AB 494: Restraining orders: protection of animals.
- Session Year: 2015-2016
- House: Assembly
- Latest Version Date: 2015-10-01
Existing law authorizes the court to issue a restraining order or a protective order to enjoin a party from specified behavior, such as, among other things, enjoining a person from molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, destroying the personal property of, or contacting another person, upon the showing of good cause. Existing law authorizes the court to issue an ex parte order under specified circumstances related to the protection of a ward of the court.
This bill would additionally authorize the court, on a showing of good cause, to include in restraining orders or protective orders an order granting the petitioner or applicant exclusive care, possession, or control of an animal that is held by the petitioner or a person protected by a restraining order or that resides in the same residence or household that is held by the petitioner or a person protected by a restraining order or that resides in the same residence or household and an order for the respondent or restrained person to stay away from, and refrain from taking or harming, that animal, as specified. The bill would make conforming changes to related provisions, including the provision relating to the protection of a ward of the court.
This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 527.6 of the Code of Civil Procedure and Section 213.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, proposed by AB 1081, that would become operative only if AB 1081 and this bill are both chaptered and become effective on or before January 1, 2016, and this bill is chaptered last.
This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 15657.03 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, proposed by AB 1081 and SB 196, that would become operative only if this bill and either or both of those bills are chaptered and become effective on or before January 1, 2016, and this bill is chaptered last.
Existing law authorizes the court to issue a restraining order or a protective order to enjoin a party from specified behavior, such as, among other things, enjoining a person from molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, destroying the personal property of, or contacting another person, upon the showing of good cause. Existing law authorizes the court to issue an ex parte order under specified circumstances related to the protection of a ward of the court.
This bill would additionally authorize the court, on a showing of good cause, to include in restraining orders or protective orders an order granting the petitioner or applicant exclusive care, possession, or control of an animal that is held by the petitioner or a person protected by a restraining order or that resides in the same residence or household that is held by the petitioner or a person protected by a restraining order or that resides in the same residence or household and an order for the respondent or restrained person to stay away from, and refrain from taking or harming, that animal, as specified. The bill would make conforming changes to related provisions, including the provision relating to the protection of a ward of the court.
This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 527.6 of the Code of Civil Procedure and Section 213.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, proposed by AB 1081, that would become operative only if AB 1081 and this bill are both chaptered and become effective on or before January 1, 2016, and this bill is chaptered last.
This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 15657.03 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, proposed by AB 1081 and SB 196, that would become operative only if this bill and either or both of those bills are chaptered and become effective on or before January 1, 2016, and this bill is chaptered last.
Existing law authorizes the court to issue a restraining order or a protective order to enjoin a party from specified behavior, such as, among other things, enjoining a person from molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, destroying the personal property of, or contacting another person, upon the showing of good cause. Existing law authorizes the court to issue an ex parte order under specified circumstances related to the protection of a ward of the court.
This bill would additionally authorize the court, on a showing of good cause, to include in restraining orders or protective orders an order granting the petitioner or applicant exclusive care, possession, or control of an animal that is held by the petitioner or a person protected by a restraining order or that resides in the same residence or household that is held by the petitioner or a person protected by a restraining order or that resides in the same residence or household and an order for the respondent or restrained person to stay away from, and refrain from taking or harming, that animal, as specified. The bill would make conforming changes to related provisions, including the provision relating to the protection of a ward of the court.
This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 527.6 of the Code of Civil Procedure and Section 213.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, proposed by AB 1081, that would become operative only if AB 1081 and this bill are both chaptered and become effective on or before January 1, 2016, and this bill is chaptered last.
This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 15657.03 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, proposed by AB 1081 and SB 196, that would become operative only if this bill and either or both of those bills are chaptered and become effective on or before January 1, 2016, and this bill is chaptered last.
Existing law authorizes the court to issue a restraining order or a protective order to enjoin a party from specified behavior, such as, among other things, enjoining a person from molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, destroying the personal property of, or contacting another person, upon the showing of good cause. Existing law authorizes the court to issue an ex parte order under specified circumstances related to the protection of a ward of the court.
This bill would additionally authorize the court, on a showing of good cause, to include in restraining orders or protective orders an order granting the petitioner or applicant exclusive care, possession, or control of an animal that is held by the petitioner or a person protected by a restraining order or that resides in the same residence or household that is held by the petitioner or a person protected by a restraining order or that resides in the same residence or household and an order for the respondent or restrained person to stay away from the animal from, and refrain from taking or harming the harming, that animal, as specified. The bill would make conforming changes to related provisions, including the provision relating to the protection of a ward of the court.
Existing law authorizes the court to issue a restraining order or a protective order to enjoin a party from specified behavior, such as, among other things, enjoining a person from molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, destroying the personal property of, or contacting another person, upon the showing of good cause. Existing law authorizes the court to issue an ex parte order under specified circumstances related to the protection of a ward of the court.
This bill would additionally authorize the court, on a showing of good cause, to issue include in restraining orders or protective orders to enjoin a person to stay away from an animal or forbid a person from, among other things, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of an animal. The bill would authorize the court to issue an order granting a petitioners request for the petitioner or applicant exclusive care, possession, or control of an animal that is held by the petitioner or respondent if residing a person protected by a restraining order or that resides in the same residence or household, as specified and an order for the respondent or restrained person to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking or harming the animal, as specified. The bill would make conforming changes to related provisions, including the provision relating to the protection of a ward of the court.
Existing law authorizes the court to issue a restraining order or a protective order to enjoin a party from specified behavior, such as, among other things, enjoining a person from molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, destroying the personal property of, or contacting another person, upon the showing of good cause. Existing law authorizes the court to issue an ex parte order under specified circumstances related to the protection of a ward of the court.
This bill would additionally authorize the court to issue restraining orders or protective orders to enjoin a person to stay away from an animal or forbid a person from, among other things, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of an animal. The bill would authorize the court to issue an order granting a petitioners request for the exclusive care, possession, or control of an animal held by the petitioner or respondent if residing in the same household, as specified. The bill would make conforming changes to related provisions, including the provision relating to the protection of a ward of the court.
(a)(1)A person who has suffered harassment as defined in subdivision (b) may seek a temporary restraining order and an injunction prohibiting harassment as provided in this section.
(2)A minor, under 12 years of age, accompanied by a duly appointed and acting guardian ad litem, shall be permitted to appear in court without counsel for the limited purpose of requesting or opposing a request for a temporary restraining order or injunction, or both, under this section as provided in Section 374.
(b)For the purposes of this section:
(1)Course of conduct is a pattern of conduct composed of a series of acts over a period of time, however short, evidencing a continuity of purpose, including following or stalking an individual, making harassing telephone calls to an individual, or sending harassing correspondence to an individual by any means, including, but not limited to, the use of public or private mails, interoffice mail, facsimile, or computer email. Constitutionally protected activity is not included within the meaning of course of conduct.
(2)Credible threat of violence is a knowing and willful statement or course of conduct that would place a reasonable person in fear for his or her safety, or the safety of his or her immediate family, and that serves no legitimate purpose.
(3)Harassment is unlawful violence, a credible threat of violence, or a knowing and willful course of conduct directed at a specific person that seriously alarms, annoys, or harasses the person, and that serves no legitimate purpose. The course of conduct must be such as would cause a reasonable person to suffer substantial emotional distress, and must actually cause substantial emotional distress to the petitioner.
(4)Petitioner means the person to be protected by the temporary restraining order and injunction and, if the court grants the petition, the protected person.
(5)Respondent means the person against whom the temporary restraining order and injunction are sought and, if the petition is granted, the restrained person.
(6)Temporary restraining order and injunction mean orders that include any of the following restraining orders, whether issued ex parte or after notice and hearing:
(A)An order enjoining a party from harassing, intimidating, molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, abusing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls, as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, or coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of, the petitioner. On a showing of good cause, in an order issued pursuant to this subparagraph in connection with an animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by the petitioner, or residing in the residence or household of the petitioner, the court may do either or both of the following:
(i)Grant the petitioner exclusive care, possession, or control of the animal.
(ii)Order the respondent to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal.
(B)An order enjoining a party from specified behavior that the court determines is necessary to effectuate orders described in subparagraph (A).
(7)Unlawful violence is any assault or battery, or stalking as prohibited in Section 646.9 of the Penal Code, but shall not include lawful acts of self-defense or defense of others.
(c)In the discretion of the court, on a showing of good cause, a temporary restraining order or injunction issued under this section may include other named family or household members.
(d)Upon filing a petition for an injunction under this section, the petitioner may obtain a temporary restraining order in accordance with Section 527, except to the extent this section provides a rule that is inconsistent. The temporary restraining order may include any of the restraining orders described in paragraph (6) of subdivision (b). A temporary restraining order may be issued with or without notice, based on a declaration that, to the satisfaction of the court, shows reasonable proof of harassment of the petitioner by the respondent, and that great or irreparable harm would result to the petitioner.
(e)A request for the issuance of a temporary restraining order without notice under this section shall be granted or denied on the same day that the petition is submitted to the court, unless the petition is filed too late in the day to permit effective review, in which case the order shall be granted or denied on the next day of judicial business in sufficient time for the order to be filed that day with the clerk of the court.
(f)A temporary restraining order issued under this section shall remain in effect, at the courts discretion, for a period not to exceed 21 days, or, if the court extends the time for hearing under subdivision (g), not to exceed 25 days, unless otherwise modified or terminated by the court.
(g)Within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days from the date that a petition for a temporary order is granted or denied, a hearing shall be held on the petition for the injunction. If no request for temporary orders is made, the hearing shall be held within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days, from the date that the petition is filed.
(h)The respondent may file a response that explains, excuses, justifies, or denies the alleged harassment or may file a cross-petition under this section.
(i)At the hearing, the judge shall receive any testimony that is relevant, and may make an independent inquiry. If the judge finds by clear and convincing evidence that unlawful harassment exists, an injunction shall issue prohibiting the harassment.
(j)(1)In the discretion of the court, an order issued after notice and hearing under this section may have a duration of not more than five years, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. The order may be renewed, upon the request of a party, for a duration of not more than five additional years, without a showing of any further harassment since the issuance of the original order, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. A request for renewal may be brought at any time within the three months before the expiration of the order.
(2)The failure to state the expiration date on the face of the form creates an order with a duration of three years from the date of issuance.
(3)If an action is filed for the purpose of terminating or modifying a protective order prior to the expiration date specified in the order by a party other than the protected party, the party who is protected by the order shall be given notice, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 1005, of the proceeding by personal service or, if the protected party has satisfied the requirements of Chapter 3.1 (commencing with Section 6205) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, by service on the Secretary of State. If the party who is protected by the order cannot be notified prior to the hearing for modification or termination of the protective order, the court shall deny the motion to modify or terminate the order without prejudice or continue the hearing until the party who is protected can be properly noticed and may, upon a showing of good cause, specify another method for service of process that is reasonably designed to afford actual notice to the protected party. The protected party may waive his or her right to notice if he or she is physically present in court and does not challenge the sufficiency of the notice.
(k)This section does not preclude either party from representation by private counsel or from appearing on the partys own behalf.
(l)In a proceeding under this section if there are allegations of unlawful violence or credible threats of violence, a support person may accompany a party in court and, if the party is not represented by an attorney, may sit with the party at the table that is generally reserved for the party and the partys attorney. The support person is present to provide moral and emotional support for a person who alleges he or she is a victim of violence. The support person is not present as a legal adviser and may not provide legal advice. The support person may assist the person who alleges he or she is a victim of violence in feeling more confident that he or she will not be injured or threatened by the other party during the proceedings if the person who alleges he or she is a victim of violence and the other party are required to be present in close proximity. This subdivision does not preclude the court from exercising its discretion to remove the support person from the courtroom if the court believes the support person is prompting, swaying, or influencing the party assisted by the support person.
(m)Upon the filing of a petition for an injunction under this section, the respondent shall be personally served with a copy of the petition, temporary restraining order, if any, and notice of hearing of the petition. Service shall be made at least five days before the hearing. The court may for good cause, on motion of the petitioner or on its own motion, shorten the time for service on the respondent.
(n)A notice of hearing under this section shall notify the respondent that if he or she does not attend the hearing, the court may make orders against him or her that could last up to three years.
(o)(1)The court may, upon the filing of a declaration by the petitioner that the respondent could not be served within the time required by statute, reissue an order previously issued and dissolved by the court for failure to serve the respondent. The reissued order shall remain in effect until the date set for the hearing.
(2)The reissued order shall state on its face the date of expiration of the order.
(p)(1)If a respondent, named in a restraining order issued after a hearing, has not been served personally with the order but has received actual notice of the existence and substance of the order through personal appearance in court to hear the terms of the order from the court, no additional proof of service is required for enforcement of the order.
(2)If the respondent named in a temporary restraining order is personally served with the order and notice of hearing with respect to a restraining order or protective order based on the temporary restraining order, but the respondent does not appear at the hearing, either personally or by an attorney, and the terms and conditions of the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing are identical to the temporary restraining order, except for the duration of the order, then the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing may be served on the respondent by first-class mail sent to the respondent at the most current address for the respondent available to the court.
(3)The Judicial Council form for temporary orders issued pursuant to this subdivision shall contain a statement in substantially the following form:
If you have been personally served with this temporary restraining order and notice of hearing, but you do not appear at the hearing either in person or by a lawyer, and a restraining order that is the same as this temporary restraining order except for the expiration date is issued at the hearing, a copy of the restraining order will be served on you by mail at the following address: ____.
If that address is not correct or you wish to verify that the temporary restraining order was converted to a restraining order at the hearing without substantive change and to find out the duration of that order, contact the clerk of the court.
(q)(1)Information on any temporary restraining order or injunction relating to civil harassment issued by a court pursuant to this section shall be transmitted to the Department of Justice in accordance with either paragraph (2) or (3).
(2)The court shall order the petitioner or the attorney for the petitioner to deliver a copy of an order issued under this section, or reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by the close of the business day on which the order, reissuance, extension, modification, or termination was made, to a law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the residence of the petitioner and to any additional law enforcement agencies within the courts discretion as are requested by the petitioner.
(3)Alternatively, the court or its designee shall transmit, within one business day, to law enforcement personnel all information required under subdivision (b) of Section 6380 of the Family Code regarding any order issued under this section, or a reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by either one of the following methods:
(A)Transmitting a physical copy of the order or proof of service to a local law enforcement agency authorized by the Department of Justice to enter orders into the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS).
(B)With the approval of the Department of Justice, entering the order or proof of service into CLETS directly.
(4)Each appropriate law enforcement agency shall make available information as to the existence and current status of these orders to law enforcement officers responding to the scene of reported harassment.
(5)An order issued under this section shall, on request of the petitioner, be served on the respondent, whether or not the respondent has been taken into custody, by any law enforcement officer who is present at the scene of reported harassment involving the parties to the proceeding. The petitioner shall provide the officer with an endorsed copy of the order and a proof of service that the officer shall complete and send to the issuing court.
(6)Upon receiving information at the scene of an incident of harassment that a protective order has been issued under this section, or that a person who has been taken into custody is the subject of an order, if the protected person cannot produce a certified copy of the order, a law enforcement officer shall immediately attempt to verify the existence of the order.
(7)If the law enforcement officer determines that a protective order has been issued, but not served, the officer shall immediately notify the respondent of the terms of the order and shall at that time also enforce the order. Verbal notice of the terms of the order shall constitute service of the order and is sufficient notice for the purposes of this section and for the purposes of Section 29825 of the Penal Code.
(r)The prevailing party in any action brought under this section may be awarded court costs and attorneys fees, if any.
(s)Any willful disobedience of any temporary restraining order or injunction granted under this section is punishable pursuant to Section 273.6 of the Penal Code.
(t)(1)A person subject to a protective order issued under this section shall not own, possess, purchase, receive, or attempt to purchase or receive a firearm or ammunition while the protective order is in effect.
(2)The court shall order a person subject to a protective order issued under this section to relinquish any firearms he or she owns or possesses pursuant to Section 527.9.
(3)Every person who owns, possesses, purchases, or receives, or attempts to purchase or receive, a firearm or ammunition while the protective order is in effect is punishable pursuant to Section 29825 of the Penal Code.
(u)This section does not apply to any action or proceeding covered by Title 1.6C (commencing with Section 1788) of Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code or by Division 10 (commencing with Section 6200) of the Family Code. This section does not preclude a petitioner from using other existing civil remedies.
(v)(1)The Judicial Council shall develop forms, instructions, and rules relating to matters governed by this section. The petition and response forms shall be simple and concise, and their use by parties in actions brought pursuant to this section shall be mandatory.
(2)A temporary restraining order or injunction relating to civil harassment issued by a court pursuant to this section shall be issued on forms adopted by the Judicial Council of California and that have been approved by the Department of Justice pursuant to subdivision (i) of Section 6380 of the Family Code. However, the fact that an order issued by a court pursuant to this section was not issued on forms adopted by the Judicial Council and approved by the Department of Justice shall not, in and of itself, make the order unenforceable.
(w)There is no filing fee for a petition that alleges that a person has inflicted or threatened violence against the petitioner, or stalked the petitioner, or acted or spoken in any other manner that has placed the petitioner in reasonable fear of violence, and that seeks a protective or restraining order or injunction restraining stalking or future violence or threats of violence, in any action brought pursuant to this section. A fee shall not be paid for a subpoena filed in connection with a petition alleging these acts. A fee shall not be paid for filing a response to a petition alleging these acts.
(x)(1)Subject to paragraph (4) of subdivision (b) of Section 6103.2 of the Government Code, there shall not be a fee for the service of process by a sheriff or marshal of a protective order, restraining order, or injunction to be issued, if either of the following conditions applies:
(A)The protective order, restraining order, or injunction issued pursuant to this section is based upon stalking, as prohibited by Section 646.9 of the Penal Code.
(B)The protective order, restraining order, or injunction issued pursuant to this section is based upon unlawful violence or a credible threat of violence.
(2)The Judicial Council shall prepare and develop forms for persons who wish to avail themselves of the services described in this subdivision.
(y)This section shall become operative on July 1, 2014.
