You already know that a restraining order restricts you from contacting or approaching the protected individual. However, there are a few lesser-known consequences of receiving a restraining order that can upend your life in drastic ways.
If you stand accused of domestic violence, you should be aware of how a restraining order might affect you. While you have options to combat false charges, there is still a possibility that a restraining order can have long-term impacts on your lifestyle.
1. You may have to move out of your home
There is a residence exclusion clause included in many California restraining orders. If you live with or near the protected individual at the time of filing the order, you might have no choice but to relocate.
2. You might have to pay additional spousal support
When a court outlines the terms of spousal support that one married individual must pay to the other, a domestic violence charge can greatly influence the amount. Because many restraining orders originate from alleged domestic violence, this could be a related consequence.
3. You will have to forfeit your gun ownership rights
In order to further protect the safety of the protected individual, the issuance of a restraining order also prohibits you from owning firearms. When the order goes into effect, the court will demand that you turn in any guns you currently own.
Life under the terms of a restraining order can be difficult and frustrating. False domestic violence charges can seriously harm the livelihood of innocent people, but they are not impossible to fight against.