| When a restraining order is served against you, it's | | | | fighting a restraining order is that they don't |
| usually an upsetting and shocking event. Many people | | | | understand the details of it!). You can ask questions |
| don't know what will happen during the order being | | | | of them if you don't understand the paperwork. |
| served, never mind how to go about effectively fight | | | | The enforcers will also search your place of residence |
| it. This article is meant to explain some of those | | | | for any firearms or firearm registration licenses, and |
| things, and give you ideas about further sources of | | | | confiscate these from you. |
| help. | | | | If you have a question that the enforcers can't |
| Firstly, when an order is served in the USA, it can | | | | answer, or you forget to ask them something |
| vary as to who appears at your door. Typically, | | | | before they leave, you should call the family court in |
| uniformed police officers from a local station will | | | | your locale for advice. The clerks of court are usually |
| appear, but it may also be county sheriffs. The | | | | very helpful, and they will have heard all your |
| serving is always done in person. | | | | questions before. As in all things, information is power |
| They do not take into account what or who might | | | | when it comes to fighting a restraining order. |
| overhear the discussion, for example, if you have | | | | In all states, you are entitled to attend a hearing |
| guests for dinner or room-mates with you. It's usually | | | | where the judge formally considers the merit of the |
| a pretty humiliating experience, but just remember | | | | accusations against you. Unfortunately, it's usually |
| that anger to fuel yourself when you're fighting the | | | | your word against your ex's - and in most cases, |
| restraining order later down the line. | | | | judges uses his sense of caution to justify approving |
| During the serving, the enforcers will explain the | | | | the order. It's quite difficult to convince the judge at |
| terms of the restraining order to you, and provide | | | | this stage that any allegations of abuse or violence |
| documentation as to its effect (make sure you read | | | | are completely phony. But it's not impossible. |
| all of this, the primary reason people fail when | | | | |