Restraining Orders in Alaska (2026): Types & How to File

Wondering whether a judge will believe you is one of the loneliest parts of leaving an abusive situation. Alaska courts are used to petitioners who show up without a lawyer, and the Alaska Court System publishes detailed self-help instructions specifically because most people file these cases on their own. What tends to move a judge is not how upset you are in the room — it is whether your account lines up with dates, messages, and records they can check.

Types of protective orders in Alaska

Alaska law, under AS 18.66.100–.990, allows a domestic violence protective order; separate statutes cover stalking and sexual assault protective orders. These are civil orders handled by the Alaska trial courts and are entirely separate from any criminal case that might also be filed against the other parent. According to the Alaska Court System’s Family Law Self-Help Center, petitions are filed on form DV-100 (Petition for Domestic Violence Protective Order), along with a DV-127 Confidential Law Enforcement Information Sheet used to help police locate and serve the other party.

The emergency order: short-term protective order

If you need protection right away, you can ask the court for a short-term protective order (also called an ex parte order) at the same time you file your petition, without notice to the other party first. According to the Alaska Court System, a short-term order lasts up to 20 days and can be extended for another 20 days in limited circumstances, such as if the other party has not yet been served. If you also ask for a long-term protective order, the court sets a hearing date, generally around 20 days out, so the short-term order bridges the gap until that hearing. A long-term order granted after the hearing can last up to one year.

How to file in Alaska

You can file your petition through TrueFiling (Alaska’s e-filing system) or in person at your local courthouse; if you are only requesting a long-term order (no emergency short-term order), you may also be able to mail it in. In Anchorage, the Family Law Self-Help Center and courthouse offer extended hours for filing, including weekends. Bring as much detail as you can about the other parent (address, workplace, description) and a clear account of what happened, including dates. If children are involved, be ready to describe how they have been affected, since the judge can address temporary custody and visitation as part of a long-term order. Once filed, a judge reviews the short-term request — often the same day — and, if granted, law enforcement or a process server delivers it to the other party. You will want to keep a copy of everything you file for your own records, in case you need it again at the long-term hearing.

What evidence helps

A short, dated journal entry written close to when an incident happened carries real weight, because it was not created for the hearing. Pair it with text and call logs, screenshots that show a timestamp, voicemails, photos of injuries or damage, and the names of anyone who saw what happened or its immediate aftermath. Keep everything organized by date and keep the originals — a consistent, unedited record is much harder for the other side to dispute than a single out-of-context message.

Bottom line

Alaska’s two-step process — a fast short-term order followed by a full hearing — is designed to give you protection quickly without skipping due process. What carries you through both steps is the same thing: a dated, specific, well-kept record. Building that habit before you ever need to file makes the paperwork itself much less overwhelming.

Not legal advice. Procedures, forms, and order names change. Verify current requirements with the Alaska Court System’s Family Law Self-Help Center or your local courthouse, and consult a licensed Alaska attorney about your situation.