SEC. 1.5.Section 527.6 of the Code of Civil Procedure is amended to read:527.6.(a)(1)A person who has suffered harassment as defined in subdivision (b) may seek a temporary restraining order and an order after hearing prohibiting harassment as provided in this section.
(2)A minor, under 12 years of age, accompanied by a duly appointed and acting guardian ad litem, shall be permitted to appear in court without counsel for the limited purpose of requesting or opposing a request for a temporary restraining order or order after hearing or both, under this section as provided in Section 374.
(b)For purposes of this section:
(1)Course of conduct is a pattern of conduct composed of a series of acts over a period of time, however short, evidencing a continuity of purpose, including following or stalking an individual, making harassing telephone calls to an individual, or sending harassing correspondence to an individual by any means, including, but not limited to, the use of public or private mails, interoffice mail, facsimile, or computer email. Constitutionally protected activity is not included within the meaning of course of conduct.
(2)Credible threat of violence is a knowing and willful statement or course of conduct that would place a reasonable person in fear for his or her safety, or the safety of his or her immediate family, and that serves no legitimate purpose.
(3)Harassment is unlawful violence, a credible threat of violence, or a knowing and willful course of conduct directed at a specific person that seriously alarms, annoys, or harasses the person, and that serves no legitimate purpose. The course of conduct must be such as would cause a reasonable person to suffer substantial emotional distress, and must actually cause substantial emotional distress to the petitioner.
(4)Petitioner means the person to be protected by the temporary restraining order and order after hearing and, if the court grants the petition, the protected person.
(5)Respondent means the person against whom the temporary restraining order and order after hearing are sought and, if the petition is granted, the restrained person.
(6)Temporary restraining order and order after hearing mean orders that include any of the following restraining orders, whether issued ex parte or after notice and hearing:
(A)An order enjoining a party from harassing, intimidating, molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, abusing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls, as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, or coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of, the petitioner. On a showing of good cause, in an order issued pursuant to this subparagraph in connection with an animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by the petitioner, or residing in the residence or household of the petitioner, the court may do either or both of the following:
(i)Grant the petitioner exclusive care, possession, or control of the animal.
(ii)Order the respondent to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal.
(B)An order enjoining a party from specified behavior that the court determines is necessary to effectuate orders described in subparagraph (A).
(7)Unlawful violence is any assault or battery, or stalking as prohibited in Section 646.9 of the Penal Code, but shall not include lawful acts of self-defense or defense of others.
(c)In the discretion of the court, on a showing of good cause, a temporary restraining order or order after hearing issued under this section may include other named family or household members.
(d)Upon filing a petition for orders under this section, the petitioner may obtain a temporary restraining order in accordance with Section 527, except to the extent this section provides a rule that is inconsistent. The temporary restraining order may include any of the restraining orders described in paragraph (6) of subdivision (b). A temporary restraining order may be issued with or without notice, based on a declaration that, to the satisfaction of the court, shows reasonable proof of harassment of the petitioner by the respondent, and that great or irreparable harm would result to the petitioner.
(e)A request for the issuance of a temporary restraining order without notice under this section shall be granted or denied on the same day that the petition is submitted to the court, unless the petition is filed too late in the day to permit effective review, in which case the order shall be granted or denied on the next day of judicial business in sufficient time for the order to be filed that day with the clerk of the court.
(f)A temporary restraining order issued under this section shall remain in effect, at the courts discretion, for a period not to exceed 21 days, or, if the court extends the time for hearing under subdivision (g), not to exceed 25 days, unless otherwise modified or terminated by the court.
(g)Within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days from the date that a petition for a temporary order is granted or denied, a hearing shall be held on the petition. If no request for temporary orders is made, the hearing shall be held within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days, from the date that the petition is filed.
(h)The respondent may file a response that explains, excuses, justifies, or denies the alleged harassment or may file a cross-petition under this section.
(i)At the hearing, the judge shall receive any testimony that is relevant, and may make an independent inquiry. If the judge finds by clear and convincing evidence that unlawful harassment exists, an order shall issue prohibiting the harassment.
(j)(1)In the discretion of the court, an order issued after notice and hearing under this section may have a duration of not more than five years, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. The order may be renewed, upon the request of a party, for a duration of not more than five additional years, without a showing of any further harassment since the issuance of the original order, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. A request for renewal may be brought at any time within the three months before the expiration of the order.
(2)The failure to state the expiration date on the face of the form creates an order with a duration of three years from the date of issuance.
(3)If an action is filed for the purpose of terminating or modifying a protective order prior to the expiration date specified in the order by a party other than the protected party, the party who is protected by the order shall be given notice, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 1005, of the proceeding by personal service or, if the protected party has satisfied the requirements of Chapter 3.1 (commencing with Section 6205) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, by service on the Secretary of State. If the party who is protected by the order cannot be notified prior to the hearing for modification or termination of the protective order, the court shall deny the motion to modify or terminate the order without prejudice or continue the hearing until the party who is protected can be properly noticed and may, upon a showing of good cause, specify another method for service of process that is reasonably designed to afford actual notice to the protected party. The protected party may waive his or her right to notice if he or she is physically present in court and does not challenge the sufficiency of the notice.
(k)This section does not preclude either party from representation by private counsel or from appearing on the partys own behalf.
(l)In a proceeding under this section, if there are allegations of unlawful violence or credible threats of violence, a support person may accompany a party in court and, if the party is not represented by an attorney, may sit with the party at the table that is generally reserved for the party and the partys attorney. The support person is present to provide moral and emotional support for a person who alleges he or she is a victim of violence. The support person is not present as a legal adviser and may not provide legal advice. The support person may assist the person who alleges he or she is a victim of violence in feeling more confident that he or she will not be injured or threatened by the other party during the proceedings if the person who alleges he or she is a victim of violence and the other party are required to be present in close proximity. This subdivision does not preclude the court from exercising its discretion to remove the support person from the courtroom if the court believes the support person is prompting, swaying, or influencing the party assisted by the support person.
(m)Upon the filing of a petition under this section, the respondent shall be personally served with a copy of the petition, temporary restraining order, if any, and notice of hearing of the petition. Service shall be made at least five days before the hearing. The court may for good cause, on motion of the petitioner or on its own motion, shorten the time for service on the respondent.
(n)A notice of hearing under this section shall notify the respondent that if he or she does not attend the hearing, the court may make orders against him or her that could last up to five years.
(o)The respondent shall be entitled, as a matter of course, to one continuance, for a reasonable period, to respond to the petition.
(p)(1)Either party may request a continuance of the hearing, which the court shall grant on a showing of good cause. The request may be made in writing before or at the hearing or orally at the hearing. The court may also grant a continuance on its own motion.
(2)If the court grants a continuance, any temporary restraining order that has been granted shall remain in effect until the end of the continued hearing, unless otherwise ordered by the court. In granting a continuance, the court may modify or terminate a temporary restraining order.
(q)(1)If a respondent, named in a restraining order issued after a hearing, has not been served personally with the order but has received actual notice of the existence and substance of the order through personal appearance in court to hear the terms of the order from the court, no additional proof of service is required for enforcement of the order.
(2)If the respondent named in a temporary restraining order is personally served with the order and notice of hearing with respect to a restraining order or protective order based on the temporary restraining order, but the respondent does not appear at the hearing, either personally or by an attorney, and the terms and conditions of the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing are identical to the temporary restraining order, except for the duration of the order, then the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing may be served on the respondent by first-class mail sent to the respondent at the most current address for the respondent available to the court.
(3)The Judicial Council form for temporary orders issued pursuant to this subdivision shall contain a statement in substantially the following form:
If you have been personally served with this temporary restraining order and notice of hearing, but you do not appear at the hearing either in person or by a lawyer, and a restraining order that is the same as this temporary restraining order except for the expiration date is issued at the hearing, a copy of the restraining order will be served on you by mail at the following address: ____.
If that address is not correct or you wish to verify that the temporary restraining order was converted to a restraining order at the hearing without substantive change and to find out the duration of that order, contact the clerk of the court.
(r)(1)Information on a temporary restraining order or order after hearing relating to civil harassment issued by a court pursuant to this section shall be transmitted to the Department of Justice in accordance with either paragraph (2) or (3).
(2)The court shall order the petitioner or the attorney for the petitioner to deliver a copy of an order issued under this section, or reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by the close of the business day on which the order, reissuance, extension, modification, or termination was made, to a law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the residence of the petitioner and to any additional law enforcement agencies within the courts discretion as are requested by the petitioner.
(3)Alternatively, the court or its designee shall transmit, within one business day, to law enforcement personnel all information required under subdivision (b) of Section 6380 of the Family Code regarding any order issued under this section, or a reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by either one of the following methods:
(A)Transmitting a physical copy of the order or proof of service to a local law enforcement agency authorized by the Department of Justice to enter orders into the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS).
(B)With the approval of the Department of Justice, entering the order or proof of service into CLETS directly.
(4)Each appropriate law enforcement agency shall make available information as to the existence and current status of these orders to law enforcement officers responding to the scene of reported harassment.
(5)An order issued under this section shall, on request of the petitioner, be served on the respondent, whether or not the respondent has been taken into custody, by any law enforcement officer who is present at the scene of reported harassment involving the parties to the proceeding. The petitioner shall provide the officer with an endorsed copy of the order and a proof of service that the officer shall complete and send to the issuing court.
(6)Upon receiving information at the scene of an incident of harassment that a protective order has been issued under this section, or that a person who has been taken into custody is the subject of an order, if the protected person cannot produce a certified copy of the order, a law enforcement officer shall immediately attempt to verify the existence of the order.
(7)If the law enforcement officer determines that a protective order has been issued but not served, the officer shall immediately notify the respondent of the terms of the order and shall at that time also enforce the order. Verbal notice of the terms of the order shall constitute service of the order and is sufficient notice for the purposes of this section and for the purposes of Section 29825 of the Penal Code.
(s)The prevailing party in any action brought under this section may be awarded court costs and attorneys fees, if any.
(t)Any willful disobedience of any temporary restraining order or order after hearing granted under this section is punishable pursuant to Section 273.6 of the Penal Code.
(u)(1)A person subject to a protective order issued under this section shall not own, possess, purchase, receive, or attempt to purchase or receive a firearm or ammunition while the protective order is in effect.
(2)The court shall order a person subject to a protective order issued under this section to relinquish any firearms he or she owns or possesses pursuant to Section 527.9.
(3)Every person who owns, possesses, purchases, or receives, or attempts to purchase or receive, a firearm or ammunition while the protective order is in effect is punishable pursuant to Section 29825 of the Penal Code.
(v)This section does not apply to any action or proceeding covered by Title 1.6C (commencing with Section 1788) of Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code or by Division 10 (commencing with Section 6200) of the Family Code. This section does not preclude a petitioner from using other existing civil remedies.
(w)(1)The Judicial Council shall develop forms, instructions, and rules relating to matters governed by this section. The petition and response forms shall be simple and concise, and their use by parties in actions brought pursuant to this section shall be mandatory.
(2)A temporary restraining order or order after hearing relating to civil harassment issued by a court pursuant to this section shall be issued on forms adopted by the Judicial Council of California and that have been approved by the Department of Justice pursuant to subdivision (i) of Section 6380 of the Family Code. However, the fact that an order issued by a court pursuant to this section was not issued on forms adopted by the Judicial Council and approved by the Department of Justice shall not, in and of itself, make the order unenforceable.
(x)There is no filing fee for a petition that alleges that a person has inflicted or threatened violence against the petitioner, or stalked the petitioner, or acted or spoken in any other manner that has placed the petitioner in reasonable fear of violence, and that seeks a protective or restraining order restraining stalking or future violence or threats of violence, in any action brought pursuant to this section. A fee shall not be paid for a subpoena filed in connection with a petition alleging these acts. A fee shall not be paid for filing a response to a petition alleging these acts.
(y)(1)Subject to paragraph (4) of subdivision (b) of Section 6103.2 of the Government Code, there shall not be a fee for the service of process by a sheriff or marshal of a protective or restraining order to be issued, if either of the following conditions applies:
(A)The protective or restraining order issued pursuant to this section is based upon stalking, as prohibited by Section 646.9 of the Penal Code.
(B)The protective or restraining order issued pursuant to this section is based upon unlawful violence or a credible threat of violence.
(2)The Judicial Council shall prepare and develop forms for persons who wish to avail themselves of the services described in this subdivision.
SEC. 2.Section 213.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:213.5.(a)After a petition has been filed pursuant to Section 311 to declare a child a dependent child of the juvenile court, and until the time that the petition is dismissed or dependency is terminated, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure or in the manner provided by Section 6300 of the Family Code, if related to domestic violence, the juvenile court has exclusive jurisdiction to issue ex parte orders (1) enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of the child or any other child in the household; and (2) excluding any person from the dwelling of the person who has care, custody, and control of the child. A court may also issue an ex parte order enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of any parent, legal guardian, or current caretaker of the child, regardless of whether the child resides with that parent, legal guardian, or current caretaker, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure or, if related to domestic violence, in the manner provided by Section 6300 of the Family Code. A court may also issue an ex parte order enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of the childs current or former social worker or court appointed special advocate, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure. On a showing of good cause, in an ex parte order issued pursuant to this subdivision in connection with an animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by a person protected by the restraining order, or residing in the residence or household of a person protected by the restraining order, the court may do either or both of the following:
(1)Grant the applicant exclusive care, possession, or control of the animal.
(2)Order the restrained person to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal.
(b)After a petition has been filed pursuant to Section 601 or 602 to declare a child a ward of the juvenile court, and until the time that the petition is dismissed or wardship is terminated, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure or, if related to domestic violence, in the manner provided by Section 6300 of the Family Code, the juvenile court may issue ex parte orders (1) enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of the child or any other child in the household; (2) excluding any person from the dwelling of the person who has care, custody, and control of the child; or (3) enjoining the child from contacting, threatening, stalking, or disturbing the peace of any person the court finds to be at risk from the conduct of the child, or with whom association would be detrimental to the child. A court may also issue an ex parte order enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of any parent, legal guardian, or current caretaker of the child, regardless of whether the child resides with that parent, legal guardian, or current caretaker, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure or, if related to domestic violence, in the manner provided by Section 6300 of the Family Code. A court may also issue an ex parte order enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of the childs current or former probation officer or court appointed special advocate, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure. On a showing of good cause, in an ex parte order issued pursuant to this subdivision in connection with an animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by a person protected by the restraining order, or residing in the residence or household of a person protected by the restraining order, the court may do either or both of the following:
(1)Grant the applicant exclusive care, possession, or control of the animal.
(2)Order the respondent to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal.
(c)If a temporary restraining order is granted without notice, the matter shall be made returnable on an order requiring cause to be shown why the order should not be granted, on the earliest day that the business of the court will permit, but not later than 21 days or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days from the date the temporary restraining order is granted. The court may, on the motion of the person seeking the restraining order, or on its own motion, shorten the time for service of the order to show cause on the person to be restrained. The court may, upon its own motion or the filing of a declaration by the person seeking the restraining order, find that the person to be restrained could not be served within the time required by law and reissue an order previously issued and dissolved by the court for failure to serve the person to be restrained. The reissued order shall remain in effect until the date set for the hearing. The reissued order shall state on its face the date of expiration of the order. Any hearing pursuant to this section may be held simultaneously with any regularly scheduled hearings held in proceedings to declare a child a dependent child or ward of the juvenile court pursuant to Section 300, 601, or 602, or subsequent hearings regarding the dependent child or ward.
(d)(1)The juvenile court may issue, upon notice and a hearing, any of the orders set forth in subdivisions (a), (b), and (c). Any restraining order granted pursuant to this subdivision shall remain in effect, in the discretion of the court, no more than three years, unless otherwise terminated by the court, extended by mutual consent of all parties to the restraining order, or extended by further order of the court on the motion of any party to the restraining order.
(2)If an action is filed for the purpose of terminating or modifying a protective order prior to the expiration date specified in the order by a party other than the protected party, the party who is protected by the order shall be given notice, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 1005 of the Code of Civil Procedure, of the proceeding by personal service or, if the protected party has satisfied the requirements of Chapter 3.1 (commencing with Section 6205) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, by service on the Secretary of State. If the party who is protected by the order cannot be notified prior to the hearing for modification or termination of the protective order, the juvenile court shall deny the motion to modify or terminate the order without prejudice or continue the hearing until the party who is protected can be properly noticed and may, upon a showing of good cause, specify another method for service of process that is reasonably designed to afford actual notice to the protected party. The protected party may waive his or her right to notice if he or she is physically present and does not challenge the sufficiency of the notice.
(e)(1)The juvenile court may issue an order made pursuant to subdivision (a), (b), or (d) excluding a person from a residence or dwelling. This order may be issued for the time and on the conditions that the court determines, regardless of which party holds legal or equitable title or is the lessee of the residence or dwelling.
(2)The court may issue an order under paragraph (1) only on a showing of all of the following:
(A)Facts sufficient for the court to ascertain that the party who will stay in the dwelling has a right under color of law to possession of the premises.
(B)That the party to be excluded has assaulted or threatens to assault the other party or any other person under the care, custody, and control of the other party, or any minor child of the parties or of the other party.
(C)That physical or emotional harm would otherwise result to the other party, to any person under the care, custody, and control of the other party, or to any minor child of the parties or of the other party.
(f)Any order issued pursuant to subdivision (a), (b), (c), or (d) shall state on its face the date of expiration of the order.
(g)All data with respect to a juvenile court protective order, or extension, modification, or termination thereof, granted pursuant to subdivision (a), (b), (c), or (d), shall be transmitted by the court or its designee, within one business day, to law enforcement personnel by either one of the following methods:
(1)Transmitting a physical copy of the order to a local law enforcement agency authorized by the Department of Justice to enter orders into the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS).
(2)With the approval of the Department of Justice, entering the order into CLETS directly.
(h)Any willful and knowing violation of any order granted pursuant to subdivision (a), (b), (c), or (d) shall be a misdemeanor punishable under Section 273.65 of the Penal Code.
