When neighbors, roommates, coworkers, or strangers harass, threaten, or stalk you, civil harassment restraining orders provide legal protection. We help you obtain protection or defend against false claims.
Civil harassment restraining orders protect you from non-family members: neighbors, roommates, coworkers, strangers. We help you obtain protection or defend against false allegations.
Stop repeated trespassing, property damage, threats, or harassment from neighbors. Obtain orders requiring they stay away from your home and cease all contact.
Stop Harassment →Legal protection from stalking under Penal Code § 646.9. Address following, unwanted contact, monitoring, online harassment, doxxing, and threatening messages.
End Stalking →Restraining orders against coworkers, former employees, customers, or strangers harassing you at work or in public places. Includes workplace violence prevention orders.
Workplace Safety →Special roommate orders under CCP § 527.6(k) for shared housing situations. Address threats, theft, violence, or creating unsafe living environments.
Get Safe →Fight baseless harassment allegations. We prove lack of "course of conduct," show legitimate purpose, or demonstrate you're the actual victim being harassed.
Clear Your Name →When both parties claim harassment, we prevent or obtain mutual orders. Strategic approach to ensure your protection while defending against counter-petitions.
Strategic Defense →Civil harassment cases require proving a "course of conduct" that serves no legitimate purpose and causes substantial emotional distress. We know how to meet this burden—or defeat it.
Deep understanding of what qualifies as "harassment" under California Code of Civil Procedure § 527.6: unlawful violence, credible threats, or course of conduct causing substantial emotional distress.
Civil harassment requires higher burden than DVROs. We build cases meeting "clear and convincing evidence" standard through documentation, patterns, and credible testimony.
Expert at preserving and presenting digital evidence: screenshots, metadata, IP addresses, location data, and social media posts admissible under California Evidence Code.
Respondents often claim contact served legitimate purpose. We prove harassment served NO legitimate purpose or was excessive beyond any legitimate need.
Proving "course of conduct" requires showing pattern over time. We organize incidents chronologically, demonstrate escalation, and prove willful and malicious intent.
Unlike DVROs, civil harassment orders don't automatically prohibit firearms unless violence or credible threats proven. We understand these distinctions and their implications.
From petition filing to final hearing, we handle every aspect of civil harassment cases under California law.
Compile every incident: dates, times, witnesses, evidence. Build chronological timeline proving "course of conduct." Demonstrate escalation and substantial emotional distress through documentation.
Prepare Form CH-100 petition with detailed declaration. Request temporary restraining order if immediate danger exists. Serve respondent per California law requirements.
Present evidence at hearing (typically 21 days after TRO). Testify effectively, present witnesses, introduce texts/emails/recordings. Cross-examine respondent, expose lies and inconsistencies.
Secure 3-year restraining order with specific stay-away distances and no-contact provisions. If defending: achieve complete dismissal and protect your record from false allegations.
Get answers to the questions our clients ask most often. Every case is unique — contact us for a free consultation specific to your situation.
Under California Code of Civil Procedure Section 527.6, civil harassment includes unlawful violence such as assault or battery, credible threats of violence, or a course of conduct that seriously alarms or annoys a person and serves no legitimate purpose. The harassment must be by someone who is not a close family member or intimate partner, such as a neighbor, coworker, acquaintance, or stranger.
The key difference is the relationship between the parties. Domestic violence restraining orders apply to intimate partners, spouses, cohabitants, and close family members. Civil harassment restraining orders apply to everyone else such as neighbors, roommates, coworkers, and strangers. Civil harassment cases are governed by CCP Section 527.6 and require a higher burden of proof than domestic violence cases.
You need to show a pattern of harassment or a single incident of violence or credible threats. Useful evidence includes screenshots of threatening texts, emails, or social media messages, photos of property damage, police reports, witness statements, call logs, and a detailed written account of each incident. An attorney can help you organize and present this evidence effectively.
Yes. Neighbor disputes that involve threats, stalking, repeated unwanted contact, or physical confrontations are among the most common civil harassment situations. Courts regularly issue civil harassment restraining orders in neighbor disputes. However, ordinary annoyances like noise or property line disagreements typically do not meet the legal standard.
You will receive notice of the hearing and have the opportunity to present your defense. An attorney can help you gather counter-evidence, subpoena witnesses, and challenge the credibility of the allegations. If the court finds the claims were fabricated, the petition will be denied. You may also have grounds to pursue a malicious prosecution claim in egregious cases.
Unlike domestic violence restraining orders, civil harassment restraining orders do not automatically prohibit firearm possession under federal law. However, if the order was issued after a hearing and includes a finding of harassment, California law may still impose firearm restrictions. An attorney can advise you on the specific terms of any order and your rights.
Still have questions? Our attorneys are available 24/7.
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