Recently updated on June 18th, 2026 at 07:47 am
Process Overview
This website presents a list of questions, and then at the end generates the paperwork for case
HOW THIS WEBSITE WORKS
This website provides a guided experience for people who are preparing their own court forms for a Civil Stalking Protection Order.
1. Take Screening
Answer a few questions to determine your eligibility to file a stalking protection order.
2. Prepare Case Documents
Prepare the main set of your court documents by covering one topic at a time. Each topic is covered in simple and non-legal language. Your responses are then used populate a fresh copy of the official court forms.
3. Consult Advocate (Optional)
Depending on your situation, we can suggest any trusted free victim advocacy non profits. These are court departments or advocates who assist victims documentation and safety planning.
4. E-file SSOOPO documents
This website simplifies the filing to a couple of clicks, and get follow up notifications from the court.
How to Get a Stalking or Sexually Oriented Offense Protection Order (SSOOPO)?
How to get a Stalking or Sexually Oriented Offense Protection Order (SSOOPO)?
Getting an SSOOPO typically involves filing a petition with the court and attending a hearing. In emergency situations, the court may issue a temporary (Ex Parte) order the same day. For a final order, the full process may take up to three weeks, depending on the court’s schedule and case details.
Step 1
You: Gather evidence. What do you need to get a Stalking or Sexually Oriented Offense Protection Order?
Gather evidence to support your case, though your personal testimony alone is also considered evidence.
The following are considered evidence of stalking or sexually oriented offenses:
Evidence Type 1: Pending Criminal Case
Judges are more likely to issue an order if there is an ongoing criminal case, so it is important to mention it when seeking a temporary protection order. When a judge sees that a criminal case is already in progress, it may indicate that law enforcement or the district attorney believes the offense can be proven.
Evidence Type 2: Photos of violence, injuries, or property damage
These may include photos of injuries caused by the respondent or damage to personal property. It is helpful to attach photos close to the incident description to provide full context.
Evidence Type 3: Messages, emails, or voicemail transcripts
You can include screenshots of threatening or inappropriate messages, printed emails, or downloaded copies saved as images or PDFs. In most cases, digital evidence should be uploaded in a printed or readable format.
Evidence Type 4: 911 Calls
Instead of only stating that you called 911 or a hotline, include details such as the number dialed, date and time of the call, who made the call, what was reported, and any relevant details about the responder.
Evidence Type 5: Medical Records
You may include medical documents related to the respondent’s actions, such as injury records, trauma reports, or mental health treatment records, including hospital documents or patient portal printouts.
Evidence Type 6: Police Reports
Include any police reports filed related to stalking behavior or sexually oriented offenses.
Evidence Type 7: Testimony
Witness testimony can be provided by neighbors, co-workers, friends, or bystanders. It should describe what the witness saw or heard with as much detail as possible.
Step 2
You: Take Online Screening
Determine if your situation is roughly suitable for applying for a Stalking or Sexually Oriented Offense Protection Order by taking a screening. You can begin by entering your zip code in the top right corner.
Step 3
You: Create Case Documents - "Packet"
After the screening, this website will guide you through the remaining steps to prepare your case documents.
For your information, to apply for a Stalking or Sexually Oriented Offense Protection Order (SSOOPO), you must complete and submit a set of official Ohio court forms. These forms include questions about your situation and the people involved.
The main form is the petition, called the Petition for a Civil Stalking or Sexually Oriented Offense Protection Order.
Step 4
You: E-file with the court. How to file a Stalking or Sexually Oriented Offense Civil Protection Order in Ohio
This website also allows you to digitally sign and e-file your documents with the court.
There are also other options, such as completing court forms online, but those do not officially submit your case to the court.
To formally request protection, you must submit your documents to the clerk of court. This process is called filing, and it can be done in two ways, both of which have the same legal effect:
Online (e-filing)
In person
E-filing is convenient and available at any time. The filing date is recorded as the day you submit your documents, or the next business day if submitted after court hours.