(i)A juvenile court restraining order related to domestic violence issued by a court pursuant to this section shall be issued on forms adopted by the Judicial Council of California and that have been approved by the Department of Justice pursuant to subdivision (i) of Section 6380 of the Family Code. However, the fact that an order issued by a court pursuant to this section was not issued on forms adopted by the Judicial Council and approved by the Department of Justice shall not, in and of itself, make the order unenforceable.
(j)(1)Prior to a hearing on the issuance or denial of an order under this part, a search shall be conducted as described in subdivision (a) of Section 6306 of the Family Code.
(2)Prior to deciding whether to issue an order under this part, the court shall consider the following information obtained pursuant to a search conducted under paragraph (1): any conviction for a violent felony specified in Section 667.5 of the Penal Code or a serious felony specified in Section 1192.7 of the Penal Code; any misdemeanor conviction involving domestic violence, weapons, or other violence; any outstanding warrant; parole or probation status; any prior restraining order; and any violation of a prior restraining order.
(3)(A)If the results of the search conducted pursuant to paragraph (1) indicate that an outstanding warrant exists against the subject of the search, the court shall order the clerk of the court to immediately notify, by the most effective means available, appropriate law enforcement officials of any information obtained through the search that the court determines is appropriate. The law enforcement officials notified shall take all actions necessary to execute any outstanding warrants or any other actions, as appropriate and as soon as practicable.
(B)If the results of the search conducted pursuant to paragraph (1) indicate that the subject of the search is currently on parole or probation, the court shall order the clerk of the court to immediately notify, by the most effective means available, the appropriate parole or probation officer of any information obtained through the search that the court determines is appropriate. The parole or probation officer notified shall take all actions necessary to revoke any parole or probation, or any other actions, with respect to the subject person, as appropriate and as soon as practicable.
(k)Upon making any order for custody or visitation pursuant to this section, the court shall follow the procedures specified in subdivisions (c) and (d) of Section 6323 of the Family Code.
SEC. 2.5.Section 213.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:213.5.(a)After a petition has been filed pursuant to Section 311 to declare a child a dependent child of the juvenile court, and until the time that the petition is dismissed or dependency is terminated, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure or in the manner provided by Section 6300 of the Family Code, if related to domestic violence, the juvenile court has exclusive jurisdiction to issue ex parte orders (1) enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of the child or any other child in the household; and (2) excluding any person from the dwelling of the person who has care, custody, and control of the child. A court may also issue an ex parte order enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of any parent, legal guardian, or current caretaker of the child, regardless of whether the child resides with that parent, legal guardian, or current caretaker, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure or, if related to domestic violence, in the manner provided by Section 6300 of the Family Code. A court may also issue an ex parte order enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of the childs current or former social worker or court appointed special advocate, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure. On a showing of good cause, in an ex parte order issued pursuant to this subdivision in connection with an animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by a person protected by the restraining order, or residing in the residence or household of a person protected by the restraining order, the court may do either or both of the following:
(1)Grant the applicant exclusive care, possession, or control of the animal.
(2)Order the restrained person to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal.
(b)After a petition has been filed pursuant to Section 601 or 602 to declare a child a ward of the juvenile court, and until the time that the petition is dismissed or wardship is terminated, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure or, if related to domestic violence, in the manner provided by Section 6300 of the Family Code, the juvenile court may issue ex parte orders (1) enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of the child or any other child in the household; (2) excluding any person from the dwelling of the person who has care, custody, and control of the child; or (3) enjoining the child from contacting, threatening, stalking, or disturbing the peace of any person the court finds to be at risk from the conduct of the child, or with whom association would be detrimental to the child. A court may also issue an ex parte order enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of any parent, legal guardian, or current caretaker of the child, regardless of whether the child resides with that parent, legal guardian, or current caretaker, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure or, if related to domestic violence, in the manner provided by Section 6300 of the Family Code. A court may also issue an ex parte order enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of the childs current or former probation officer or court appointed special advocate, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure. On a showing of good cause, in an ex parte order issued pursuant to this subdivision in connection with an animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by a person protected by the restraining order, or residing in the residence or household of a person protected by the restraining order, the court may do either or both of the following:
(1)Grant the applicant exclusive care, possession, or control of the animal.
(2)Order the respondent to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal.
(c)(1)If a temporary restraining order is granted without notice, the matter shall be made returnable on an order requiring cause to be shown why the order should not be granted, on the earliest day that the business of the court will permit, but not later than 21 days or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days from the date the temporary restraining order is granted. The court may, on the motion of the person seeking the restraining order, or on its own motion, shorten the time for the service of the order to show cause on the person to be restrained.
(2)The respondent shall be entitled, as a matter of course, to one continuance, for a reasonable period, to respond to the petition.
(3)Either party may request a continuance of the hearing, which the court shall grant on a showing of good cause. The request may be made in writing before or at the hearing or orally at the hearing. The court may also grant a continuance on its own motion.
(4)If the court grants a continuance, any temporary restraining order that has been issued shall remain in effect until the end of the continued hearing, unless otherwise ordered by the court. In granting a continuance, the court may modify or terminate a temporary restraining order.
(5)A hearing pursuant to this section may be held simultaneously with any regularly scheduled hearings held in proceedings to declare a child a dependent child or ward of the juvenile court pursuant to Section 300, 601, or 602, or subsequent hearings regarding the dependent child or ward.
(d)(1)The juvenile court may issue, upon notice and a hearing, any of the orders set forth in subdivisions (a), (b), and (c). A restraining order granted pursuant to this subdivision shall remain in effect, in the discretion of the court, no more than three years, unless otherwise terminated by the court, extended by mutual consent of all parties to the restraining order, or extended by further order of the court on the motion of any party to the restraining order.
(2)If an action is filed for the purpose of terminating or modifying a protective order prior to the expiration date specified in the order by a party other than the protected party, the party who is protected by the order shall be given notice, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 1005 of the Code of Civil Procedure, of the proceeding by personal service or, if the protected party has satisfied the requirements of Chapter 3.1 (commencing with Section 6205) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, by service on the Secretary of State. If the party who is protected by the order cannot be notified prior to the hearing for modification or termination of the protective order, the juvenile court shall deny the motion to modify or terminate the order without prejudice or continue the hearing until the party who is protected can be properly noticed and may, upon a showing of good cause, specify another method for service of process that is reasonably designed to afford actual notice to the protected party. The protected party may waive his or her right to notice if he or she is physically present and does not challenge the sufficiency of the notice.
(e)(1)The juvenile court may issue an order made pursuant to subdivision (a), (b), or (d) excluding a person from a residence or dwelling. This order may be issued for the time and on the conditions that the court determines, regardless of which party holds legal or equitable title or is the lessee of the residence or dwelling.
(2)The court may issue an order under paragraph (1) only on a showing of all of the following:
(A)Facts sufficient for the court to ascertain that the party who will stay in the dwelling has a right under color of law to possession of the premises.
(B)That the party to be excluded has assaulted or threatens to assault the other party or any other person under the care, custody, and control of the other party, or any minor child of the parties or of the other party.
(C)That physical or emotional harm would otherwise result to the other party, to any person under the care, custody, and control of the other party, or to any minor child of the parties or of the other party.
(f)An order issued pursuant to subdivision (a), (b), (c), or (d) shall state on its face the date of expiration of the order.
(g)All data with respect to a juvenile court protective order, or extension, modification, or termination thereof, granted pursuant to subdivision (a), (b), (c), or (d), shall be transmitted by the court or its designee, within one business day, to law enforcement personnel by either one of the following methods:
(1)Transmitting a physical copy of the order to a local law enforcement agency authorized by the Department of Justice to enter orders into the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS).
(2)With the approval of the Department of Justice, entering the order into CLETS directly.
(h)Any willful and knowing violation of any order granted pursuant to subdivision (a), (b), (c), or (d) shall be a misdemeanor punishable under Section 273.65 of the Penal Code.
(i)A juvenile court restraining order related to domestic violence issued by a court pursuant to this section shall be issued on forms adopted by the Judicial Council of California and that have been approved by the Department of Justice pursuant to subdivision (i) of Section 6380 of the Family Code. However, the fact that an order issued by a court pursuant to this section was not issued on forms adopted by the Judicial Council and approved by the Department of Justice shall not, in and of itself, make the order unenforceable.
(j)(1)Prior to a hearing on the issuance or denial of an order under this part, a search shall be conducted as described in subdivision (a) of Section 6306 of the Family Code.
(2)Prior to deciding whether to issue an order under this part, the court shall consider the following information obtained pursuant to a search conducted under paragraph (1): any conviction for a violent felony specified in Section 667.5 of the Penal Code or a serious felony specified in Section 1192.7 of the Penal Code; any misdemeanor conviction involving domestic violence, weapons, or other violence; any outstanding warrant; parole or probation status; any prior restraining order; and any violation of a prior restraining order.
(3)(A)If the results of the search conducted pursuant to paragraph (1) indicate that an outstanding warrant exists against the subject of the search, the court shall order the clerk of the court to immediately notify, by the most effective means available, appropriate law enforcement officials of any information obtained through the search that the court determines is appropriate. The law enforcement officials notified shall take all actions necessary to execute any outstanding warrants or any other actions, as appropriate and as soon as practicable.
(B)If the results of the search conducted pursuant to paragraph (1) indicate that the subject of the search is currently on parole or probation, the court shall order the clerk of the court to immediately notify, by the most effective means available, the appropriate parole or probation officer of any information obtained through the search that the court determines is appropriate. The parole or probation officer notified shall take all actions necessary to revoke any parole or probation, or any other actions, with respect to the subject person, as appropriate and as soon as practicable.
(k)Upon making any order for custody or visitation pursuant to this section, the court shall follow the procedures specified in subdivisions (c) and (d) of Section 6323 of the Family Code.
SEC. 3.Section 15657.03 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:15657.03.(a)(1)An elder or dependent adult who has suffered abuse as defined in Section 15610.07 may seek protective orders as provided in this section.
(2)A petition may be brought on behalf of an abused elder or dependent adult by a conservator or a trustee of the elder or dependent adult, an attorney-in-fact of an elder or dependent adult who acts within the authority of the power of attorney, a person appointed as a guardian ad litem for the elder or dependent adult, or other person legally authorized to seek such relief.
(b)For the purposes of this section:
(1)Conservator means the legally appointed conservator of the person or estate of the petitioner, or both.
(2)Petitioner means the elder or dependent adult to be protected by the protective orders and, if the court grants the petition, the protected person.
(3)Protective order means an order that includes any of the following restraining orders, whether issued ex parte, after notice and hearing, or in a judgment:
(A)An order enjoining a party from abusing, intimidating, molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, or coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of, the petitioner, and, in the discretion of the court, on a showing of good cause, of other named family or household members or a conservator, if any, of the petitioner. On a showing of good cause, in an order issued pursuant to this subparagraph in connection with an animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by the petitioner, or residing in the residence or household of the petitioner, the court may do either or both of the following:
(i)Grant the petitioner exclusive care, possession, or control of the animal.
(ii)Order the respondent to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal.
(B)An order excluding a party from the petitioners residence or dwelling, except that this order shall not be issued if legal or equitable title to, or lease of, the residence or dwelling is in the sole name of the party to be excluded, or is in the name of the party to be excluded and any other party besides the petitioner.
(C)An order enjoining a party from specified behavior that the court determines is necessary to effectuate orders described in subparagraph (A) or (B).
(4)Respondent means the person against whom the protective orders are sought and, if the petition is granted, the restrained person.
(c)An order may be issued under this section, with or without notice, to restrain any person for the purpose of preventing a recurrence of abuse, if a declaration shows, to the satisfaction of the court, reasonable proof of a past act or acts of abuse of the petitioning elder or dependent adult.
(d)Upon filing a petition for protective orders under this section, the petitioner may obtain a temporary restraining order in accordance with Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure, except to the extent this section provides a rule that is inconsistent. The temporary restraining order may include any of the protective orders described in paragraph (3) of subdivision (b). However, the court may issue an ex parte order excluding a party from the petitioners residence or dwelling only on a showing of all of the following:
(1)Facts sufficient for the court to ascertain that the party who will stay in the dwelling has a right under color of law to possession of the premises.
(2)That the party to be excluded has assaulted or threatens to assault the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or a conservator of the petitioner.
(3)That physical or emotional harm would otherwise result to the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or a conservator of the petitioner.
(e)A request for the issuance of a temporary restraining order without notice under this section shall be granted or denied on the same day that the petition is submitted to the court, unless the petition is filed too late in the day to permit effective review, in which case the order shall be granted or denied on the next day of judicial business in sufficient time for the order to be filed that day with the clerk of the court.
(f)Within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days, from the date that a request for a temporary restraining order is granted or denied, a hearing shall be held on the petition. If no request for temporary orders is made, the hearing shall be held within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days, from the date that the petition is filed.
(g)The respondent may file a response that explains or denies the alleged abuse.
(h)The court may issue, upon notice and a hearing, any of the orders set forth in paragraph (3) of subdivision (b). The court may issue, after notice and hearing, an order excluding a person from a residence or dwelling if the court finds that physical or emotional harm would otherwise result to the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or conservator of the petitioner.
(i)(1)In the discretion of the court, an order issued after notice and a hearing under this section may have a duration of not more than five years, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. These orders may be renewed upon the request of a party, either for five years or permanently, without a showing of any further abuse since the issuance of the original order, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. The request for renewal may be brought at any time within the three months before the expiration of the order.
(2)The failure to state the expiration date on the face of the form creates an order with a duration of three years from the date of issuance.
(3)If an action is filed for the purpose of terminating or modifying a protective order prior to the expiration date specified in the order by a party other than the protected party, the party who is protected by the order shall be given notice, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 1005 of the Code of Civil Procedure, of the proceeding by personal service or, if the protected party has satisfied the requirements of Chapter 3.1 (commencing with Section 6205) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, by service on the Secretary of State. If the party who is protected by the order cannot be notified prior to the hearing for modification or termination of the protective order, the court shall deny the motion to modify or terminate the order without prejudice or continue the hearing until the party who is protected can be properly noticed and may, upon a showing of good cause, specify another method for service of process that is reasonably designed to afford actual notice to the protected party. The protected party may waive his or her right to notice if he or she is physically present in court and does not challenge the sufficiency of the notice.
(j)In a proceeding under this section, a support person may accompany a party in court and, if the party is not represented by an attorney, may sit with the party at the table that is generally reserved for the party and the partys attorney. The support person is present to provide moral and emotional support for a person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse. The support person is not present as a legal adviser and may not provide legal advice. The support person may assist the person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse in feeling more confident that he or she will not be injured or threatened by the other party during the proceedings if the person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse and the other party are required to be present in close proximity. This subdivision does not preclude the court from exercising its discretion to remove the support person from the courtroom if the court believes the support person is prompting, swaying, or influencing the party assisted by the support person.
(k)Upon the filing of a petition for protective orders under this section, the respondent shall be personally served with a copy of the petition, notice of the hearing or order to show cause, temporary restraining order, if any, and any declarations in support of the petition. Service shall be made at least five days before the hearing. The court may, on motion of the petitioner or on its own motion, shorten the time for service on the respondent.
(l)A notice of hearing under this section shall notify the respondent that if he or she does not attend the hearing, the court may make orders against him or her that could last up to five years.
(m)(1)The court may, upon the filing of a declaration by the petitioner that the respondent could not be served within the time required by statute, reissue an order previously issued and dissolved by the court for failure to serve the respondent. The reissued order shall remain in effect until the date set for the hearing.
(2)The reissued order shall state on its face the date of expiration of the order.
(n)(1)If a respondent, named in an order issued under this section after a hearing, has not been served personally with the order but has received actual notice of the existence and substance of the order through personal appearance in court to hear the terms of the order from the court, no additional proof of service is required for enforcement of the order.
(2)If the respondent named in a temporary restraining order is personally served with the order and notice of hearing with respect to a restraining order or protective order based on the temporary restraining order, but the respondent does not appear at the hearing, either personally or by an attorney, and the terms and conditions of the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing are identical to the temporary restraining order, except for the duration of the order, then the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing may be served on the respondent by first-class mail sent to the respondent at the most current address for the respondent that is available to the court.
(3)The Judicial Council form for temporary orders issued pursuant to this subdivision shall contain a statement in substantially the following form:
If you have been personally served with a temporary restraining order and notice of hearing, but you do not appear at the hearing either in person or by a lawyer, and a restraining order that is the same as this temporary restraining order except for the expiration date is issued at the hearing, a copy of the order will be served on you by mail at the following address: ____.
If that address is not correct or you wish to verify that the temporary restraining order was converted to a restraining order at the hearing without substantive change and to find out the duration of that order, contact the clerk of the court.
(o)(1)Information on any protective order relating to elder or dependent adult abuse issued by a court pursuant to this section shall be transmitted to the Department of Justice in accordance with either paragraph (2) or (3).
(2)The court shall order the petitioner or the attorney for the petitioner to deliver a copy of an order issued under this section, or a reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by the close of the business day on which the order, reissuance, extension, modification, or termination was made, to each law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the residence of the petitioner, and to any additional law enforcement agencies within the courts discretion as are requested by the petitioner.
(3)Alternatively, the court or its designee shall transmit, within one business day, to law enforcement personnel all information required under subdivision (b) of Section 6380 of the Family Code regarding any order issued under this section, or a reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by either one of the following methods:
(A)Transmitting a physical copy of the order or proof of service to a local law enforcement agency authorized by the Department of Justice to enter orders into the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS).
(B)With the approval of the Department of Justice, entering the order or proof of service into CLETS directly.
(4)Each appropriate law enforcement agency shall make available information as to the existence and current status of these orders to law enforcement officers responding to the scene of reported abuse.
(5)An order issued under this section shall, on request of the petitioner, be served on the respondent, whether or not the respondent has been taken into custody, by any law enforcement officer who is present at the scene of reported abuse involving the parties to the proceeding. The petitioner shall provide the officer with an endorsed copy of the order and a proof of service, which the officer shall complete and send to the issuing court.
(6)Upon receiving information at the scene of an incident of abuse that a protective order has been issued under this section, or that a person who has been taken into custody is the respondent to that order, if the protected person cannot produce an endorsed copy of the order, a law enforcement officer shall immediately attempt to verify the existence of the order.
