T.R.O. Definition and Legal Meaning

On this page, you'll find the legal definition and meaning of T.R.O., written in plain English, along with examples of how it is used.

What is T.R.O.?

n. Slang for the legal term “temporary restraining order.”

Temporary Restraining Order is the courts order for temporarily prohibiting or telling a party to stop acting or behaving in the way they are behaving. Normally it is applicable in cases of enstranged marriages where the court asks the anyone of the party to stop harming and harrassing the spouse after he/she appears before the judge. The court decides on a date for hearing from other party and then decides whether to make TRO permanent.

History and Meaning of T.R.O.

The legal term T.R.O is the acronym for “temporary restraining order”. It is a legal order issued by a court that is used to protect a victim from harm or threat of harm. In most cases, it is used in domestic violence cases where a victim seeks the court's intervention in prohibiting an aggressor from contacting, approach, harassing, or disturbing them at work or home. A restraining order may also direct an abuser to leave or stay away from the victim's home, workplace or children's school.

The T.R.O is a temporary measure granted by the court after considering the immediate danger or harm. They typically are granted without notice to the other party, meaning the party seeking the T.R.O. does not have to inform the other party until after the T.R.O. has already been granted. Once issued, it remains valid only for a brief period (generally, a few weeks) until a full hearing on the matter can take place in which the court can determine whether or not to issue a permanent order.

Examples of T.R.O.

  1. A woman files for a T.R.O. against her ex-husband, asking the court to order him to stay away from her and their children.

  2. A neighbor gets a T.R.O. against another neighbor after an altercation turns physical.

  3. An employer files for a T.R.O. against a former employee, asking the court to prohibit them from disclosing confidential company information.

  4. A student receives a T.R.O. against someone who has threatened them at school.

Legal Terms Similar to T.R.O.

  1. Injunction – It is a court order that requires a party to do or refrain from doing a specific act.

  2. Protective Order – It is a legal order issued to protect the victim from harm or threat of harm by prohibiting a harasser from approaching or contacting the victim.

  3. No Contact Order – A court order that prohibits one party from contacting the other party or approaching them.