Protection order documents for a Stalking or Sexually Oriented Offense Protection Order (SSOOPO) are filed with the Clerk of Courts in your county, usually in the Court of Common Pleas, either the General Division or Domestic Relations Division depending on the location.
Once your filing is accepted, the court assigns a case number.
Step 5
Judge Issues a Temporary Protection Order
Depending on the facts and evidence presented, a judge may issue a restraining order the same day, which is known as an Emergency Temporary Order, until the hearing.
In lower-risk situations, a temporary order may be issued within a few days.
If there are no legal grounds, or if the application is incomplete or the court does not have jurisdiction, the request for an order may be denied. In some cases, a hearing may still be scheduled for both parties to present their case.
A temporary order is typically valid for about three weeks, which is the time period leading up to the hearing. If the hearing is delayed for any reason, you should check with the court to ensure the temporary order is extended or re-issued until the hearing.
Step 6
Law Enforcement: Delivers Temporary Protection Order to the abuser
This would be done in one of the following ways, and after which you are legally protected, meaning any violation may result in arrest or criminal charges for the respondent:
- Clerk would have the abuser served by law enforcement. You do not need to take any action in this case.
- Clerk would give you a packet of the temporary order and other documents, and you would arrange for formal service through another adult or a legal courier to the respondent.
- In some cases, such as when the respondent’s address is unknown, a complete set of the temporary order and supporting documents called the “911 packet” is given to you. This is useful if there is a confrontation and law enforcement is called, as officers can physically serve the 911 packet to the respondent.
Step 7
You, Abuser: Attend Court Hearing
Attend a hearing: The court holds a hearing within a couple of weeks where the evidence is reviewed. If the judge finds sufficient supporting evidence, a full restraining order may be issued. At that point, it becomes a criminal offense for the respondent to violate the terms of the order.
If the respondent does not attend the hearing after being properly served (typically about one week before the hearing), the court may issue the order by default without further discussion or additional evidence.
Step 8
You: Collect Final Order
After the hearing, the court may issue a final protection order. You should obtain a paper copy of the order for your records, as it may be important if you need to contact law enforcement in the future.
In Ohio, the duration of a Civil Stalking or Sexually Oriented Offense Protection Order (SSOOPO) can vary, but it is commonly issued for up to 5 years unless otherwise specified by the court.
Stalking or Sexually Oriented Offense Protection Orders are covered under Ohio Revised Code § 2903.214
Under Ohio law, Civil Stalking or Sexually Oriented Offense Protection Orders (SSOOPO) are governed by Ohio Revised Code § 2903.214. The official Supreme Court forms were updated effective April 15, 2021, reflecting revisions to the standardized court forms used across Ohio.
SSOOPO eligibility is based on “menacing by stalking” or qualifying sexually oriented offenses, which generally require a pattern of conduct that causes fear or mental distress.
These updates relate primarily to statutory definitions and procedural court form revisions; they do not independently expand the law to introduce new standalone categories such as “coercive control.” Instead, such behavior may be considered as part of the broader pattern-of-conduct analysis under existing stalking provisions.
Stalking or Sexually Oriented Offense Protection Orders are governed by Ohio Revised Code § 2903.214.
These civil protection orders are intended to protect individuals who have been subjected to stalking or sexually oriented offenses, including patterns of conduct that cause fear of physical harm or serious emotional distress. A petitioner does not need to have a family or domestic relationship with the respondent to be eligible for an SSOOPO.
Ohio law does not specifically define the term “coercive control.” However, courts in stalking cases may consider the overall pattern of behavior and its impact when evaluating whether conduct meets the legal standard for a protection order.
The concept of “coercive control,” as recognized in some other jurisdictions such as Washington under RCW § 7.105.010(4)(a), refers to a pattern of behavior that may cause physical, emotional, or psychological harm and interfere with a person’s autonomy or sense of safety. Examples of such behavior may include:
- Threats, intimidation, or use of technology to harass or monitor
- Controlling daily activities, finances, or access to healthcare
- Isolation from friends, family, or support systems
- Sexual or reproductive coercion
- Psychological abuse, manipulation, or legal harassment
While not part of Ohio’s statutory definition, understanding these concepts may help illustrate how a pattern of conduct could support a petition for protection under Ohio law.