(7)If the law enforcement officer determines that a protective order has been issued, but not served, the officer shall immediately notify the respondent of the terms of the order and where a written copy of the order can be obtained, and the officer shall at that time also enforce the order. The law enforcement officers verbal notice of the terms of the order shall constitute service of the order and is sufficient notice for the purposes of this section and for the purposes of Section 273.6 of the Penal Code.
(p)Nothing in this section shall preclude either party from representation by private counsel or from appearing on the partys own behalf.
(q)There is no filing fee for a petition, response, or paper seeking the reissuance, modification, or enforcement of a protective order filed in a proceeding brought pursuant to this section.
(r)Pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (b) of Section 6103.2 of the Government Code, a petitioner shall not be required to pay a fee for law enforcement to serve an order issued under this section.
(s)The prevailing party in any action brought under this section may be awarded court costs and attorneys fees, if any.
(t)(1)A person subject to a protective order under this section shall not own, possess, purchase, receive, or attempt to receive a firearm or ammunition while the protective order is in effect.
(2)The court shall order a person subject to a protective order issued under this section to relinquish any firearms he or she owns or possesses pursuant to Section 527.9 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
(3)Every person who owns, possesses, purchases, or receives, or attempts to purchase or receive a firearm or ammunition while subject to a protective order issued under this section is punishable pursuant to Section 29825 of the Penal Code.
(4)This subdivision shall not apply in a case in which the protective order issued under this section was made solely on the basis of financial abuse unaccompanied by force, threat, harassment, intimidation, or any other form of abuse.
(u)Any willful disobedience of any temporary restraining order or restraining order after hearing granted under this section is punishable pursuant to Section 273.6 of the Penal Code.
(v)This section does not apply to any action or proceeding governed by Title 1.6C (commencing with Section 1788) of Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code, by Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 525) of Title 7 of Part 2 of the Code of Civil Procedure, or by Division 10 (commencing with Section 6200) of the Family Code. Nothing in this section shall preclude a petitioners right to use other existing civil remedies.
(w)The Judicial Council shall develop forms, instructions, and rules relating to matters governed by this section. The petition and response forms shall be simple and concise, and their use by parties in actions brought pursuant to this section shall be mandatory.
SEC. 3.1.Section 15657.03 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:15657.03.(a)(1)An elder or dependent adult who has suffered abuse, as defined in Section 15610.07, may seek protective orders as provided in this section.
(2)A petition may be brought on behalf of an abused elder or dependent adult by a conservator or a trustee of the elder or dependent adult, an attorney-in-fact of an elder or dependent adult who acts within the authority of a power of attorney, a person appointed as a guardian ad litem for the elder or dependent adult, or other person legally authorized to seek such relief.
(b)For purposes of this section:
(1)Conservator means the legally appointed conservator of the person or estate of the petitioner, or both.
(2)Petitioner means the elder or dependent adult to be protected by the protective orders and, if the court grants the petition, the protected person.
(3)Protective order means an order that includes any of the following restraining orders, whether issued ex parte, after notice and hearing, or in a judgment:
(A)An order enjoining a party from abusing, intimidating, molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, or coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of, the petitioner, and, in the discretion of the court, on a showing of good cause, of other named family or household members or a conservator, if any, of the petitioner. On a showing of good cause, in an order issued pursuant to this subparagraph in connection with an animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by the petitioner, or residing in the residence or household of the petitioner, the court may do either or both of the following:
(i)Grant the petitioner exclusive care, possession, or control of the animal.
(ii)Order the respondent to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal.
(B)An order excluding a party from the petitioners residence or dwelling, except that this order shall not be issued if legal or equitable title to, or lease of, the residence or dwelling is in the sole name of the party to be excluded, or is in the name of the party to be excluded and any other party besides the petitioner.
(C)An order enjoining a party from specified behavior that the court determines is necessary to effectuate orders described in subparagraph (A) or (B).
(4)Respondent means the person against whom the protective orders are sought and, if the petition is granted, the restrained person.
(c)An order may be issued under this section, with or without notice, to restrain any person for the purpose of preventing a recurrence of abuse, if a declaration shows, to the satisfaction of the court, reasonable proof of a past act or acts of abuse of the petitioning elder or dependent adult.
(d)Upon filing a petition for protective orders under this section, the petitioner may obtain a temporary restraining order in accordance with Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure, except to the extent this section provides a rule that is inconsistent. The temporary restraining order may include any of the protective orders described in paragraph (3) of subdivision (b). However, the court may issue an ex parte order excluding a party from the petitioners residence or dwelling only on a showing of all of the following:
(1)Facts sufficient for the court to ascertain that the party who will stay in the dwelling has a right under color of law to possession of the premises.
(2)That the party to be excluded has assaulted or threatens to assault the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or a conservator of the petitioner.
(3)That physical or emotional harm would otherwise result to the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or a conservator of the petitioner.
(e)A request for the issuance of a temporary restraining order without notice under this section shall be granted or denied on the same day that the petition is submitted to the court, unless the petition is filed too late in the day to permit effective review, in which case the order shall be granted or denied on the next day of judicial business in sufficient time for the order to be filed that day with the clerk of the court.
(f)Within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days, from the date that a request for a temporary restraining order is granted or denied, a hearing shall be held on the petition. If no request for temporary orders is made, the hearing shall be held within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days, from the date that the petition is filed.
(g)The respondent may file a response that explains or denies the alleged abuse.
(h)The court may issue, upon notice and a hearing, any of the orders set forth in paragraph (3) of subdivision (b). The court may issue, after notice and hearing, an order excluding a person from a residence or dwelling if the court finds that physical or emotional harm would otherwise result to the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or conservator of the petitioner.
(i)(1)In the discretion of the court, an order issued after notice and a hearing under this section may have a duration of not more than five years, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. These orders may be renewed upon the request of a party, either for five years or permanently, without a showing of any further abuse since the issuance of the original order, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. The request for renewal may be brought at any time within the three months before the expiration of the order.
(2)The failure to state the expiration date on the face of the form creates an order with a duration of three years from the date of issuance.
(3)If an action is filed for the purpose of terminating or modifying a protective order prior to the expiration date specified in the order by a party other than the protected party, the party who is protected by the order shall be given notice, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 1005 of the Code of Civil Procedure, of the proceeding by personal service or, if the protected party has satisfied the requirements of Chapter 3.1 (commencing with Section 6205) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, by service on the Secretary of State. If the party who is protected by the order cannot be notified prior to the hearing for modification or termination of the protective order, the court shall deny the motion to modify or terminate the order without prejudice or continue the hearing until the party who is protected can be properly noticed and may, upon a showing of good cause, specify another method for service of process that is reasonably designed to afford actual notice to the protected party. The protected party may waive his or her right to notice if he or she is physically present in court and does not challenge the sufficiency of the notice.
(j)In a proceeding under this section, a support person may accompany a party in court and, if the party is not represented by an attorney, may sit with the party at the table that is generally reserved for the party and the partys attorney. The support person is present to provide moral and emotional support for a person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse. The support person is not present as a legal adviser and may not provide legal advice. The support person may assist the person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse in feeling more confident that he or she will not be injured or threatened by the other party during the proceedings if the person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse and the other party are required to be present in close proximity. This subdivision does not preclude the court from exercising its discretion to remove the support person from the courtroom if the court believes the support person is prompting, swaying, or influencing the party assisted by the support person.
(k)Upon the filing of a petition for protective orders under this section, the respondent shall be personally served with a copy of the petition, notice of the hearing or order to show cause, temporary restraining order, if any, and any declarations in support of the petition. Service shall be made at least five days before the hearing. The court may, on motion of the petitioner or on its own motion, shorten the time for service on the respondent.
(l)A notice of hearing under this section shall notify the respondent that if he or she does not attend the hearing, the court may make orders against him or her that could last up to five years.
(m)The respondent shall be entitled, as a matter of course, to one continuance, for a reasonable period, to respond to the petition.
(n)(1) Either party may request a continuance of the hearing, which the court shall grant on a showing of good cause. The request may be made in writing before or at the hearing or orally at the hearing. The court may also grant a continuance on its own motion.
(2)If the court grants a continuance, any temporary restraining order that has been granted shall remain in effect until the end of the continued hearing, unless otherwise ordered by the court. In granting a continuance, the court may modify or terminate a temporary restraining order.
(o)(1)If a respondent, named in an order issued under this section after a hearing, has not been served personally with the order but has received actual notice of the existence and substance of the order through personal appearance in court to hear the terms of the order from the court, no additional proof of service is required for enforcement of the order.
(2)If the respondent named in a temporary restraining order is personally served with the order and notice of hearing with respect to a restraining order or protective order based on the temporary restraining order, but the respondent does not appear at the hearing, either personally or by an attorney, and the terms and conditions of the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing are identical to the temporary restraining order, except for the duration of the order, then the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing may be served on the respondent by first-class mail sent to the respondent at the most current address for the respondent that is available to the court.
(3)The Judicial Council form for temporary orders issued pursuant to this subdivision shall contain a statement in substantially the following form:
If you have been personally served with a temporary restraining order and notice of hearing, but you do not appear at the hearing either in person or by a lawyer, and a restraining order that is the same as this temporary restraining order except for the expiration date is issued at the hearing, a copy of the order will be served on you by mail at the following address: ____.
If that address is not correct or you wish to verify that the temporary restraining order was converted to a restraining order at the hearing without substantive change and to find out the duration of that order, contact the clerk of the court.
(p)(1)Information on a protective order relating to elder or dependent adult abuse issued by a court pursuant to this section shall be transmitted to the Department of Justice in accordance with either paragraph (2) or (3).
(2)The court shall order the petitioner or the attorney for the petitioner to deliver a copy of an order issued under this section, or a reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by the close of the business day on which the order, reissuance, extension, modification, or termination was made, to each law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the residence of the petitioner, and to any additional law enforcement agencies within the courts discretion as are requested by the petitioner.
(3)Alternatively, the court or its designee shall transmit, within one business day, to law enforcement personnel all information required under subdivision (b) of Section 6380 of the Family Code regarding any order issued under this section, or a reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by either one of the following methods:
(A)Transmitting a physical copy of the order or proof of service to a local law enforcement agency authorized by the Department of Justice to enter orders into the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS).
(B)With the approval of the Department of Justice, entering the order or proof of service into CLETS directly.
(4)Each appropriate law enforcement agency shall make available information as to the existence and current status of these orders to law enforcement officers responding to the scene of reported abuse.
(5)An order issued under this section shall, on request of the petitioner, be served on the respondent, whether or not the respondent has been taken into custody, by any law enforcement officer who is present at the scene of reported abuse involving the parties to the proceeding. The petitioner shall provide the officer with an endorsed copy of the order and a proof of service, which the officer shall complete and send to the issuing court.
(6)Upon receiving information at the scene of an incident of abuse that a protective order has been issued under this section, or that a person who has been taken into custody is the respondent to that order, if the protected person cannot produce an endorsed copy of the order, a law enforcement officer shall immediately attempt to verify the existence of the order.
(7)If the law enforcement officer determines that a protective order has been issued but not served, the officer shall immediately notify the respondent of the terms of the order and where a written copy of the order can be obtained, and the officer shall at that time also enforce the order. The law enforcement officers verbal notice of the terms of the order shall constitute service of the order and is sufficient notice for the purposes of this section and for the purposes of Section 273.6 of the Penal Code.
(q)Nothing in this section shall preclude either party from representation by private counsel or from appearing on the partys own behalf.
(r)There is no filing fee for a petition, response, or paper seeking the reissuance, modification, or enforcement of a protective order filed in a proceeding brought pursuant to this section.
(s)Pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (b) of Section 6103.2 of the Government Code, a petitioner shall not be required to pay a fee for law enforcement to serve an order issued under this section.
(t)The prevailing party in an action brought under this section may be awarded court costs and attorneys fees, if any.
(u)(1)A person subject to a protective order under this section shall not own, possess, purchase, receive, or attempt to receive a firearm or ammunition while the protective order is in effect.
(2)The court shall order a person subject to a protective order issued under this section to relinquish any firearms he or she owns or possesses pursuant to Section 527.9 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
(3)Every person who owns, possesses, purchases, or receives, or attempts to purchase or receive a firearm or ammunition while subject to a protective order issued under this section is punishable pursuant to Section 29825 of the Penal Code.
(4)This subdivision does not apply in a case in which a protective order issued under this section was made solely on the basis of financial abuse unaccompanied by force, threat, harassment, intimidation, or any other form of abuse.
(v)Any willful disobedience of any temporary restraining order or restraining order after hearing granted under this section is punishable pursuant to Section 273.6 of the Penal Code.
(w)This section does not apply to any action or proceeding governed by Title 1.6C (commencing with Section 1788) of Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code, by Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 525) of Title 7 of Part 2 of the Code of Civil Procedure, or by Division 10 (commencing with Section 6200) of the Family Code. Nothing in this section shall preclude a petitioners right to use other existing civil remedies.
(x)The Judicial Council shall develop forms, instructions, and rules relating to matters governed by this section. The petition and response forms shall be simple and concise, and their use by parties in actions brought pursuant to this section shall be mandatory.
SEC. 3.2.Section 15657.03 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:15657.03.(a)(1)An elder or dependent adult who has suffered abuse, as defined in Section 15610.07, may seek protective orders as provided in this section.
(2)A petition may be brought on behalf of an abused elder or dependent adult by a conservator or a trustee of the elder or dependent adult, an attorney-in-fact of an elder or dependent adult who acts within the authority of a power of attorney, a person appointed as a guardian ad litem for the elder or dependent adult, or other person legally authorized to seek such relief.
(b)For the purposes of this section:
(1)Conservator means the legally appointed conservator of the person or estate of the petitioner, or both.
(2)Petitioner means the elder or dependent adult to be protected by the protective orders and, if the court grants the petition, the protected person.
(3)Protective order means an order that includes any of the following restraining orders, whether issued ex parte, after notice and hearing, or in a judgment:
(A)An order enjoining a party from abusing, intimidating, molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, or coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of, the petitioner, and, in the discretion of the court, on a showing of good cause, of other named family or household members or a conservator, if any, of the petitioner. On a showing of good cause, in an order issued pursuant to this subparagraph in connection with an animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by the petitioner, or residing in the residence or household of the petitioner, the court may do either or both of the following:
(i)Grant the petitioner exclusive care, possession, or control of the animal.
(ii)Order the respondent to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal.
(B)An order excluding a party from the petitioners residence or dwelling, except that this order shall not be issued if legal or equitable title to, or lease of, the residence or dwelling is in the sole name of the party to be excluded, or is in the name of the party to be excluded and any other party besides the petitioner.
(C)An order enjoining a party from specified behavior that the court determines is necessary to effectuate orders described in subparagraph (A) or (B).
(4)Respondent means the person against whom the protective orders are sought and, if the petition is granted, the restrained person.
(c)An order may be issued under this section, with or without notice, to restrain any person for the purpose of preventing a recurrence of abuse, if a declaration shows, to the satisfaction of the court, reasonable proof of a past act or acts of abuse of the petitioning elder or dependent adult.
(d)Upon filing a petition for protective orders under this section, the petitioner may obtain a temporary restraining order in accordance with Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure, except to the extent this section provides a rule that is inconsistent. The temporary restraining order may include any of the protective orders described in paragraph (3) of subdivision (b). However, the court may issue an ex parte order excluding a party from the petitioners residence or dwelling only on a showing of all of the following:
(1)Facts sufficient for the court to ascertain that the party who will stay in the dwelling has a right under color of law to possession of the premises.
(2)That the party to be excluded has assaulted or threatens to assault the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or a conservator of the petitioner.
(3)That physical or emotional harm would otherwise result to the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or a conservator of the petitioner.
(e)A request for the issuance of a temporary restraining order without notice under this section shall be granted or denied on the same day that the petition is submitted to the court, unless the petition is filed too late in the day to permit effective review, in which case the order shall be granted or denied on the next day of judicial business in sufficient time for the order to be filed that day with the clerk of the court.
(f)Within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days, from the date that a request for a temporary restraining order is granted or denied, a hearing shall be held on the petition. If no request for temporary orders is made, the hearing shall be held within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days, from the date that the petition is filed.
(g)The respondent may file a response that explains or denies the alleged abuse.
(h)The court may issue, upon notice and a hearing, any of the orders set forth in paragraph (3) of subdivision (b). The court may issue, after notice and hearing, an order excluding a person from a residence or dwelling if the court finds that physical or emotional harm would otherwise result to the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or conservator of the petitioner.
(i)(1)In the discretion of the court, an order issued after notice and a hearing under this section may have a duration of not more than five years, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. These orders may be renewed upon the request of a party, either for five years or permanently, without a showing of any further abuse since the issuance of the original order, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. The request for renewal may be brought at any time within the three months before the expiration of the order.
(2)The failure to state the expiration date on the face of the form creates an order with a duration of three years from the date of issuance.
(3)If an action is filed for the purpose of terminating or modifying a protective order prior to the expiration date specified in the order by a party other than the protected party, the party who is protected by the order shall be given notice, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 1005 of the Code of Civil Procedure, of the proceeding by personal service or, if the protected party has satisfied the requirements of Chapter 3.1 (commencing with Section 6205) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, by service on the Secretary of State. If the party who is protected by the order cannot be notified prior to the hearing for modification or termination of the protective order, the court shall deny the motion to modify or terminate the order without prejudice or continue the hearing until the party who is protected can be properly noticed and may, upon a showing of good cause, specify another method for service of process that is reasonably designed to afford actual notice to the protected party. The protected party may waive his or her right to notice if he or she is physically present in court and does not challenge the sufficiency of the notice.
(j)In a proceeding under this section, a support person may accompany a party in court and, if the party is not represented by an attorney, may sit with the party at the table that is generally reserved for the party and the partys attorney. The support person is present to provide moral and emotional support for a person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse. The support person is not present as a legal adviser and may not provide legal advice. The support person may assist the person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse in feeling more confident that he or she will not be injured or threatened by the other party during the proceedings if the person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse and the other party are required to be present in close proximity. This subdivision does not preclude the court from exercising its discretion to remove the support person from the courtroom if the court believes the support person is prompting, swaying, or influencing the party assisted by the support person.
