Online Restraining Orders

Emergency Order of Protection, Stalking No Contact Order, Civil No Contact Order and Firearms Restraining Order Online
(Available in Winnebago County and Boone County)

The 17th Judicial Circuit Court of Illinois has made available the ability to file a request for the following emergency protection orders during the business hours of 8:00am- 4:30pm through an online (remote) process:

Emergency Order of Protection;
Stalking No Contact Order;
Civil No Contact Order and/or
Firearms Restraining Order.

Each type of emergency order mentioned above has its own legal requirements and limitations and not everyone will qualify for an emergency order. Please know that with or without an emergency protection order, if you are in danger, you should call 911 for help.

If your petition for an Emergency Order of Protection, Stalking No-Contact Order or Civil No Contact Order is granted, the order can be in place for up to 21 days. Firearms Restraining Orders can be in place for up to 14 days. Following this, you will need to returnto court in person or remotely to ask that the emergency order be extended. You will be provided the date of this hearing at the time your emergency order is granted. Please note the respondent to your emergency order will be provided with the same date and is able to appear at that time and contest an extension of the emergency order against them. Please be prepared at this time to provide information as to why you need to extend the emergency order. Although not required you may want to consider speaking with an attorney and/or seek legal representation.

Please use these directions on how to file an Emergency Protective Order: Winnebago County Instructions or Boone County Instructions.

Follow this link to the online filing page and select Winnebago County or Boone County. For more information about the type of order you may qualify for filing, please follow the instruction links and see the section entitled: “Information to help determine if you may qualify for an emergency protection order.”

You may also use the Guide and File service to complete your paperwork by clicking here. Select “start a filing” and select “petition for an order of protection."

Please note that after you complete the form online you will be required to contact the Winnebago County Circuit Clerk’s Office at 815-319-4500 or the Boone County Circuit Clerk's Office at 815-544-0371 during the hours between the hours of 8:00 AM and 4:30 PM to ensure steps are put in place to complete your request. For same day processing, your paperwork must be filed electronically and you must contact the Winnebago County Clerk’s Office by 3:15pm or the Boone County Clerk's Office by 3:00pm. If your paperwork is filed after this time, your request will be processed the next business day and you must contact the Circuit Clerk's Office the next business day to ensure the order is processed.

Completing the paperwork online is not the same as having an active Order of Protection. YOU MUST CONTACT THE CELRK'S OFFICE AND APPEAR IN FRONT OF A JUDGE BEFORE YOUR ORDER MAY BE IN EFFECT.

Resources:

VIDEO - How to Remotely Request Emergency Protective Orders in Winnebago County, Illinois

VIDEO - Informational Videos About Orders or Protection

Para ver la traducción en español, lado a lado, de las preguntas de la entrevista de la Orden de Protección, haga un clic aquí.