Los Angeles Domestic Violence Restraining Order (DVRO) Lawyers
Los Angeles DVRO lawyers protecting Southern California families
Your Safety Deserves Protection.
Your heart shouldn’t race every time you hear a key in the door. You shouldn’t have to plan escape routes from your own home or worry about your children witnessing things no child should see.
A domestic violence restraining order can help provide legal protection when you need safety. This court order can give you back the right to sleep without listening for footsteps. The right to answer your phone without your heart racing. The right for your children to have stability while you rebuild your sense of safety.
Important Safety Information for Domestic Violence Victims
- If you are in immediate danger, call 911
- Use a safe computer or device that the other party cannot access
- Clear your browser history after reading this page
- Consider using private/incognito browsing mode
- Consider opening a new email account for confidential legal communications
- Trust your instincts. Your safety comes first
The California Courts Self-Help guide gives safety tips and hotline links.
I was falsely accused and facing a restraining order after a breakup. Al and his team stayed logical, focused, and got the DVRO dismissed. Their professionalism and calm leadership helped me avoid emotional decisions and clear my name.
Los Angeles Domestic Violence Restraining Order Lawyers
Who Can File for a Domestic Violence Restraining Order?
Any victim of domestic violence—including current or former spouses, people living together, those in a dating relationship, or those who share children with the abuser—can request a DVRO.
How a Domestic Restraining Order Helps
A court order may require the other party to:
- Stop all abuse, threats, stalking, and harassment
- Stay away from you, your home, workplace, and your children’s school
- Move out of your shared home, even if their name is on the lease or deed
- Have no contact with you—no calls, texts, emails, or social media
- Stay away from your children and family members
- Surrender all firearms and ammunition
- Pay temporary child support and spousal support, if eligible
- Attend anger management, parenting, or domestic violence counseling as ordered by the court
What Counts as Abuse for a California DVRO
California Family Code allows domestic violence restraining orders for:
- Physical Abuse: Hitting, pushing, choking, throwing objects, or any unwanted physical contact
- Emotional Abuse: Threats, intimidation, humiliation, controlling behavior that destroys your mental calm
- Sexual Abuse: Forced sexual contact or activity without consent
- Financial Abuse: Intentionally and wrongfully controlling finances, interfering with access to money, credit, or basic needs
- Digital Abuse: Harassment through social media, texts, emails, tracking your location, or monitoring your activities
- Stalking: Following you, showing up at your work or home uninvited, watching or surveilling you
- Threats: Any communication that makes you fear for your safety or your children’s safety
- Disturbing the Peace: Any behavior that destroys your emotional or mental calm, including coercive control and isolation from friends and family
- Coercive Control: Isolating you from friends and family, monitoring your activities, controlling your daily life, or using manipulation to maintain power over you
You don’t need physical injuries to get a restraining order. Emotional abuse, threats, and controlling behavior are enough under California law.
We Handle Every Detail
From completing forms to arranging service to preparing for hearings—you focus on your safety while we handle the legal complexity.
We Handle New Cases and Take Over Existing Ones
Whether you’re filing for the first time or you’re already in the middle of a restraining order case without proper representation, we can step in immediately to protect your interests.
Domestic Violence and Custody
The restraining order is just the beginning. What happens to your children while this gets sorted out? How do you keep them safe while preserving their relationship with both parents?
When domestic violence and custody overlap, courts are required by law (Family Code § 3044) to consider abuse when making custody decisions, and there is a presumption against granting custody to a parent who is found to have committed abuse.
However, this presumption may be overcome with proper evidence and the child’s best interest in mind.
Temporary Custody Orders
The court can establish temporary custody and visitation arrangements as part of the restraining order process. These decisions aren’t permanent, but they can significantly impact your family’s life for months or years while your case progresses.
Common Arrangements:
- Supervised Visitation: A neutral third party oversees time between parent and child
- Exchange Protocols: Structured drop-off/pick-up procedures to prevent conflict
- Communication Restrictions: Limited contact only about children’s immediate needs
- Therapeutic Support: Counseling may be ordered for your children or family
Your children’s safety and emotional well-being are paramount, but so is their need for stability during this crisis. Every custody decision we advocate for puts your children’s best interests first—both now and as they grow.
How Our Los Angeles Domestic Violence Restraining Order Attorneys Can Help You
Every domestic violence situation is different, but they all share one thing: time matters. Whether you need protection ASAP, comprehensive safety for years, or coordinated help during divorce proceedings, we move with the urgency your safety demands.
Our Provinzioano & Associates DVRO lawyers help you:
- Draft and file your DVRO request and declarations
- Plan and complete the service of documents
- Evidence map with exhibits (messages, photos, reports, witness statements)
- Prep for your hearing with questions and timelines
- Coordinate with custody and support requests when needed
Temporary Domestic Violence Restraining Orders
When safety can’t wait for a full court hearing, temporary protection can be granted ex parte (without the opposing side present), and later, a full hearing will be held for the permanent order, where both sides participate.
Our temporary restraining order lawyers can file your request to secure protection as soon as possible, before the other party even knows you’ve taken legal action. These temporary orders remain in effect until your full hearing, typically within three weeks, giving you immediate safety while building your case for long-term protection.
Temporary Orders in Divorce Cases
In the case of a divorce where you need to protect your children, we can file temporary custody orders or request supervised visitation for the other parent. In cases of financial strain, we can request temporary child support and spousal support to ensure you have the resources needed during this vulnerable time.
We coordinate these family law protections with your domestic violence case to provide comprehensive safety and stability while your divorce proceedings are ongoing.
We help you advocate for a DVROs that include:
- Removing Them From Your Home: Even when their name is on the lease or deed, our DVRO attorneys can petition the court to order them to move out and stay away from your residence.
