The program works by asking you questions. It uses your answers to fill out your form. You can file your forms with the court electronically. You can also print your forms and take them in person to the court to file.
This information will help you with paperwork. It cannot protect you from a dangerous person. If you believe you are in danger right now, call the police right away.
You should think seriously about getting a lawyer if your case involves harm to a child, concerns about your immigration status, subpoenas for witnesses, written evidence, or expert witnesses like doctors or police. If the person harassing you has a lawyer, you should try to get one, too.
Before you start the interview, you need to read the instructions below.
If you do not want to use this program to fill out your forms, you can download blank forms to fill out from the Minnesota Court's website. Click the "Forms" tab and choose the option that best fits your need. There are forms for asking the court for an order, responding to an order you were served with, or an 'all forms' option.
Forms on the Courts website are organized in "packets" and by individual forms. Packets include form instructions and all individual forms. If you are not sure what form you need, start with the Packet and download each individual form in the packet as you need . Some of the forms are Fillable Smart Forms.
Notice about Fillable Smart Forms
Some Minnesota court forms are “Fillable Smart Forms.” For information and help using Fillable Smart Forms, see Technical Support.
Before you apply to get a Harassment Restraining Order (HRO), there are some things you should know.
An HRO is a court order. It provides protection from harassment or stops another person from bothering you. It is not a criminal proceeding. It takes place in civil court.
The court can order the harasser to leave you alone and have no further contact with you. This includes stopping the telephone calls, letters, and e-mails. For example, the order can limit the number of times in a day or week or month you can be contacted. The order can state a specific number of feet the harasser must stay away from you. Or, the order may just say "stop calling."
It is important to ask for everything you want the court to order in your petition for an HRO. If you do not, you may not get what you want.
An OFP provides better protection. Police and the courts take an OFP more seriously. If you qualify for both, it is usually best to apply for an OFP.
Some behaviors do not meet the legal definition of domestic abuse, but do meet the definition of harassment. For example, repeated telephone calls from your ex-boyfriend threatening to take custody of the children away from you may be harassment, but now always domestic abuse. It may depend on if you were afraid of being harmed, or just really annoyed that the calls don't stop.
As another example, if your ex's new partner is repeatedly making threatening calls by swearing at you and/or calling you bad names, that is harassment because you and the partner are not in a kind of relationship that qualifies for an OFP.
Read more about the OFP to see if you qualify for an OFP.
Anyone can get a harassment restraining order. You do not need to have a relationship with the harasser like you do for an Order for Protection (OFP). A parent, guardian or stepparent can get a harassment restraining order for a child.
For example, if your ex-boyfriend's new girlfriend threatens to "get you," you can apply for an HRO against her. Or, if you have an OFP against your ex-boyfriend and he keeps calling and threatening your parents, they could ask for an HRO against him.
If someone is harassing you, it helps if you first tell them to stop. You can verbally tell them to stop or send a written request. Keep a copy of any written requests you send. It is good to also keep a written record of any times you verbally told the harasser to stop.
Harassment is when someone does or says things that threaten you. Harassment also includes:
Minnesota Guide and File is a separate website. Click the link below to start the interview.
Select "Ask for a MN Restraining Order".