Apply for a Family Abuse Prevention Act restraining order Family Matters Oregon preparation and procedure guide Source review: 2026-10-11 Scope: Shared Oregon or applicable federal procedure; confirm local requirements Check FAPA requirements, use a safe contact address, file the application and follow hearing and service steps. Who this route is for People meeting the FAPA age, relationship, qualifying abuse and ongoing-danger requirements. Other protective orders may apply when FAPA does not. Timing and notices Qualifying abuse generally must be within 180 days, excluding specified periods of jail or distance described in the packet, and ongoing imminent danger is required. Contested hearings can be scheduled quickly; use current notices. Prepare (conditional documents may have alternatives) [ ] Dates and description of qualifying abuse [ ] Relationship and age information [ ] Safe contact mailing address and phone number [ ] Related family or protective orders and case numbers [ ] Petition, proposed restraining order and confidential information forms [ ] Photographs, messages or witness information if available How to proceed 1. Read the eligibility requirements in the current FAPA application instructions; seek an advocate or legal advice if you are unsure or unsafe. 2. Check the local circuit court's filing and hearing procedure in the county where either party lives. 3. Complete the petition, proposed order and confidential forms; use a safe contact address and phone where you reliably receive notices. 4. File the application and attend the initial hearing as directed; filing a FAPA application has no court filing fee. 5. If granted, work with the court or sheriff on service; you cannot serve the order yourself. 6. Keep a copy and monitor for a contested or exceptional-circumstances hearing; attend every scheduled hearing and ask the court about safety arrangements. Open FAPA forms and safety information: https://www.courts.oregon.gov/programs/family/domestic-violence/pages/restraining.aspx Limits: A restraining order cannot guarantee safety or substitute for permanent custody orders. Public contact fields can reveal information. The publisher quick-escape feature does not erase browsing history. Use a safer device or advocate when appropriate. Publisher sources Oregon Judicial Department : Family Abuse Prevention Act (FAPA) Restraining Orders : Protective Orders : State of Oregon https://www.courts.oregon.gov/programs/family/domestic-violence/pages/restraining.aspx Evidence type: publisher-html-snapshot SHA-256: d2e1668f8afda745b23a50279d1cc09a736e18d84b65016ebd2d11dfc92205b4 fapa-pdf https://www.courts.oregon.gov/forms/Documents/FAPA-APPLY-PACKET-Statewide.pdf Evidence type: publisher-pdf SHA-256: 99def722099338a2ea393cdd6d5115c0bb2a9287db5a1e2690a1b0a203584d5c This site helps you prepare. It does not submit filings, calculate personal deadlines, decide eligibility or replace professional review. A complaint or help request does not pause another case or deadline. Start here Read the eligibility requirements in the current FAPA application instructions; seek an advocate or legal advice if you are unsure or unsafe. Where and how to submit Read the linked publisher instructions to confirm the receiving office, accepted submission method and current forms. This page has not separately verified those details. A county filter does not decide the correct court or filing location. https://www.courts.oregon.gov/programs/family/domestic-violence/pages/restraining.aspx What will it cost? Fees and fee-waiver eligibility have not been separately verified for this route. Check the current provider instructions. For a court filing, ask the court about its fee-waiver or deferral forms. After submission Keep a copy of what you send and its confirmation or receipt. Ask the receiving office how to track it, when to expect a response and how it will request missing information. These follow-up details have not been separately verified for this route. Corrections, denials and appeals Read any returned filing, correction request or denial notice promptly. Ask the responsible office for the correction, review or appeal instructions and the deadline that applies to your notice. This guide does not verify a route-specific appeal process. Language, disability and offline help Ask the receiving office about language assistance, disability accommodations and an alternative to online submission. Available options have not been separately verified for this route.