(k)Upon the filing of a petition for protective orders under this section, the respondent shall be personally served with a copy of the petition, notice of the hearing or order to show cause, temporary restraining order, if any, and any declarations in support of the petition. Service shall be made at least five days before the hearing. The court may, on motion of the petitioner or on its own motion, shorten the time for service on the respondent.
(l)A notice of hearing under this section shall notify the respondent that if he or she does not attend the hearing, the court may make orders against him or her that could last up to five years.
(m)(1)The court may, upon the filing of a declaration by the petitioner that the respondent could not be served within the time required by statute, reissue an order previously issued and dissolved by the court for failure to serve the respondent. The reissued order shall remain in effect until the date set for the hearing.
(2)The reissued order shall state on its face the date of expiration of the order.
(n)(1)If a respondent, named in an order issued under this section after a hearing, has not been served personally with the order but has received actual notice of the existence and substance of the order through personal appearance in court to hear the terms of the order from the court, no additional proof of service is required for enforcement of the order.
(2)If the respondent named in a temporary restraining order is personally served with the order and notice of hearing with respect to a restraining order or protective order based on the temporary restraining order, but the respondent does not appear at the hearing, either personally or by an attorney, and the terms and conditions of the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing are identical to the temporary restraining order, except for the duration of the order, then the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing may be served on the respondent by first-class mail sent to the respondent at the most current address for the respondent that is available to the court.
(3)The Judicial Council form for temporary orders issued pursuant to this subdivision shall contain a statement in substantially the following form:
If you have been personally served with a temporary restraining order and notice of hearing, but you do not appear at the hearing either in person or by a lawyer, and a restraining order that is the same as this temporary restraining order except for the expiration date is issued at the hearing, a copy of the order will be served on you by mail at the following address: ____.
If that address is not correct or you wish to verify that the temporary restraining order was converted to a restraining order at the hearing without substantive change and to find out the duration of that order, contact the clerk of the court.
(o)(1)Information on a protective order relating to elder or dependent adult abuse issued by a court pursuant to this section shall be transmitted to the Department of Justice in accordance with either paragraph (2) or (3).
(2)The court shall order the petitioner or the attorney for the petitioner to deliver a copy of an order issued under this section, or a reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by the close of the business day on which the order, reissuance, extension, modification, or termination was made, to each law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the residence of the petitioner, and to any additional law enforcement agencies within the courts discretion as are requested by the petitioner.
(3)Alternatively, the court or its designee shall transmit, within one business day, to law enforcement personnel all information required under subdivision (b) of Section 6380 of the Family Code regarding any order issued under this section, or a reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by either one of the following methods:
(A)Transmitting a physical copy of the order or proof of service to a local law enforcement agency authorized by the Department of Justice to enter orders into the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS).
(B)With the approval of the Department of Justice, entering the order or proof of service into CLETS directly.
(4)Each appropriate law enforcement agency shall make available information as to the existence and current status of these orders to law enforcement officers responding to the scene of reported abuse.
(5)An order issued under this section shall, on request of the petitioner, be served on the respondent, whether or not the respondent has been taken into custody, by any law enforcement officer who is present at the scene of reported abuse involving the parties to the proceeding. The petitioner shall provide the officer with an endorsed copy of the order and a proof of service, which the officer shall complete and send to the issuing court.
(6)Upon receiving information at the scene of an incident of abuse that a protective order has been issued under this section, or that a person who has been taken into custody is the respondent to that order, if the protected person cannot produce an endorsed copy of the order, a law enforcement officer shall immediately attempt to verify the existence of the order.
(7)If the law enforcement officer determines that a protective order has been issued, but not served, the officer shall immediately notify the respondent of the terms of the order and where a written copy of the order can be obtained, and the officer shall at that time also enforce the order. The law enforcement officers verbal notice of the terms of the order shall constitute service of the order and is sufficient notice for the purposes of this section and for the purposes of Section 273.6 of the Penal Code.
(p)Nothing in this section shall preclude either party from representation by private counsel or from appearing on the partys own behalf.
(q)There is no filing fee for a petition, response, or paper seeking the reissuance, modification, or enforcement of a protective order filed in a proceeding brought pursuant to this section.
(r)Pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (b) of Section 6103.2 of the Government Code, a petitioner shall not be required to pay a fee for law enforcement to serve an order issued under this section.
(s)The prevailing party in an action brought under this section may be awarded court costs and attorneys fees, if any.
(t)(1)A person subject to a protective order under this section shall not own, possess, purchase, receive, or attempt to receive a firearm or ammunition while the protective order is in effect.
(2)The court shall order a person subject to a protective order issued under this section to relinquish any firearms he or she owns or possesses pursuant to Section 527.9 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
(3)Every person who owns, possesses, purchases, or receives, or attempts to purchase or receive a firearm or ammunition while subject to a protective order issued under this section is punishable pursuant to Section 29825 of the Penal Code.
(4)This subdivision does not apply in a case in which a protective order issued under this section was made solely on the basis of financial abuse unaccompanied by force, threat, harassment, intimidation, or any other form of abuse.
(u)Any willful disobedience of any temporary restraining order or restraining order after hearing granted under this section is punishable pursuant to Section 273.6 of the Penal Code.
(v)This section does not apply to any action or proceeding governed by Title 1.6C (commencing with Section 1788) of Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code, Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 525) of Title 7 of Part 2 of the Code of Civil Procedure, or Division 10 (commencing with Section 6200) of the Family Code. Nothing in this section shall preclude a petitioners right to use other existing civil remedies.
(w)The Judicial Council shall develop forms, instructions, and rules relating to matters governed by this section. The petition and response forms shall be simple and concise, and their use by parties in actions brought pursuant to this section shall be mandatory.
(x)This section shall become inoperative on July 1, 2016, and, as of January 1, 2017, is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that becomes operative on or before January 1, 2017, deletes or extends the dates on which it becomes inoperative and is repealed.
SEC. 3.3.Section 15657.03 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:15657.03.(a)(1) An elder or dependent adult who has suffered abuse, as defined in Section 15610.07, may seek protective orders as provided in this section.
(2)A petition may be brought on behalf of an abused elder or dependent adult by a conservator or a trustee of the elder or dependent adult, an attorney-in-fact of an elder or dependent adult who acts within the authority of a power of attorney, a person appointed as a guardian ad litem for the elder or dependent adult, or other person legally authorized to seek the relief.
(3)(A) A petition under this section may be brought on behalf of an elder or dependent adult by a county adult protective services agency in either of the following circumstances:
(i)If the elder or dependent adult has suffered abuse as defined in subdivision (b) and has an impaired ability to appreciate and understand the circumstances that place him or her at risk of harm.
(ii)If the elder or dependent adult has provided written authorization to a county adult protective services agency to act on his or her behalf.
(B)In the case of a petition filed pursuant to clause (i) of subparagraph (A) by a county adult protective services agency, a referral shall be made to the public guardian consistent with Section 2920 of the Probate Code prior to or concurrent with the filing of the petition, unless a petition for appointment of a conservator has already been filed with the probate court by the public guardian or another party.
(C)A county adult protective services agency shall be subject to any confidentiality restrictions that otherwise apply to its activities under law and shall disclose only those facts as necessary to establish reasonable cause for the filing of the petition, including, in the case of a petition filed pursuant to clause (i) of subparagraph (A), to establish the agencys belief that the elder or dependent adult has suffered abuse and has an impaired ability to appreciate and understand the circumstances that place him or her at risk, and as may be requested by the court in determining whether to issue an order under this section.
(b)For the purposes of this section:
(1)Abuse has the meaning set forth in Section 15610.07.
(2)Conservator means the legally appointed conservator of the person or estate of the petitioner, or both.
(3)Petitioner means the elder or dependent adult to be protected by the protective orders and, if the court grants the petition, the protected person.
(4)Protective order means an order that includes any of the following restraining orders, whether issued ex parte, after notice and hearing, or in a judgment:
(A)An order enjoining a party from abusing, intimidating, molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, or coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of, the petitioner, and, in the discretion of the court, on a showing of good cause, of other named family or household members or a conservator, if any, of the petitioner. On a showing of good cause, in an order issued pursuant to this subparagraph in connection with an animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by the petitioner, or residing in the residence or household of the petitioner, the court may do either or both of the following:
(i)Grant the petitioner exclusive care, possession, or control of the animal.
(ii)Order the respondent to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal.
(B)An order excluding a party from the petitioners residence or dwelling, except that this order shall not be issued if legal or equitable title to, or lease of, the residence or dwelling is in the sole name of the party to be excluded, or is in the name of the party to be excluded and any other party besides the petitioner.
(C)An order enjoining a party from specified behavior that the court determines is necessary to effectuate orders described in subparagraph (A) or (B).
(5)Respondent means the person against whom the protective orders are sought and, if the petition is granted, the restrained person.
(c)An order may be issued under this section, with or without notice, to restrain any person for the purpose of preventing a recurrence of abuse, if a declaration shows, to the satisfaction of the court, reasonable proof of a past act or acts of abuse of the petitioning elder or dependent adult.
(d)Upon filing a petition for protective orders under this section, the petitioner may obtain a temporary restraining order in accordance with Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure, except to the extent this section provides a rule that is inconsistent. The temporary restraining order may include any of the protective orders described in paragraph (4) of subdivision (b). However, the court may issue an ex parte order excluding a party from the petitioners residence or dwelling only on a showing of all of the following:
(1)Facts sufficient for the court to ascertain that the party who will stay in the dwelling has a right under color of law to possession of the premises.
(2)That the party to be excluded has assaulted or threatens to assault the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or a conservator of the petitioner.
(3)That physical or emotional harm would otherwise result to the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or a conservator of the petitioner.
(e)A request for the issuance of a temporary restraining order without notice under this section shall be granted or denied on the same day that the petition is submitted to the court, unless the petition is filed too late in the day to permit effective review, in which case the order shall be granted or denied on the next day of judicial business in sufficient time for the order to be filed that day with the clerk of the court.
(f)Within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days, from the date that a request for a temporary restraining order is granted or denied, a hearing shall be held on the petition. If no request for temporary orders is made, the hearing shall be held within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days, from the date that the petition is filed.
(g)The respondent may file a response that explains or denies the alleged abuse.
(h)The court may issue, upon notice and a hearing, any of the orders set forth in paragraph (4) of subdivision (b). The court may issue, after notice and hearing, an order excluding a person from a residence or dwelling if the court finds that physical or emotional harm would otherwise result to the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or conservator of the petitioner.
(i)(1) In the discretion of the court, an order issued after notice and a hearing under this section may have a duration of not more than five years, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. These orders may be renewed upon the request of a party, either for five years or permanently, without a showing of any further abuse since the issuance of the original order, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. The request for renewal may be brought at any time within the three months before the expiration of the order.
(2)The failure to state the expiration date on the face of the form creates an order with a duration of three years from the date of issuance.
(3)If an action is filed for the purpose of terminating or modifying a protective order prior to the expiration date specified in the order by a party other than the protected party, the party who is protected by the order shall be given notice, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 1005 of the Code of Civil Procedure, of the proceeding by personal service or, if the protected party has satisfied the requirements of Chapter 3.1 (commencing with Section 6205) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, by service on the Secretary of State. If the party who is protected by the order cannot be notified prior to the hearing for modification or termination of the protective order, the court shall deny the motion to modify or terminate the order without prejudice or continue the hearing until the party who is protected can be properly noticed and may, upon a showing of good cause, specify another method for service of process that is reasonably designed to afford actual notice to the protected party. The protected party may waive his or her right to notice if he or she is physically present in court and does not challenge the sufficiency of the notice.
(j)In a proceeding under this section, a support person may accompany a party in court and, if the party is not represented by an attorney, may sit with the party at the table that is generally reserved for the party and the partys attorney. The support person is present to provide moral and emotional support for a person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse. The support person is not present as a legal adviser and may not provide legal advice. The support person may assist the person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse in feeling more confident that he or she will not be injured or threatened by the other party during the proceedings if the person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse and the other party are required to be present in close proximity. This subdivision does not preclude the court from exercising its discretion to remove the support person from the courtroom if the court believes the support person is prompting, swaying, or influencing the party assisted by the support person.
(k)Upon the filing of a petition for protective orders under this section, the respondent shall be personally served with a copy of the petition, notice of the hearing or order to show cause, temporary restraining order, if any, and any declarations in support of the petition. Service shall be made at least five days before the hearing. The court may, on motion of the petitioner or on its own motion, shorten the time for service on the respondent.
(l)A notice of hearing under this section shall notify the respondent that if he or she does not attend the hearing, the court may make orders against him or her that could last up to five years.
(m)(1) The court may, upon the filing of a declaration by the petitioner that the respondent could not be served within the time required by statute, reissue an order previously issued and dissolved by the court for failure to serve the respondent. The reissued order shall remain in effect until the date set for the hearing.
(2)The reissued order shall state on its face the date of expiration of the order.
(n)(1) If a respondent, named in an order issued under this section after a hearing, has not been served personally with the order but has received actual notice of the existence and substance of the order through personal appearance in court to hear the terms of the order from the court, no additional proof of service is required for enforcement of the order.
(2)If the respondent named in a temporary restraining order is personally served with the order and notice of hearing with respect to a restraining order or protective order based on the temporary restraining order, but the respondent does not appear at the hearing, either personally or by an attorney, and the terms and conditions of the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing are identical to the temporary restraining order, except for the duration of the order, then the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing may be served on the respondent by first-class mail sent to the respondent at the most current address for the respondent that is available to the court.
(3)The Judicial Council form for temporary orders issued pursuant to this subdivision shall contain a statement in substantially the following form:
If you have been personally served with a temporary restraining order and notice of hearing, but you do not appear at the hearing either in person or by a lawyer, and a restraining order that is the same as this temporary restraining order except for the expiration date is issued at the hearing, a copy of the order will be served on you by mail at the following address:
If that address is not correct or you wish to verify that the temporary restraining order was converted to a restraining order at the hearing without substantive change and to find out the duration of that order, contact the clerk of the court.
(o)(1) Information on a protective order relating to elder or dependent adult abuse issued by a court pursuant to this section shall be transmitted to the Department of Justice in accordance with either paragraph (2) or (3).
(2)The court shall order the petitioner or the attorney for the petitioner to deliver a copy of an order issued under this section, or a reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by the close of the business day on which the order, reissuance, extension, modification, or termination was made, to each law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the residence of the petitioner, and to any additional law enforcement agencies within the courts discretion as are requested by the petitioner.
(3)Alternatively, the court or its designee shall transmit, within one business day, to law enforcement personnel all information required under subdivision (b) of Section 6380 of the Family Code regarding any order issued under this section, or a reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by either one of the following methods:
(A)Transmitting a physical copy of the order or proof of service to a local law enforcement agency authorized by the Department of Justice to enter orders into the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS).
(B)With the approval of the Department of Justice, entering the order or proof of service into CLETS directly.
(4)Each appropriate law enforcement agency shall make available information as to the existence and current status of these orders to law enforcement officers responding to the scene of reported abuse.
(5)An order issued under this section shall, on request of the petitioner, be served on the respondent, whether or not the respondent has been taken into custody, by any law enforcement officer who is present at the scene of reported abuse involving the parties to the proceeding. The petitioner shall provide the officer with an endorsed copy of the order and a proof of service, which the officer shall complete and send to the issuing court.
(6)Upon receiving information at the scene of an incident of abuse that a protective order has been issued under this section, or that a person who has been taken into custody is the respondent to that order, if the protected person cannot produce an endorsed copy of the order, a law enforcement officer shall immediately attempt to verify the existence of the order.
(7)If the law enforcement officer determines that a protective order has been issued, but not served, the officer shall immediately notify the respondent of the terms of the order and where a written copy of the order can be obtained, and the officer shall at that time also enforce the order. The law enforcement officers verbal notice of the terms of the order shall constitute service of the order and is sufficient notice for the purposes of this section and for the purposes of Section 273.6 of the Penal Code.
(p)Nothing in this section shall preclude either party from representation by private counsel or from appearing on the partys own behalf.
(q)There is no filing fee for a petition, response, or paper seeking the reissuance, modification, or enforcement of a protective order filed in a proceeding brought pursuant to this section.
(r)Pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (b) of Section 6103.2 of the Government Code, a petitioner shall not be required to pay a fee for law enforcement to serve an order issued under this section.
(s)The prevailing party in an action brought under this section may be awarded court costs and attorneys fees, if any.
(t)(1) A person subject to a protective order under this section shall not own, possess, purchase, receive, or attempt to receive a firearm or ammunition while the protective order is in effect.
(2)The court shall order a person subject to a protective order issued under this section to relinquish any firearms he or she owns or possesses pursuant to Section 527.9 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
(3)Every person who owns, possesses, purchases, or receives, or attempts to purchase or receive a firearm or ammunition while subject to a protective order issued under this section is punishable pursuant to Section 29825 of the Penal Code.
(4)This subdivision does not apply in a case in which a protective order issued under this section was made solely on the basis of financial abuse unaccompanied by force, threat, harassment, intimidation, or any other form of abuse.
(u)In a proceeding brought under paragraph (3) of subdivision (a), all of the following apply:
(1)Upon the filing of a petition for a protective order, the elder or dependent adult on whose behalf the petition has been filed shall receive a copy of the petition, a notice of the hearing, and any declarations submitted in support of the petition. The elder or dependent adult shall receive this information at least five days before the hearing. The court may, on motion of the petitioner or on its own motion, shorten the time for provision of this information to the elder or dependent adult.
(2)The adult protective services agency shall make reasonable efforts to assist the elder or dependent adult to attend the hearing and provide testimony to the court, if he or she wishes to do so. If the elder or dependent adult does not attend the hearing, the agency shall provide information to the court at the hearing regarding the reasons why the elder or dependent adult is not in attendance.