WHAT PROTECTIONS CAN YOU ASK THE JUDGE FOR
Here are the typical restrictions places on the abuser via the restraining order.
Stay Away From You
Abuser would have to stay at least 100 yards away from you, your children and locations you request such as your work
Don't post intimate images
Take down, delete, and do not distribute intimate images of a protected person, as defined in RCW 9A.86.010.
Not to contact you
Not to contact you via phone or text or mutual friends
Restrict Abusive Litigation
This is to prevent the misuse of the legal system to harass, intimidate, or burden you.
Not stalk you
Not stalk you or your loved ones, including your accounts on facebook or other social media
Get Drugs, Mental health and Sex Offender Treatment
You can request the abuser to seek treatment for alcoholism, drug use, domestic violence abuse (RCW 43.20A.735) or sex offender (RCW 18.155.070)
FAQs
Once a judge issues a protection order and the respondent has been officially served, any violation of the order such as contacting, approaching, or harassing the protected person may result in arrest or criminal charges.
The timeline can vary depending on the court and the facts of the case. In some situations, a judge may issue a temporary protection order the same day or within a few days after filing if there is an immediate risk. A full hearing is usually scheduled within a few weeks, where the court decides whether to issue a longer-term protection order.
The immediate benefit is that the court may issue a temporary protection order that provides legal protection right away, even before the final hearing.
This can prohibit the respondent from contacting, approaching, or harassing the petitioner and may require them to stay away from certain locations. Once the respondent is served, violating the order can lead to arrest or criminal charges.
In Ohio, there is no filing fee to request a Civil Stalking or Sexually Oriented Offense Protection Order (SSOOPO).
This means you can file the petition with the court at no cost. However, there may be minor costs later in some cases (for example, if the court orders service in a specific way), but the filing itself is generally free.
A Civil Stalking or Sexually Oriented Offense Protection Order (SSOOPO) in Ohio typically lasts up to 5 years, unless the judge sets a different duration in the order.
In some cases, the court may issue a shorter or longer duration based on the specific facts of the case, but 5 years is the most common standard length.
A restraining order does not automatically get the respondent fired from their job. However, it may affect their employment depending on the workplace and the terms of the order.
For example, if the order restricts contact or requires the respondent to stay away from certain locations, and their job involves contact with the protected person or requires them to be in restricted areas, the employer may need to take action to comply with the order.
Some employers may also have internal policies that lead to disciplinary action if an employee is subject to a protection order, but this is handled by the employer, not the court.
No, you do not need a lawyer to get a Civil Stalking or Sexually Oriented Offense Protection Order (SSOOPO).
You can file on your own by completing and submitting the required court forms and attending the hearing yourself. Many people who file these types of protection orders are self-represented.
However, you may choose to have a lawyer if you want legal advice, help preparing your case, or representation in court. Some courts also provide victim advocates or legal aid services that may assist you at little or no cost.
The judge will review your petition and evidence whether or not you have a lawyer.
Thousands of stalking-related protection orders are filed in Ohio courts each year. These orders provide vital protection for people experiencing unwanted and threatening behavior.
You should seek an SSOOPO if you're experiencing ongoing unwanted contact, stalking, or sexually threatening behavior, even if it doesn’t meet the threshold for criminal charges. SSOOPOs provide fast, civil protection that’s easier to obtain and can act as a safety measure while criminal cases are pending—or if no charges are filed at all.
Resources
Official website of the Washington Courts which provides court forms and instructions.
WCSAP unites agencies engaged in eliminating sexual violence and provides information and training to members
WSCADV is a resource for programs that assist domestic violence survivors and their families
The VINE system is a free service that allows petitioners to register for notification when a protective order of any type that has been served or is about to expire.
Court Forms Created
When you pass the screening and complete the questionnaires, you can then download the following standard court forms filled correctly with your information. These court forms are provided by the Washington Courts.
