Restraining Orders

Nevada law states that a hearing must be held within 45 days of the court receiving your application for an extended order (but the hearing can be delayed twice for 90-day periods each if the abuser cannot be served before the scheduled hearing dates).¹ However, if you get a temporary order for protection, the abuser may request that the hearing take place sooner than originally scheduled so that s/he can ask that the temporary order be dismissed or modified, so you may be given a new court date. The abuser would only have to give you two days’ notice of this hearing.² You must go to all court hearings. If you do not go to the hearing(s), your order can be dismissed.

At the hearing, you must prove that the abuser has committed an act(s) of domestic violence (as defined by the law). You must also convince a judge that you need the protection and the specific things you asked for in the petition. If the abuser does not show up for the hearing, the judge may still grant you an order for protection, or the judge may order a new hearing date.

We strongly suggest getting an attorney to represent you at the hearing, especially if you think the abuser will have one. Go to our NV Finding a Lawyer page for legal referrals. If you end up representing yourself, go to our At the Hearing section under the Preparing for Court tab for ways you can show the judge that you were abused. You can learn more about the court system in our Preparing for Court – By Yourself section.

¹ N.R.S. § 33.020(4),(5)
² N.R.S. § 33.080(2)