- Emergency Custody Protection: When children are in immediate danger, our DVRO lawyers can seek emergency custody orders that provide immediate protection while longer-term arrangements are determined.
- Communication Ban: Our team can secure comprehensive orders that stop all forms of contact, direct and indirect, giving you the space to heal without constant reminders of your trauma.
- Workplace and School Protection: Our domestic violence restraining order lawyers secure stay-away orders that extend protection to your workplace and your children’s schools, allowing you to maintain stability while keeping your family safe.
- Firearms Surrender: We help request court orders requiring the other party to surrender firearms and ammunition. Once issued, we assist with ensuring those orders are properly filed, documented, and communicated to the appropriate authorities.
- Long-Term Protection: Our attorneys strive to secure the maximum protection period of up to five years, providing you with the time and security necessary to rebuild your life safely with renewal available as needed.
You’ve already taken the hardest step by recognizing you need protection. The protection you need is legally available. When you’re ready to take back control of your life, we’re here to make it happen.
Your safety is our priority.
The Provinziano & Associates Difference
We Move Quickly and Adapt to Your Safety Needs
We prioritize domestic violence cases and work as soon as possible to secure your protection. We offer virtual meeting options when leaving home isn't safe, implement safety communication protocols that protect your privacy, and accommodate whatever safety tactics you need to feel secure throughout the legal process.
We Treat Your Personal Life With the Discretion It Deserves
While some court records are public by law, we take every possible measure to keep your case as private as the process allows. From how we communicate to how and where we file, to who sees what, we implement confidentiality strategies that ensure only the people who need to know do.
We Help You Anticipate
We help clients anticipate and prepare for each stage of the process. This may include gathering evidence for your case, preparing for temporary custody arrangements, and planning for the long-term safety strategy. Since DVROs can lead to or come with divorce, custody cases, and support issues, we help you understand what's coming and prepare accordingly from the very beginning.
We Don’t Just Hear You, We Speak Your Language
At Provinziano & Associates, we believe no one and nothing should be lost in translation. While we primarily speak English, we also support clients in other languages and have many team members who speak a second language. If language is a concern, reach out to ask if we can support your native language.
First Class Litigation
Some cases reach an agreement, others don't. When your outcome depends on going to trial, our Los Angeles domestic violence restraining order lawyers bring the kind of courtroom skill and strategic focus that comes from years of litigation experience, when negotiation alone isn't enough.
What Our Clients Say
Are You Ready for a Private, No-Cost Case Evaluation?
With a deep understanding of California family law and over 75 years of combined experience, we’ve helped clients resolve everything from high-conflict custody cases to complex, high-asset divorces.
Here’s How Our DVRO Law Firm Works With You
After nearly two decades and hundreds of DVRO cases, we know that every case is unique in its own way.
What stays constant is the need for clear advice and practical strategies. We take the time to understand your goals and provide guidance that advocates for your interests.
Schedule a Private Case Evaluation
We start by listening. You’ll share what safety concerns you have, and what protection you need for yourself and your children.
After You Hire Us: Get a clear, custom legal strategy
Once hired, we review the full picture: the abuse you’ve experienced, available evidence, your living situation, and your family’s safety needs. Whether you need immediate protection, are building a defense strategy, or require long-term legal planning, we develop an approach tailored to your specific case.
From negotiations to court, we move with a strategy crafted to get you heard.
Whether it’s across the table or in front of a judge, every filing, every conversation, every decision is built to advocate for your safety.
Frequently Asked Questions
About Los Angeles Domestic Violence Restraining Orders
What is the minimum requirement for a restraining order?
What are the grounds for denying a restraining order?
How long does it take to get a restraining order in California?
How much does a domestic violence restraining order cost in California?
There is no filing fee for requesting a domestic violence restraining order in California. The process is designed to be accessible to victims of abuse. However, legal representation, service of process, or document preparation may create other costs.
What is the burden of proof for a domestic violence restraining order in California?
Serving Domestic Violence Restraining Order Clients Across Los Angeles & Beyond
At Provinziano & Associates, we help clients across Los Angeles County, including Beverly Hills, Pasadena, Santa Monica, Torrance, Van Nuys, and their nearby areas file for protection and long-term safety through experienced, compassionate legal guidance.
For clients with international ties or out-of-state connections, we handle complex domestic violence cases involving international custody concerns, cases where the abuser has fled to another state, or situations requiring coordination with law enforcement across jurisdictions to ensure your protection extends beyond Southern California’s borders.
We are located in Beverly Hills, near the intersection of Olympic Boulevard and Doheny Drive, serving clients throughout Los Angeles County.
When It’s All on the Line, This Is Who Leads the Room
Alphonse Provinziano
Managing Partner & Senior Trial Attorney
With over 2,000 cases and more than 220 trials behind him, Alphonse Provinziano is one of California’s most trusted authorities in complex divorce, custody,
support, and property matters.
- A Former Prosecutor
- Certified Family Law Specialist
- Fellow of the International Academy of Family Lawyers (IAFL)
He brings extensive courtroom experience and strategic depth to every high-stakes family law case.
Respected by peers, sought after by clients, and featured in national media, Alphonse also teaches and presents to top family law attorneys across the U.S. and beyond.
Featured in: Bloomberg Law, People, Fortune, Insider, Fast Company, Newsweek, LA Times, The Mirror, and more.
Meet Alphonse Provinziano
Meet
Alphonse Provinziano
Managing Partner & Senior Trial Attorney
Featured in: Bloomberg Law, People, Fortune, Insider, Fast Company, Newsweek, LA Times, The Mirror, and more.
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