(3)Upon the filing of a petition for a protective order and upon issuance of an order granting the petition, the county adult protective services agency shall take all reasonable steps to provide for the safety of the elder or dependent adult, pursuant to Chapter 13 (commencing with Section 15750), which may include, but are not limited to, facilitating the location of alternative accommodations for the elder or dependent adult, if needed.
(v)Any willful disobedience of any temporary restraining order or restraining order after hearing granted under this section is punishable pursuant to Section 273.6 of the Penal Code.
(w)This section does not apply to any action or proceeding governed by Title 1.6C (commencing with Section 1788) of Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code, Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 525) of Title 7 of Part 2 of the Code of Civil Procedure, or Division 10 (commencing with Section 6200) of the Family Code. Nothing in this section shall preclude a petitioners right to use other existing civil remedies.
(x)The Judicial Council shall develop forms, instructions, and rules relating to matters governed by this section. The petition and response forms shall be simple and concise, and shall be used by parties in actions brought pursuant to this section.
(y)This section shall become operative on July 1, 2016.
SEC. 3.4.Section 15657.03 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:15657.03.(a)(1)An elder or dependent adult who has suffered abuse, as defined in Section 15610.07, may seek protective orders as provided in this section.
(2)A petition may be brought on behalf of an abused elder or dependent adult by a conservator or a trustee of the elder or dependent adult, an attorney-in-fact of an elder or dependent adult who acts within the authority of a power of attorney, a person appointed as a guardian ad litem for the elder or dependent adult, or other person legally authorized to seek such relief.
(b)For purposes of this section:
(1)Conservator means the legally appointed conservator of the person or estate of the petitioner, or both.
(2)Petitioner means the elder or dependent adult to be protected by the protective orders and, if the court grants the petition, the protected person.
(3)Protective order means an order that includes any of the following restraining orders, whether issued ex parte, after notice and hearing, or in a judgment:
(A)An order enjoining a party from abusing, intimidating, molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, or coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of, the petitioner, and, in the discretion of the court, on a showing of good cause, of other named family or household members or a conservator, if any, of the petitioner. On a showing of good cause, in an order issued pursuant to this subparagraph in connection with an animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by the petitioner, or residing in the residence or household of the petitioner, the court may do either or both of the following:
(i)Grant the petitioner exclusive care, possession, or control of the animal.
(ii)Order the respondent to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal.
(B)An order excluding a party from the petitioners residence or dwelling, except that this order shall not be issued if legal or equitable title to, or lease of, the residence or dwelling is in the sole name of the party to be excluded, or is in the name of the party to be excluded and any other party besides the petitioner.
(C)An order enjoining a party from specified behavior that the court determines is necessary to effectuate orders described in subparagraph (A) or (B).
(4)Respondent means the person against whom the protective orders are sought and, if the petition is granted, the restrained person.
(c)An order may be issued under this section, with or without notice, to restrain any person for the purpose of preventing a recurrence of abuse, if a declaration shows, to the satisfaction of the court, reasonable proof of a past act or acts of abuse of the petitioning elder or dependent adult.
(d)Upon filing a petition for protective orders under this section, the petitioner may obtain a temporary restraining order in accordance with Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure, except to the extent this section provides a rule that is inconsistent. The temporary restraining order may include any of the protective orders described in paragraph (3) of subdivision (b). However, the court may issue an ex parte order excluding a party from the petitioners residence or dwelling only on a showing of all of the following:
(1)Facts sufficient for the court to ascertain that the party who will stay in the dwelling has a right under color of law to possession of the premises.
(2)That the party to be excluded has assaulted or threatens to assault the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or a conservator of the petitioner.
(3)That physical or emotional harm would otherwise result to the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or a conservator of the petitioner.
(e)A request for the issuance of a temporary restraining order without notice under this section shall be granted or denied on the same day that the petition is submitted to the court, unless the petition is filed too late in the day to permit effective review, in which case the order shall be granted or denied on the next day of judicial business in sufficient time for the order to be filed that day with the clerk of the court.
(f)Within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days, from the date that a request for a temporary restraining order is granted or denied, a hearing shall be held on the petition. If no request for temporary orders is made, the hearing shall be held within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days, from the date that the petition is filed.
(g)The respondent may file a response that explains or denies the alleged abuse.
(h)The court may issue, upon notice and a hearing, any of the orders set forth in paragraph (3) of subdivision (b). The court may issue, after notice and hearing, an order excluding a person from a residence or dwelling if the court finds that physical or emotional harm would otherwise result to the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or conservator of the petitioner.
(i)(1)In the discretion of the court, an order issued after notice and a hearing under this section may have a duration of not more than five years, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. These orders may be renewed upon the request of a party, either for five years or permanently, without a showing of any further abuse since the issuance of the original order, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. The request for renewal may be brought at any time within the three months before the expiration of the order.
(2)The failure to state the expiration date on the face of the form creates an order with a duration of three years from the date of issuance.
(3)If an action is filed for the purpose of terminating or modifying a protective order prior to the expiration date specified in the order by a party other than the protected party, the party who is protected by the order shall be given notice, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 1005 of the Code of Civil Procedure, of the proceeding by personal service or, if the protected party has satisfied the requirements of Chapter 3.1 (commencing with Section 6205) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, by service on the Secretary of State. If the party who is protected by the order cannot be notified prior to the hearing for modification or termination of the protective order, the court shall deny the motion to modify or terminate the order without prejudice or continue the hearing until the party who is protected can be properly noticed and may, upon a showing of good cause, specify another method for service of process that is reasonably designed to afford actual notice to the protected party. The protected party may waive his or her right to notice if he or she is physically present in court and does not challenge the sufficiency of the notice.
(j)In a proceeding under this section, a support person may accompany a party in court and, if the party is not represented by an attorney, may sit with the party at the table that is generally reserved for the party and the partys attorney. The support person is present to provide moral and emotional support for a person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse. The support person is not present as a legal adviser and may not provide legal advice. The support person may assist the person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse in feeling more confident that he or she will not be injured or threatened by the other party during the proceedings if the person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse and the other party are required to be present in close proximity. This subdivision does not preclude the court from exercising its discretion to remove the support person from the courtroom if the court believes the support person is prompting, swaying, or influencing the party assisted by the support person.
(k)Upon the filing of a petition for protective orders under this section, the respondent shall be personally served with a copy of the petition, notice of the hearing or order to show cause, temporary restraining order, if any, and any declarations in support of the petition. Service shall be made at least five days before the hearing. The court may, on motion of the petitioner or on its own motion, shorten the time for service on the respondent.
(l)A notice of hearing under this section shall notify the respondent that if he or she does not attend the hearing, the court may make orders against him or her that could last up to five years.
(m)The respondent shall be entitled, as a matter of course, to one continuance, for a reasonable period, to respond to the petition.
(n)(1)Either party may request a continuance of the hearing, which the court shall grant on a showing of good cause. The request may be made in writing before or at the hearing or orally at the hearing. The court may also grant a continuance on its own motion.
(2)If the court grants a continuance, any temporary restraining order that has been granted shall remain in effect until the end of the continued hearing, unless otherwise ordered by the court. In granting a continuance, the court may modify or terminate a temporary restraining order.
(o)(1)If a respondent, named in an order issued under this section after a hearing, has not been served personally with the order but has received actual notice of the existence and substance of the order through personal appearance in court to hear the terms of the order from the court, no additional proof of service is required for enforcement of the order.
(2)If the respondent named in a temporary restraining order is personally served with the order and notice of hearing with respect to a restraining order or protective order based on the temporary restraining order, but the respondent does not appear at the hearing, either personally or by an attorney, and the terms and conditions of the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing are identical to the temporary restraining order, except for the duration of the order, then the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing may be served on the respondent by first-class mail sent to the respondent at the most current address for the respondent that is available to the court.
(3)The Judicial Council form for temporary orders issued pursuant to this subdivision shall contain a statement in substantially the following form:
If you have been personally served with a temporary restraining order and notice of hearing, but you do not appear at the hearing either in person or by a lawyer, and a restraining order that is the same as this temporary restraining order except for the expiration date is issued at the hearing, a copy of the order will be served on you by mail at the following address: ____.
If that address is not correct or you wish to verify that the temporary restraining order was converted to a restraining order at the hearing without substantive change and to find out the duration of that order, contact the clerk of the court.
(p)(1)Information on a protective order relating to elder or dependent adult abuse issued by a court pursuant to this section shall be transmitted to the Department of Justice in accordance with either paragraph (2) or (3).
(2)The court shall order the petitioner or the attorney for the petitioner to deliver a copy of an order issued under this section, or a reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by the close of the business day on which the order, reissuance, extension, modification, or termination was made, to each law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the residence of the petitioner, and to any additional law enforcement agencies within the courts discretion as are requested by the petitioner.
(3)Alternatively, the court or its designee shall transmit, within one business day, to law enforcement personnel all information required under subdivision (b) of Section 6380 of the Family Code regarding any order issued under this section, or a reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by either one of the following methods:
(A)Transmitting a physical copy of the order or proof of service to a local law enforcement agency authorized by the Department of Justice to enter orders into the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS).
(B)With the approval of the Department of Justice, entering the order or proof of service into CLETS directly.
(4)Each appropriate law enforcement agency shall make available information as to the existence and current status of these orders to law enforcement officers responding to the scene of reported abuse.
(5)An order issued under this section shall, on request of the petitioner, be served on the respondent, whether or not the respondent has been taken into custody, by any law enforcement officer who is present at the scene of reported abuse involving the parties to the proceeding. The petitioner shall provide the officer with an endorsed copy of the order and a proof of service, which the officer shall complete and send to the issuing court.
(6)Upon receiving information at the scene of an incident of abuse that a protective order has been issued under this section, or that a person who has been taken into custody is the respondent to that order, if the protected person cannot produce an endorsed copy of the order, a law enforcement officer shall immediately attempt to verify the existence of the order.
(7)If the law enforcement officer determines that a protective order has been issued but not served, the officer shall immediately notify the respondent of the terms of the order and where a written copy of the order can be obtained, and the officer shall at that time also enforce the order. The law enforcement officers verbal notice of the terms of the order shall constitute service of the order and is sufficient notice for the purposes of this section and for the purposes of Section 273.6 of the Penal Code.
(q)Nothing in this section shall preclude either party from representation by private counsel or from appearing on the partys own behalf.
(r)There is no filing fee for a petition, response, or paper seeking the reissuance, modification, or enforcement of a protective order filed in a proceeding brought pursuant to this section.
(s)Pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (b) of Section 6103.2 of the Government Code, a petitioner shall not be required to pay a fee for law enforcement to serve an order issued under this section.
(t)The prevailing party in an action brought under this section may be awarded court costs and attorneys fees, if any.
(u)(1)A person subject to a protective order under this section shall not own, possess, purchase, receive, or attempt to receive a firearm or ammunition while the protective order is in effect.
(2)The court shall order a person subject to a protective order issued under this section to relinquish any firearms he or she owns or possesses pursuant to Section 527.9 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
(3)Every person who owns, possesses, purchases, or receives, or attempts to purchase or receive a firearm or ammunition while subject to a protective order issued under this section is punishable pursuant to Section 29825 of the Penal Code.
(4)This subdivision does not apply in a case in which a protective order issued under this section was made solely on the basis of financial abuse unaccompanied by force, threat, harassment, intimidation, or any other form of abuse.
(v)Any willful disobedience of any temporary restraining order or restraining order after hearing granted under this section is punishable pursuant to Section 273.6 of the Penal Code.
(w)This section does not apply to any action or proceeding governed by Title 1.6C (commencing with Section 1788) of Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code, Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 525) of Title 7 of Part 2 of the Code of Civil Procedure, or Division 10 (commencing with Section 6200) of the Family Code. Nothing in this section shall preclude a petitioners right to use other existing civil remedies.
(x)The Judicial Council shall develop forms, instructions, and rules relating to matters governed by this section. The petition and response forms shall be simple and concise, and their use by parties in actions brought pursuant to this section shall be mandatory.
(y)This section shall become inoperative on July 1, 2016, and, as of January 1, 2017, is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that becomes operative on or before January 1, 2017, deletes or extends the dates on which it becomes inoperative and is repealed.
SEC. 3.5.Section 15657.03 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:15657.03.(a)(1) An elder or dependent adult who has suffered abuse, as defined in Section 15610.07, may seek protective orders as provided in this section.
(2)A petition may be brought on behalf of an abused elder or dependent adult by a conservator or a trustee of the elder or dependent adult, an attorney-in-fact of an elder or dependent adult who acts within the authority of a power of attorney, a person appointed as a guardian ad litem for the elder or dependent adult, or other person legally authorized to seek the relief.
(3)(A) A petition under this section may be brought on behalf of an elder or dependent adult by a county adult protective services agency in either of the following circumstances:
(i)If the elder or dependent adult has suffered abuse as defined in subdivision (b) and has an impaired ability to appreciate and understand the circumstances that place him or her at risk of harm.
(ii)If the elder or dependent adult has provided written authorization to a county adult protective services agency to act on his or her behalf.
(B)In the case of a petition filed pursuant to clause (i) of subparagraph (A) by a county adult protective services agency, a referral shall be made to the public guardian consistent with Section 2920 of the Probate Code prior to or concurrent with the filing of the petition, unless a petition for appointment of a conservator has already been filed with the probate court by the public guardian or another party.
(C)A county adult protective services agency shall be subject to any confidentiality restrictions that otherwise apply to its activities under law and shall disclose only those facts as necessary to establish reasonable cause for the filing of the petition, including, in the case of a petition filed pursuant to clause (i) of subparagraph (A), to establish the agencys belief that the elder or dependent adult has suffered abuse and has an impaired ability to appreciate and understand the circumstances that place him or her at risk, and as may be requested by the court in determining whether to issue an order under this section.
(b)For purposes of this section:
(1)Abuse has the meaning set forth in Section 15610.07.
(2)Conservator means the legally appointed conservator of the person or estate of the petitioner, or both.
(3)Petitioner means the elder or dependent adult to be protected by the protective orders and, if the court grants the petition, the protected person.
(4)Protective order means an order that includes any of the following restraining orders, whether issued ex parte, after notice and hearing, or in a judgment:
(A)An order enjoining a party from abusing, intimidating, molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, or coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of, the petitioner, and, in the discretion of the court, on a showing of good cause, of other named family or household members or a conservator, if any, of the petitioner. On a showing of good cause, in an order issued pursuant to this subparagraph in connection with an animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by the petitioner, or residing in the residence or household of the petitioner, the court may do either or both of the following:
(i)Grant the petitioner exclusive care, possession, or control of the animal.
(ii)Order the respondent to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal.
(B)An order excluding a party from the petitioners residence or dwelling, except that this order shall not be issued if legal or equitable title to, or lease of, the residence or dwelling is in the sole name of the party to be excluded, or is in the name of the party to be excluded and any other party besides the petitioner.
(C)An order enjoining a party from specified behavior that the court determines is necessary to effectuate orders described in subparagraph (A) or (B).
(5)Respondent means the person against whom the protective orders are sought and, if the petition is granted, the restrained person.
(c)An order may be issued under this section, with or without notice, to restrain any person for the purpose of preventing a recurrence of abuse, if a declaration shows, to the satisfaction of the court, reasonable proof of a past act or acts of abuse of the petitioning elder or dependent adult.
(d)Upon filing a petition for protective orders under this section, the petitioner may obtain a temporary restraining order in accordance with Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure, except to the extent this section provides a rule that is inconsistent. The temporary restraining order may include any of the protective orders described in paragraph (4) of subdivision (b). However, the court may issue an ex parte order excluding a party from the petitioners residence or dwelling only on a showing of all of the following:
(1)Facts sufficient for the court to ascertain that the party who will stay in the dwelling has a right under color of law to possession of the premises.
(2)That the party to be excluded has assaulted or threatens to assault the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or a conservator of the petitioner.
(3)That physical or emotional harm would otherwise result to the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or a conservator of the petitioner.
(e)A request for the issuance of a temporary restraining order without notice under this section shall be granted or denied on the same day that the petition is submitted to the court, unless the petition is filed too late in the day to permit effective review, in which case the order shall be granted or denied on the next day of judicial business in sufficient time for the order to be filed that day with the clerk of the court.
(f)Within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days, from the date that a request for a temporary restraining order is granted or denied, a hearing shall be held on the petition. If no request for temporary orders is made, the hearing shall be held within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days, from the date that the petition is filed.
(g)The respondent may file a response that explains or denies the alleged abuse.
(h)The court may issue, upon notice and a hearing, any of the orders set forth in paragraph (4) of subdivision (b). The court may issue, after notice and hearing, an order excluding a person from a residence or dwelling if the court finds that physical or emotional harm would otherwise result to the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or conservator of the petitioner.
(i)(1) In the discretion of the court, an order issued after notice and a hearing under this section may have a duration of not more than five years, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. These orders may be renewed upon the request of a party, either for five years or permanently, without a showing of any further abuse since the issuance of the original order, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. The request for renewal may be brought at any time within the three months before the expiration of the order.
(2)The failure to state the expiration date on the face of the form creates an order with a duration of three years from the date of issuance.
(3)If an action is filed for the purpose of terminating or modifying a protective order prior to the expiration date specified in the order by a party other than the protected party, the party who is protected by the order shall be given notice, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 1005 of the Code of Civil Procedure, of the proceeding by personal service or, if the protected party has satisfied the requirements of Chapter 3.1 (commencing with Section 6205) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, by service on the Secretary of State. If the party who is protected by the order cannot be notified prior to the hearing for modification or termination of the protective order, the court shall deny the motion to modify or terminate the order without prejudice or continue the hearing until the party who is protected can be properly noticed and may, upon a showing of good cause, specify another method for service of process that is reasonably designed to afford actual notice to the protected party. The protected party may waive his or her right to notice if he or she is physically present in court and does not challenge the sufficiency of the notice.
(j)In a proceeding under this section, a support person may accompany a party in court and, if the party is not represented by an attorney, may sit with the party at the table that is generally reserved for the party and the partys attorney. The support person is present to provide moral and emotional support for a person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse. The support person is not present as a legal adviser and may not provide legal advice. The support person may assist the person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse in feeling more confident that he or she will not be injured or threatened by the other party during the proceedings if the person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse and the other party are required to be present in close proximity. This subdivision does not preclude the court from exercising its discretion to remove the support person from the courtroom if the court believes the support person is prompting, swaying, or influencing the party assisted by the support person.
