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Legal Information: Kansas

Restraining Orders

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Updated: 
November 15, 2023

Step 1: Get the necessary forms and fill them out.

You can find the forms that you will need from the district court clerk at the courthouse, but you may want to find them before you go and fill them out at home or with an advocate from a domestic violence program. You will find links to forms online on the KS Download Court Forms page. Most shelters and other domestic violence organizations can provide support for you while you fill out these papers and go to court. Go to our Places that Help page to find an organization in your area.

On the petition, you will be the “plaintiff” and the abuser will be the “defendant.” You will write about the incidents of violence, using specific language, such as slapping, hitting, grabbing, threatening, etc., that fits your situation. Include details and dates, if possible. In the petition, you can also check off the box to get a temporary, ex parte order. A judge can grant a temporary order if s/he feels that you or your family are in immediate harm. The abuser does not have to be with you or be told you are asking the judge for a temporary order, but the abuser will learn of the temporary order when the order is served and the petition is set for hearing.

Note: The application must be verified, which means you might have to sign it in front of the court clerk or a notary. Check with the court clerk before signing your papers.

You will also need to give a safe mailing address and phone number in case the court needs to contact you. If you are staying at a shelter, give a post office box, not the street address. If you do not have a safe address, ask the clerk how you can keep your address confidential.