Restraining Orders

Generally, only the state that issued your protection order can change, extend, or cancel the order. You likely cannot have this done by a court in Montana.

To have your order changed, extended, or canceled, you will have to file a motion or petition in the court where the order was issued. You may be able to request that you attend the court hearing by telephone rather than in person, so that you do not need to return to the state where your abuser is living. To find out more information about how to modify a restraining order, see the Restraining Orders pages for the state where your order was issued.

If your order does expire while you are living in Montana, you may be able to get a new one issued in Montana but this may be difficult to do if no new incidents of abuse have occurred in Montana. To find out more information on how to get a protective order in Montana, visit our MT Orders of Protection page.