Restraining Orders in Rhode Island (2026): Filing Guide

Wondering If a Judge Will Believe You?

If you’re weighing whether to ask a Rhode Island court for protection from an abusive partner or co-parent, it’s normal to worry that your story won’t sound “serious enough.” Rhode Island judges see these petitions regularly, and they look for a documented pattern of behavior, not just how well you can tell the story out loud. A clear, dated record of what happened is usually what carries the most weight — whether or not you have a lawyer sitting next to you.

Types of Restraining Orders in Rhode Island

Rhode Island’s civil order for domestic situations is generally called a Domestic Abuse Restraining Order (also referred to as a Temporary Restraining Order, or TRO), issued under the Domestic Abuse Prevention Act, R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 15-15. It is available to:

• Current or former spouses, and people related by blood or marriage.
• People who currently or formerly lived together as a household within the past three years.
• People who have a child in common, regardless of whether they were ever married or lived together.
• People in a substantive dating relationship within the past year.

These petitions are filed and heard in Family Court in the county where the petitioner lives. A Family Court TRO can include temporary custody and child support provisions, which is why it is generally the venue a parent uses against a co-parent. (Rhode Island’s District Court handles a related but separate civil restraining order, under R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 8-8.1, for people who don’t meet the “family or household member” definition — for example, harassment by someone with no such relationship to the petitioner.)

Emergency Orders: How the TRO Works

A Temporary Restraining Order can be granted ex parte — the same day, without notifying the other parent first — based on a sworn affidavit describing the abuse. Under R.I. Gen. Laws § 15-15-4, an ex parte TRO cannot last more than twenty-one (21) days, at which point a hearing with both parties must be held to decide whether to extend or convert it into a longer order; if the petitioner doesn’t attend that hearing, the TRO is dissolved.

Outside business hours — nights, weekends, holidays — you can call local police, who can contact the Family Court or District Court to request a 24-hour emergency restraining order. If one is issued, you will need to appear in court on the next business day to finalize it.

How to File in Rhode Island

• Go to the Family Court in the county where you live (Kent, Newport, Providence/Bristol, or Washington County).
• Complete a Domestic Abuse Complaint and Affidavit describing the incidents; there is no filing fee.
• A domestic violence court advocate is available at each courthouse to help you fill out the forms.
• A judge reviews the petition and may grant a TRO the same day, without the other parent present.
• A hearing with both parties is scheduled, generally within the 21-day window the TRO is valid for.
• At the hearing, both sides may testify and present evidence. If the court finds grounds, an order can be issued for a fixed period of up to three years, and later extended if needed.

What Evidence Helps

Because the hearing is adversarial — the other parent can appear and respond — organized, dated records tend to hold up better than memory alone. Useful documentation generally includes a chronological, dated log of incidents written close to when they happened; text messages, call logs, or emails showing threats or controlling behavior, with visible timestamps; photographs of injuries or property damage, dated where possible; and contact information for anyone who witnessed an incident or was told about it soon afterward. Police reports or medical records help when they exist, but you can still file and prevail without them.