(k)Upon the filing of a petition for protective orders under this section, the respondent shall be personally served with a copy of the petition, notice of the hearing or order to show cause, temporary restraining order, if any, and any declarations in support of the petition. Service shall be made at least five days before the hearing. The court may, on motion of the petitioner or on its own motion, shorten the time for service on the respondent.
(l)A notice of hearing under this section shall notify the respondent that if he or she does not attend the hearing, the court may make orders against him or her that could last up to five years.
(m)The respondent shall be entitled, as a matter of course, to one continuance, for a reasonable period, to respond to the petition.
(n)(1) Either party may request a continuance of the hearing, which the court shall grant on a showing of good cause. The request may be made in writing before or at the hearing or orally at the hearing. The court may also grant a continuance on its own motion.
(2)If the court grants a continuance, any temporary restraining order that has been granted shall remain in effect until the end of the continued hearing, unless otherwise ordered by the court. In granting a continuance, the court may modify or terminate a temporary restraining order.
(o)(1) If a respondent, named in an order issued under this section after a hearing, has not been served personally with the order but has received actual notice of the existence and substance of the order through personal appearance in court to hear the terms of the order from the court, no additional proof of service is required for enforcement of the order.
(2)If the respondent named in a temporary restraining order is personally served with the order and notice of hearing with respect to a restraining order or protective order based on the temporary restraining order, but the respondent does not appear at the hearing, either personally or by an attorney, and the terms and conditions of the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing are identical to the temporary restraining order, except for the duration of the order, then the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing may be served on the respondent by first-class mail sent to the respondent at the most current address for the respondent that is available to the court.
(3)The Judicial Council form for temporary orders issued pursuant to this subdivision shall contain a statement in substantially the following form:
If you have been personally served with a temporary restraining order and notice of hearing, but you do not appear at the hearing either in person or by a lawyer, and a restraining order that is the same as this temporary restraining order except for the expiration date is issued at the hearing, a copy of the order will be served on you by mail at the following address:
If that address is not correct or you wish to verify that the temporary restraining order was converted to a restraining order at the hearing without substantive change and to find out the duration of that order, contact the clerk of the court.
(p)(1) Information on a protective order relating to elder or dependent adult abuse issued by a court pursuant to this section shall be transmitted to the Department of Justice in accordance with either paragraph (2) or (3).
(2)The court shall order the petitioner or the attorney for the petitioner to deliver a copy of an order issued under this section, or a reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by the close of the business day on which the order, reissuance, extension, modification, or termination was made, to each law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the residence of the petitioner, and to any additional law enforcement agencies within the courts discretion as are requested by the petitioner.
(3)Alternatively, the court or its designee shall transmit, within one business day, to law enforcement personnel all information required under subdivision (b) of Section 6380 of the Family Code regarding any order issued under this section, or a reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by either one of the following methods:
(A)Transmitting a physical copy of the order or proof of service to a local law enforcement agency authorized by the Department of Justice to enter orders into the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS).
(B)With the approval of the Department of Justice, entering the order or proof of service into CLETS directly.
(4)Each appropriate law enforcement agency shall make available information as to the existence and current status of these orders to law enforcement officers responding to the scene of reported abuse.
(5)An order issued under this section shall, on request of the petitioner, be served on the respondent, whether or not the respondent has been taken into custody, by any law enforcement officer who is present at the scene of reported abuse involving the parties to the proceeding. The petitioner shall provide the officer with an endorsed copy of the order and a proof of service, which the officer shall complete and send to the issuing court.
(6)Upon receiving information at the scene of an incident of abuse that a protective order has been issued under this section, or that a person who has been taken into custody is the respondent to that order, if the protected person cannot produce an endorsed copy of the order, a law enforcement officer shall immediately attempt to verify the existence of the order.
(7)If the law enforcement officer determines that a protective order has been issued but not served, the officer shall immediately notify the respondent of the terms of the order and where a written copy of the order can be obtained, and the officer shall at that time also enforce the order. The law enforcement officers verbal notice of the terms of the order shall constitute service of the order and is sufficient notice for the purposes of this section and for the purposes of Section 273.6 of the Penal Code.
(q)Nothing in this section shall preclude either party from representation by private counsel or from appearing on the partys own behalf.
(r)There is no filing fee for a petition, response, or paper seeking the reissuance, modification, or enforcement of a protective order filed in a proceeding brought pursuant to this section.
(s)Pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (b) of Section 6103.2 of the Government Code, a petitioner shall not be required to pay a fee for law enforcement to serve an order issued under this section.
(t)The prevailing party in an action brought under this section may be awarded court costs and attorneys fees, if any.
(u)(1) A person subject to a protective order under this section shall not own, possess, purchase, receive, or attempt to receive a firearm or ammunition while the protective order is in effect.
(2)The court shall order a person subject to a protective order issued under this section to relinquish any firearms he or she owns or possesses pursuant to Section 527.9 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
(3)Every person who owns, possesses, purchases, or receives, or attempts to purchase or receive a firearm or ammunition while subject to a protective order issued under this section is punishable pursuant to Section 29825 of the Penal Code.
(4)This subdivision does not apply in a case in which a protective order issued under this section was made solely on the basis of financial abuse unaccompanied by force, threat, harassment, intimidation, or any other form of abuse.
(v)In a proceeding brought under paragraph (3) of subdivision (a), all of the following apply:
(1)Upon the filing of a petition for a protective order, the elder or dependent adult on whose behalf the petition has been filed shall receive a copy of the petition, a notice of the hearing, and any declarations submitted in support of the petition. The elder or dependent adult shall receive this information at least five days before the hearing. The court may, on motion of the petitioner or on its own motion, shorten the time for provision of this information to the elder or dependent adult.
(2)The adult protective services agency shall make reasonable efforts to assist the elder or dependent adult to attend the hearing and provide testimony to the court, if he or she wishes to do so. If the elder or dependent adult does not attend the hearing, the agency shall provide information to the court at the hearing regarding the reasons why the elder or dependent adult is not in attendance.
(3)Upon the filing of a petition for a protective order and upon issuance of an order granting the petition, the county adult protective services agency shall take all reasonable steps to provide for the safety of the elder or dependent adult, pursuant to Chapter 13 (commencing with Section 15750), which may include, but are not limited to, facilitating the location of alternative accommodations for the elder or dependent adult, if needed.
(w)Any willful disobedience of any temporary restraining order or restraining order after hearing granted under this section is punishable pursuant to Section 273.6 of the Penal Code.
(x)This section does not apply to any action or proceeding governed by Title 1.6C (commencing with Section 1788) of Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code, Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 525) of Title 7 of Part 2 of the Code of Civil Procedure, or Division 10 (commencing with Section 6200) of the Family Code. Nothing in this section shall preclude a petitioners right to use other existing civil remedies.
(y)The Judicial Council shall develop forms, instructions, and rules relating to matters governed by this section. The petition and response forms shall be simple and concise, and shall be used by parties in actions brought pursuant to this section.
(z)This section shall become operative on July 1, 2016.
SEC. 4.(a)Section 1.5 of this bill incorporates amendments to Section 527.6 of the Code of Civil Procedure proposed by both this bill and Assembly Bill 1081. It shall only become operative if (1) both bills are enacted and become effective on or before January 1, 2016, (2) each bill amends Section 527.6 of the Code of Civil Procedure, and (3) this bill is enacted after Assembly Bill 1081, in which case Section 1 of this bill shall not become operative.
(b)Section 2.5 of this bill incorporates amendments to Section 213.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code proposed by both this bill and Assembly Bill 1081. It shall only become operative if (1) both bills are enacted and become effective on or before January 1, 2016, (2) each bill amends Section 213.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, and (3) this bill is enacted after Assembly Bill 1081, in which case Section 2 of this bill shall not become operative.
(c)Section 3.1 of this bill incorporates amendments to Section 15657.03 of the Welfare and Institutions Code proposed by both this bill and Assembly Bill 1081. It shall only become operative if (1) both bills are enacted and become effective on or before January 1, 2016, (2) each bill amends Section 15657.03 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, and (3) Senate Bill 196 is not enacted or as enacted does not amend that section, and (4) this bill is enacted after Assembly Bill 1081, in which case Sections 3, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, and 3.5 of this bill shall not become operative.
(d)Sections 3.2 and 3.3 of this bill incorporate amendments to Section 15657.03 of the Welfare and Institutions Code proposed by both this bill and Senate Bill 196. They shall only become operative if (1) both bills are enacted and become effective on or before January 1, 2016, (2) each bill amends Section 15657.03 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, and (3) Assembly Bill 1081 is not enacted or as enacted does not amend that section, and (4) this bill is enacted after Senate Bill 196, in which case Sections 3, 3.1, 3.4, and 3.5 of this bill shall not become operative.
(e)Sections 3.4 and 3.5 of this bill incorporate amendments to Section 15657.03 of the Welfare and Institutions Code proposed by this bill, Assembly Bill 1081, and Senate Bill 196. They shall only become operative if (1) all three bills are enacted and become effective on or before January 1, 2016, (2) all three bills amend Section 15657.03 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, and (3) this bill is enacted after Assembly Bill 1081 and Senate Bill 196, in which case Sections 3, 3.1, 3.2, and 3.3 of this bill shall not become operative.
(a)(1)A person who has suffered harassment as defined in subdivision (b) may seek a temporary restraining order and an injunction prohibiting harassment as provided in this section.
(2)A minor, under 12 years of age, accompanied by a duly appointed and acting guardian ad litem, shall be permitted to appear in court without counsel for the limited purpose of requesting or opposing a request for a temporary restraining order or injunction, or both, under this section as provided in Section 374.
(b)For the purposes of this section:
(1)Course of conduct is a pattern of conduct composed of a series of acts over a period of time, however short, evidencing a continuity of purpose, including following or stalking an individual, making harassing telephone calls to an individual, or sending harassing correspondence to an individual by any means, including, but not limited to, the use of public or private mails, interoffice mail, facsimile, or computer email. Constitutionally protected activity is not included within the meaning of course of conduct.
(2)Credible threat of violence is a knowing and willful statement or course of conduct that would place a reasonable person in fear for his or her safety, or the safety of his or her immediate family, and that serves no legitimate purpose.
(3)Harassment is unlawful violence, a credible threat of violence, or a knowing and willful course of conduct directed at a specific person that seriously alarms, annoys, or harasses the person, and that serves no legitimate purpose. The course of conduct must be such as would cause a reasonable person to suffer substantial emotional distress, and must actually cause substantial emotional distress to the petitioner.
(4)Petitioner means the person to be protected by the temporary restraining order and injunction and, if the court grants the petition, the protected person.
(5)Respondent means the person against whom the temporary restraining order and injunction are sought and, if the petition is granted, the restrained person.
(6)Temporary restraining order and injunction mean orders that include any of the following restraining orders, whether issued ex parte or after notice and hearing:
(A)An order enjoining a party from harassing, intimidating, molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, abusing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls, as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, or coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of, the petitioner. On a showing of good cause, in an order issued pursuant to this subparagraph in connection with an animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by the petitioner, or residing in the residence or household of the petitioner, the court may do either or both of the following:
(i)Grant the petitioner exclusive care, possession, or control of the animal.
(ii)Order the respondent to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal.
(B)An order enjoining a party from specified behavior that the court determines is necessary to effectuate orders described in subparagraph (A).
(7)Unlawful violence is any assault or battery, or stalking as prohibited in Section 646.9 of the Penal Code, but shall not include lawful acts of self-defense or defense of others.
(c)In the discretion of the court, on a showing of good cause, a temporary restraining order or injunction issued under this section may include other named family or household members.
(d)Upon filing a petition for an injunction under this section, the petitioner may obtain a temporary restraining order in accordance with Section 527, except to the extent this section provides a rule that is inconsistent. The temporary restraining order may include any of the restraining orders described in paragraph (6) of subdivision (b). A temporary restraining order may be issued with or without notice, based on a declaration that, to the satisfaction of the court, shows reasonable proof of harassment of the petitioner by the respondent, and that great or irreparable harm would result to the petitioner.
(e)A request for the issuance of a temporary restraining order without notice under this section shall be granted or denied on the same day that the petition is submitted to the court, unless the petition is filed too late in the day to permit effective review, in which case the order shall be granted or denied on the next day of judicial business in sufficient time for the order to be filed that day with the clerk of the court.
(f)A temporary restraining order issued under this section shall remain in effect, at the courts discretion, for a period not to exceed 21 days, or, if the court extends the time for hearing under subdivision (g), not to exceed 25 days, unless otherwise modified or terminated by the court.
(g)Within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days from the date that a petition for a temporary order is granted or denied, a hearing shall be held on the petition for the injunction. If no request for temporary orders is made, the hearing shall be held within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days, from the date that the petition is filed.
(h)The respondent may file a response that explains, excuses, justifies, or denies the alleged harassment or may file a cross-petition under this section.
(i)At the hearing, the judge shall receive any testimony that is relevant, and may make an independent inquiry. If the judge finds by clear and convincing evidence that unlawful harassment exists, an injunction shall issue prohibiting the harassment.
(j)(1)In the discretion of the court, an order issued after notice and hearing under this section may have a duration of not more than five years, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. The order may be renewed, upon the request of a party, for a duration of not more than five additional years, without a showing of any further harassment since the issuance of the original order, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. A request for renewal may be brought at any time within the three months before the expiration of the order.
(2)The failure to state the expiration date on the face of the form creates an order with a duration of three years from the date of issuance.
(3)If an action is filed for the purpose of terminating or modifying a protective order prior to the expiration date specified in the order by a party other than the protected party, the party who is protected by the order shall be given notice, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 1005, of the proceeding by personal service or, if the protected party has satisfied the requirements of Chapter 3.1 (commencing with Section 6205) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, by service on the Secretary of State. If the party who is protected by the order cannot be notified prior to the hearing for modification or termination of the protective order, the court shall deny the motion to modify or terminate the order without prejudice or continue the hearing until the party who is protected can be properly noticed and may, upon a showing of good cause, specify another method for service of process that is reasonably designed to afford actual notice to the protected party. The protected party may waive his or her right to notice if he or she is physically present in court and does not challenge the sufficiency of the notice.
(k)This section does not preclude either party from representation by private counsel or from appearing on the partys own behalf.
(l)In a proceeding under this section if there are allegations of unlawful violence or credible threats of violence, a support person may accompany a party in court and, if the party is not represented by an attorney, may sit with the party at the table that is generally reserved for the party and the partys attorney. The support person is present to provide moral and emotional support for a person who alleges he or she is a victim of violence. The support person is not present as a legal adviser and may not provide legal advice. The support person may assist the person who alleges he or she is a victim of violence in feeling more confident that he or she will not be injured or threatened by the other party during the proceedings if the person who alleges he or she is a victim of violence and the other party are required to be present in close proximity. This subdivision does not preclude the court from exercising its discretion to remove the support person from the courtroom if the court believes the support person is prompting, swaying, or influencing the party assisted by the support person.
(m)Upon the filing of a petition for an injunction under this section, the respondent shall be personally served with a copy of the petition, temporary restraining order, if any, and notice of hearing of the petition. Service shall be made at least five days before the hearing. The court may for good cause, on motion of the petitioner or on its own motion, shorten the time for service on the respondent.
(n)A notice of hearing under this section shall notify the respondent that if he or she does not attend the hearing, the court may make orders against him or her that could last up to three years.
(o)(1)The court may, upon the filing of a declaration by the petitioner that the respondent could not be served within the time required by statute, reissue an order previously issued and dissolved by the court for failure to serve the respondent. The reissued order shall remain in effect until the date set for the hearing.
(2)The reissued order shall state on its face the date of expiration of the order.
(p)(1)If a respondent, named in a restraining order issued after a hearing, has not been served personally with the order but has received actual notice of the existence and substance of the order through personal appearance in court to hear the terms of the order from the court, no additional proof of service is required for enforcement of the order.
(2)If the respondent named in a temporary restraining order is personally served with the order and notice of hearing with respect to a restraining order or protective order based on the temporary restraining order, but the respondent does not appear at the hearing, either personally or by an attorney, and the terms and conditions of the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing are identical to the temporary restraining order, except for the duration of the order, then the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing may be served on the respondent by first-class mail sent to the respondent at the most current address for the respondent available to the court.
(3)The Judicial Council form for temporary orders issued pursuant to this subdivision shall contain a statement in substantially the following form:
If you have been personally served with this temporary restraining order and notice of hearing, but you do not appear at the hearing either in person or by a lawyer, and a restraining order that is the same as this temporary restraining order except for the expiration date is issued at the hearing, a copy of the restraining order will be served on you by mail at the following address: ____.
If that address is not correct or you wish to verify that the temporary restraining order was converted to a restraining order at the hearing without substantive change and to find out the duration of that order, contact the clerk of the court.
(q)(1)Information on any temporary restraining order or injunction relating to civil harassment issued by a court pursuant to this section shall be transmitted to the Department of Justice in accordance with either paragraph (2) or (3).
(2)The court shall order the petitioner or the attorney for the petitioner to deliver a copy of an order issued under this section, or reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by the close of the business day on which the order, reissuance, extension, modification, or termination was made, to a law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the residence of the petitioner and to any additional law enforcement agencies within the courts discretion as are requested by the petitioner.
(3)Alternatively, the court or its designee shall transmit, within one business day, to law enforcement personnel all information required under subdivision (b) of Section 6380 of the Family Code regarding any order issued under this section, or a reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by either one of the following methods:
(A)Transmitting a physical copy of the order or proof of service to a local law enforcement agency authorized by the Department of Justice to enter orders into the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS).
(B)With the approval of the Department of Justice, entering the order or proof of service into CLETS directly.
(4)Each appropriate law enforcement agency shall make available information as to the existence and current status of these orders to law enforcement officers responding to the scene of reported harassment.
(5)An order issued under this section shall, on request of the petitioner, be served on the respondent, whether or not the respondent has been taken into custody, by any law enforcement officer who is present at the scene of reported harassment involving the parties to the proceeding. The petitioner shall provide the officer with an endorsed copy of the order and a proof of service that the officer shall complete and send to the issuing court.
