Yes, restraining orders are public record in California. Anything filed in a restraining order case is presumed open to public inspection unless a statute or a court order makes it confidential or seals it.1Superior Court of California – County of San Diego. Accessing Court Records That presumption covers domestic violence, civil harassment, elder abuse, and workplace violence orders alike. What the public sees is the court file, not the law enforcement database behind it, and there are limited paths to keep certain details out of view.
What Someone Can See in the File
The public portion of a restraining order case shows the full names of the petitioner and the respondent, the case number, the filing and issuance dates, the expiration date, and the specific terms the judge ordered, such as stay-away distances and no-contact provisions. Anyone can read this at the courthouse.
Some identifiers are stripped out before the documents go into the public file. California Rules of Court, Rule 1.201 requires parties and their attorneys to redact sensitive information: Social Security numbers and financial account numbers may appear only as the last four digits, and medical records, information about minor children, and other personal financial data receive similar protection.2Judicial Branch of California. California Rules of Court Rule 1.201 – Protection of Privacy The names on the case caption and the substance of the order stay visible.
The CLETS Database Is Not Public
When a judge grants a restraining order, the court transmits the information to the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System, a confidential database accessible only to law enforcement and certain government entities.3Judicial Branch of California. California Rules of Court Rule 1.51 – California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS) Information Form Officers use CLETS to verify active orders in the field. The public cannot search or view CLETS entries. The court file exists for transparency; CLETS exists as an enforcement tool.
How to Look Up a Restraining Order
There are two practical routes. The first is the clerk’s office at the courthouse where the order was filed. With either the case number or the full names of the parties, the clerk can pull the file for inspection, and copies are available for a per-page fee.
Many California superior courts also run online case portals, but access varies by county and by case type. For sensitive matters like civil harassment and domestic violence, courts often post only the register of actions, case index, or hearing calendar online, and require an in-person visit to view the actual filed documents.4Judicial Branch of California. Who? Where? How? Viewing a Court’s Electronic Case Records That reflects a deliberate balance between public access and the privacy interests of the people named.
How Long the Record Stays Visible
A domestic violence restraining order issued after a hearing can last up to five years. If the judge does not write an expiration date on the form, the order defaults to three years.5California Legislative Information. California Code Family Code FAM 6345 Civil harassment orders issued after a hearing can also run up to five years. Temporary restraining orders are short-lived, lasting only until the full hearing, usually about three weeks out.
Expiration does not clear the file. Once a case exists, the record stays in the court’s system and remains accessible to the public unless a judge orders it sealed. A protective order that ended years ago can still be pulled up by anyone who knows where to look.
Background Checks and Employment
Because restraining orders sit in civil court files, they can surface on comprehensive background checks. Screening companies routinely search civil court indexes for employers and landlords, and a search will show the case number, the parties’ names, and the outcome. A standard restraining order is a civil matter, not a criminal one, so it will not appear on a basic criminal background check.
That changes if the restrained person violates the order. Knowingly disobeying a protective order is a misdemeanor under Penal Code 273.6, punishable by up to one year in county jail, a fine of up to $1,000, or both.6California Legislative Information. California Code PEN 273.6 – Violation of Protective Order A conviction for that violation produces a criminal record that will show up on criminal background checks.
Ways to Keep Information Out of the Public File
Safe at Home
California’s Safe at Home program, run by the Secretary of State, provides an address confidentiality service for victims of domestic violence, stalking, and sexual assault. Participants receive a substitute mailing address so their actual location does not appear in public records, and the program acts as the participant’s agent for service of process. Participants can also petition a California Superior Court for a confidential name change.7California Secretary of State. Frequently Asked Questions Safe at Home does not scrub records that already exist; it prevents new filings from revealing where you live.
Confidentiality for Minors
When a civil harassment restraining order involves a minor, the minor or a legal guardian can petition the court to keep the minor’s identifying information confidential. Under Code of Civil Procedure section 527.6(v), the court can grant the request on findings that the minor’s privacy interest outweighs the public’s right of access, that the minor would likely be harmed by disclosure, and that the order is narrowly tailored with no less restrictive alternative available.8California Legislative Information. California Code of Civil Procedure CCP 527.6 If granted, the minor’s name, address, and related details move into a confidential file and out of the public record.
Sealing the Record
Sealing goes further than redaction. A sealed record is treated as though it does not exist for public purposes: the files cannot be viewed, and the case is removed from public indexes and online databases. California has no statute that specifically authorizes sealing restraining order records the way it does for certain criminal records. The general procedure is California Rules of Court, Rule 2.551, which requires a formal motion supported by a declaration.9Judicial Branch of California. California Rules of Court 2.551 – Procedures for Filing Records Under Seal
To grant it, the judge must make five findings under Rule 2.550: that an overriding interest exists that outweighs the public’s right of access, that the interest supports sealing, that the interest would likely be harmed without sealing, that the order is narrowly tailored, and that no less restrictive option would work. Courts are more receptive when a temporary order expired without a permanent order ever being granted, when the case was dismissed, or when the record contains sensitive information about a minor. Cases where a permanent order was issued and enforced are harder to seal because the public interest in knowing about the order runs stronger.
A successful sealing does not touch the CLETS entry. The law enforcement database operates independently of the public court file, so officers may still see the information after the court record has been sealed.