then it’s less likely that a judge is going to renew the restraining order.
Laura Schantz is a family law attorney and mediator practicing in Beaverton, Oregon. To learn more about Laura Schantz and her firm, Schantz Law P.C., visit www.oregondivorceattorney.com.
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