(6)Upon receiving information at the scene of an incident of harassment that a protective order has been issued under this section, or that a person who has been taken into custody is the subject of an order, if the protected person cannot produce a certified copy of the order, a law enforcement officer shall immediately attempt to verify the existence of the order.
(7)If the law enforcement officer determines that a protective order has been issued, but not served, the officer shall immediately notify the respondent of the terms of the order and shall at that time also enforce the order. Verbal notice of the terms of the order shall constitute service of the order and is sufficient notice for the purposes of this section and for the purposes of Section 29825 of the Penal Code.
(r)The prevailing party in any action brought under this section may be awarded court costs and attorneys fees, if any.
(s)Any willful disobedience of any temporary restraining order or injunction granted under this section is punishable pursuant to Section 273.6 of the Penal Code.
(t)(1)A person subject to a protective order issued under this section shall not own, possess, purchase, receive, or attempt to purchase or receive a firearm or ammunition while the protective order is in effect.
(2)The court shall order a person subject to a protective order issued under this section to relinquish any firearms he or she owns or possesses pursuant to Section 527.9.
(3)Every person who owns, possesses, purchases, or receives, or attempts to purchase or receive, a firearm or ammunition while the protective order is in effect is punishable pursuant to Section 29825 of the Penal Code.
(u)This section does not apply to any action or proceeding covered by Title 1.6C (commencing with Section 1788) of Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code or by Division 10 (commencing with Section 6200) of the Family Code. This section does not preclude a petitioner from using other existing civil remedies.
(v)(1)The Judicial Council shall develop forms, instructions, and rules relating to matters governed by this section. The petition and response forms shall be simple and concise, and their use by parties in actions brought pursuant to this section shall be mandatory.
(2)A temporary restraining order or injunction relating to civil harassment issued by a court pursuant to this section shall be issued on forms adopted by the Judicial Council of California and that have been approved by the Department of Justice pursuant to subdivision (i) of Section 6380 of the Family Code. However, the fact that an order issued by a court pursuant to this section was not issued on forms adopted by the Judicial Council and approved by the Department of Justice shall not, in and of itself, make the order unenforceable.
(w)There is no filing fee for a petition that alleges that a person has inflicted or threatened violence against the petitioner, or stalked the petitioner, or acted or spoken in any other manner that has placed the petitioner in reasonable fear of violence, and that seeks a protective or restraining order or injunction restraining stalking or future violence or threats of violence, in any action brought pursuant to this section. A fee shall not be paid for a subpoena filed in connection with a petition alleging these acts. A fee shall not be paid for filing a response to a petition alleging these acts.
(x)(1)Subject to paragraph (4) of subdivision (b) of Section 6103.2 of the Government Code, there shall not be a fee for the service of process by a sheriff or marshal of a protective order, restraining order, or injunction to be issued, if either of the following conditions applies:
(A)The protective order, restraining order, or injunction issued pursuant to this section is based upon stalking, as prohibited by Section 646.9 of the Penal Code.
(B)The protective order, restraining order, or injunction issued pursuant to this section is based upon unlawful violence or a credible threat of violence.
(2)The Judicial Council shall prepare and develop forms for persons who wish to avail themselves of the services described in this subdivision.
(y)This section shall become operative on July 1, 2014.
SEC. 1.5.Section 527.6 of the Code of Civil Procedure is amended to read:527.6.(a)(1)A person who has suffered harassment as defined in subdivision (b) may seek a temporary restraining order and an order after hearing prohibiting harassment as provided in this section.
(2)A minor, under 12 years of age, accompanied by a duly appointed and acting guardian ad litem, shall be permitted to appear in court without counsel for the limited purpose of requesting or opposing a request for a temporary restraining order or order after hearing or both, under this section as provided in Section 374.
(b)For purposes of this section:
(1)Course of conduct is a pattern of conduct composed of a series of acts over a period of time, however short, evidencing a continuity of purpose, including following or stalking an individual, making harassing telephone calls to an individual, or sending harassing correspondence to an individual by any means, including, but not limited to, the use of public or private mails, interoffice mail, facsimile, or computer email. Constitutionally protected activity is not included within the meaning of course of conduct.
(2)Credible threat of violence is a knowing and willful statement or course of conduct that would place a reasonable person in fear for his or her safety, or the safety of his or her immediate family, and that serves no legitimate purpose.
(3)Harassment is unlawful violence, a credible threat of violence, or a knowing and willful course of conduct directed at a specific person that seriously alarms, annoys, or harasses the person, and that serves no legitimate purpose. The course of conduct must be such as would cause a reasonable person to suffer substantial emotional distress, and must actually cause substantial emotional distress to the petitioner.
(4)Petitioner means the person to be protected by the temporary restraining order and order after hearing and, if the court grants the petition, the protected person.
(5)Respondent means the person against whom the temporary restraining order and order after hearing are sought and, if the petition is granted, the restrained person.
(6)Temporary restraining order and order after hearing mean orders that include any of the following restraining orders, whether issued ex parte or after notice and hearing:
(A)An order enjoining a party from harassing, intimidating, molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, abusing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls, as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, or coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of, the petitioner. On a showing of good cause, in an order issued pursuant to this subparagraph in connection with an animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by the petitioner, or residing in the residence or household of the petitioner, the court may do either or both of the following:
(i)Grant the petitioner exclusive care, possession, or control of the animal.
(ii)Order the respondent to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal.
(B)An order enjoining a party from specified behavior that the court determines is necessary to effectuate orders described in subparagraph (A).
(7)Unlawful violence is any assault or battery, or stalking as prohibited in Section 646.9 of the Penal Code, but shall not include lawful acts of self-defense or defense of others.
(c)In the discretion of the court, on a showing of good cause, a temporary restraining order or order after hearing issued under this section may include other named family or household members.
(d)Upon filing a petition for orders under this section, the petitioner may obtain a temporary restraining order in accordance with Section 527, except to the extent this section provides a rule that is inconsistent. The temporary restraining order may include any of the restraining orders described in paragraph (6) of subdivision (b). A temporary restraining order may be issued with or without notice, based on a declaration that, to the satisfaction of the court, shows reasonable proof of harassment of the petitioner by the respondent, and that great or irreparable harm would result to the petitioner.
(e)A request for the issuance of a temporary restraining order without notice under this section shall be granted or denied on the same day that the petition is submitted to the court, unless the petition is filed too late in the day to permit effective review, in which case the order shall be granted or denied on the next day of judicial business in sufficient time for the order to be filed that day with the clerk of the court.
(f)A temporary restraining order issued under this section shall remain in effect, at the courts discretion, for a period not to exceed 21 days, or, if the court extends the time for hearing under subdivision (g), not to exceed 25 days, unless otherwise modified or terminated by the court.
(g)Within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days from the date that a petition for a temporary order is granted or denied, a hearing shall be held on the petition. If no request for temporary orders is made, the hearing shall be held within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days, from the date that the petition is filed.
(h)The respondent may file a response that explains, excuses, justifies, or denies the alleged harassment or may file a cross-petition under this section.
(i)At the hearing, the judge shall receive any testimony that is relevant, and may make an independent inquiry. If the judge finds by clear and convincing evidence that unlawful harassment exists, an order shall issue prohibiting the harassment.
(j)(1)In the discretion of the court, an order issued after notice and hearing under this section may have a duration of not more than five years, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. The order may be renewed, upon the request of a party, for a duration of not more than five additional years, without a showing of any further harassment since the issuance of the original order, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. A request for renewal may be brought at any time within the three months before the expiration of the order.
(2)The failure to state the expiration date on the face of the form creates an order with a duration of three years from the date of issuance.
(3)If an action is filed for the purpose of terminating or modifying a protective order prior to the expiration date specified in the order by a party other than the protected party, the party who is protected by the order shall be given notice, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 1005, of the proceeding by personal service or, if the protected party has satisfied the requirements of Chapter 3.1 (commencing with Section 6205) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, by service on the Secretary of State. If the party who is protected by the order cannot be notified prior to the hearing for modification or termination of the protective order, the court shall deny the motion to modify or terminate the order without prejudice or continue the hearing until the party who is protected can be properly noticed and may, upon a showing of good cause, specify another method for service of process that is reasonably designed to afford actual notice to the protected party. The protected party may waive his or her right to notice if he or she is physically present in court and does not challenge the sufficiency of the notice.
(k)This section does not preclude either party from representation by private counsel or from appearing on the partys own behalf.
(l)In a proceeding under this section, if there are allegations of unlawful violence or credible threats of violence, a support person may accompany a party in court and, if the party is not represented by an attorney, may sit with the party at the table that is generally reserved for the party and the partys attorney. The support person is present to provide moral and emotional support for a person who alleges he or she is a victim of violence. The support person is not present as a legal adviser and may not provide legal advice. The support person may assist the person who alleges he or she is a victim of violence in feeling more confident that he or she will not be injured or threatened by the other party during the proceedings if the person who alleges he or she is a victim of violence and the other party are required to be present in close proximity. This subdivision does not preclude the court from exercising its discretion to remove the support person from the courtroom if the court believes the support person is prompting, swaying, or influencing the party assisted by the support person.
(m)Upon the filing of a petition under this section, the respondent shall be personally served with a copy of the petition, temporary restraining order, if any, and notice of hearing of the petition. Service shall be made at least five days before the hearing. The court may for good cause, on motion of the petitioner or on its own motion, shorten the time for service on the respondent.
(n)A notice of hearing under this section shall notify the respondent that if he or she does not attend the hearing, the court may make orders against him or her that could last up to five years.
(o)The respondent shall be entitled, as a matter of course, to one continuance, for a reasonable period, to respond to the petition.
(p)(1)Either party may request a continuance of the hearing, which the court shall grant on a showing of good cause. The request may be made in writing before or at the hearing or orally at the hearing. The court may also grant a continuance on its own motion.
(2)If the court grants a continuance, any temporary restraining order that has been granted shall remain in effect until the end of the continued hearing, unless otherwise ordered by the court. In granting a continuance, the court may modify or terminate a temporary restraining order.
(q)(1)If a respondent, named in a restraining order issued after a hearing, has not been served personally with the order but has received actual notice of the existence and substance of the order through personal appearance in court to hear the terms of the order from the court, no additional proof of service is required for enforcement of the order.
(2)If the respondent named in a temporary restraining order is personally served with the order and notice of hearing with respect to a restraining order or protective order based on the temporary restraining order, but the respondent does not appear at the hearing, either personally or by an attorney, and the terms and conditions of the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing are identical to the temporary restraining order, except for the duration of the order, then the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing may be served on the respondent by first-class mail sent to the respondent at the most current address for the respondent available to the court.
(3)The Judicial Council form for temporary orders issued pursuant to this subdivision shall contain a statement in substantially the following form:
If you have been personally served with this temporary restraining order and notice of hearing, but you do not appear at the hearing either in person or by a lawyer, and a restraining order that is the same as this temporary restraining order except for the expiration date is issued at the hearing, a copy of the restraining order will be served on you by mail at the following address: ____.
If that address is not correct or you wish to verify that the temporary restraining order was converted to a restraining order at the hearing without substantive change and to find out the duration of that order, contact the clerk of the court.
(r)(1)Information on a temporary restraining order or order after hearing relating to civil harassment issued by a court pursuant to this section shall be transmitted to the Department of Justice in accordance with either paragraph (2) or (3).
(2)The court shall order the petitioner or the attorney for the petitioner to deliver a copy of an order issued under this section, or reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by the close of the business day on which the order, reissuance, extension, modification, or termination was made, to a law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the residence of the petitioner and to any additional law enforcement agencies within the courts discretion as are requested by the petitioner.
(3)Alternatively, the court or its designee shall transmit, within one business day, to law enforcement personnel all information required under subdivision (b) of Section 6380 of the Family Code regarding any order issued under this section, or a reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by either one of the following methods:
(A)Transmitting a physical copy of the order or proof of service to a local law enforcement agency authorized by the Department of Justice to enter orders into the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS).
(B)With the approval of the Department of Justice, entering the order or proof of service into CLETS directly.
(4)Each appropriate law enforcement agency shall make available information as to the existence and current status of these orders to law enforcement officers responding to the scene of reported harassment.
(5)An order issued under this section shall, on request of the petitioner, be served on the respondent, whether or not the respondent has been taken into custody, by any law enforcement officer who is present at the scene of reported harassment involving the parties to the proceeding. The petitioner shall provide the officer with an endorsed copy of the order and a proof of service that the officer shall complete and send to the issuing court.
(6)Upon receiving information at the scene of an incident of harassment that a protective order has been issued under this section, or that a person who has been taken into custody is the subject of an order, if the protected person cannot produce a certified copy of the order, a law enforcement officer shall immediately attempt to verify the existence of the order.
(7)If the law enforcement officer determines that a protective order has been issued but not served, the officer shall immediately notify the respondent of the terms of the order and shall at that time also enforce the order. Verbal notice of the terms of the order shall constitute service of the order and is sufficient notice for the purposes of this section and for the purposes of Section 29825 of the Penal Code.
(s)The prevailing party in any action brought under this section may be awarded court costs and attorneys fees, if any.
(t)Any willful disobedience of any temporary restraining order or order after hearing granted under this section is punishable pursuant to Section 273.6 of the Penal Code.
(u)(1)A person subject to a protective order issued under this section shall not own, possess, purchase, receive, or attempt to purchase or receive a firearm or ammunition while the protective order is in effect.
(2)The court shall order a person subject to a protective order issued under this section to relinquish any firearms he or she owns or possesses pursuant to Section 527.9.
(3)Every person who owns, possesses, purchases, or receives, or attempts to purchase or receive, a firearm or ammunition while the protective order is in effect is punishable pursuant to Section 29825 of the Penal Code.
(v)This section does not apply to any action or proceeding covered by Title 1.6C (commencing with Section 1788) of Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code or by Division 10 (commencing with Section 6200) of the Family Code. This section does not preclude a petitioner from using other existing civil remedies.
(w)(1)The Judicial Council shall develop forms, instructions, and rules relating to matters governed by this section. The petition and response forms shall be simple and concise, and their use by parties in actions brought pursuant to this section shall be mandatory.
(2)A temporary restraining order or order after hearing relating to civil harassment issued by a court pursuant to this section shall be issued on forms adopted by the Judicial Council of California and that have been approved by the Department of Justice pursuant to subdivision (i) of Section 6380 of the Family Code. However, the fact that an order issued by a court pursuant to this section was not issued on forms adopted by the Judicial Council and approved by the Department of Justice shall not, in and of itself, make the order unenforceable.
(x)There is no filing fee for a petition that alleges that a person has inflicted or threatened violence against the petitioner, or stalked the petitioner, or acted or spoken in any other manner that has placed the petitioner in reasonable fear of violence, and that seeks a protective or restraining order restraining stalking or future violence or threats of violence, in any action brought pursuant to this section. A fee shall not be paid for a subpoena filed in connection with a petition alleging these acts. A fee shall not be paid for filing a response to a petition alleging these acts.
(y)(1)Subject to paragraph (4) of subdivision (b) of Section 6103.2 of the Government Code, there shall not be a fee for the service of process by a sheriff or marshal of a protective or restraining order to be issued, if either of the following conditions applies:
(A)The protective or restraining order issued pursuant to this section is based upon stalking, as prohibited by Section 646.9 of the Penal Code.
(B)The protective or restraining order issued pursuant to this section is based upon unlawful violence or a credible threat of violence.
(2)The Judicial Council shall prepare and develop forms for persons who wish to avail themselves of the services described in this subdivision.
SEC. 2.Section 213.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:213.5.(a)After a petition has been filed pursuant to Section 311 to declare a child a dependent child of the juvenile court, and until the time that the petition is dismissed or dependency is terminated, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure or in the manner provided by Section 6300 of the Family Code, if related to domestic violence, the juvenile court has exclusive jurisdiction to issue ex parte orders (1) enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of the child or any other child in the household; and (2) excluding any person from the dwelling of the person who has care, custody, and control of the child. A court may also issue an ex parte order enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of any parent, legal guardian, or current caretaker of the child, regardless of whether the child resides with that parent, legal guardian, or current caretaker, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure or, if related to domestic violence, in the manner provided by Section 6300 of the Family Code. A court may also issue an ex parte order enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of the childs current or former social worker or court appointed special advocate, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure. On a showing of good cause, in an ex parte order issued pursuant to this subdivision in connection with an animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by a person protected by the restraining order, or residing in the residence or household of a person protected by the restraining order, the court may do either or both of the following:
(1)Grant the applicant exclusive care, possession, or control of the animal.
(2)Order the restrained person to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal.
(b)After a petition has been filed pursuant to Section 601 or 602 to declare a child a ward of the juvenile court, and until the time that the petition is dismissed or wardship is terminated, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure or, if related to domestic violence, in the manner provided by Section 6300 of the Family Code, the juvenile court may issue ex parte orders (1) enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of the child or any other child in the household; (2) excluding any person from the dwelling of the person who has care, custody, and control of the child; or (3) enjoining the child from contacting, threatening, stalking, or disturbing the peace of any person the court finds to be at risk from the conduct of the child, or with whom association would be detrimental to the child. A court may also issue an ex parte order enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of any parent, legal guardian, or current caretaker of the child, regardless of whether the child resides with that parent, legal guardian, or current caretaker, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure or, if related to domestic violence, in the manner provided by Section 6300 of the Family Code. A court may also issue an ex parte order enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of the childs current or former probation officer or court appointed special advocate, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure. On a showing of good cause, in an ex parte order issued pursuant to this subdivision in connection with an animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by a person protected by the restraining order, or residing in the residence or household of a person protected by the restraining order, the court may do either or both of the following:
(1)Grant the applicant exclusive care, possession, or control of the animal.
(2)Order the respondent to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal.
(c)If a temporary restraining order is granted without notice, the matter shall be made returnable on an order requiring cause to be shown why the order should not be granted, on the earliest day that the business of the court will permit, but not later than 21 days or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days from the date the temporary restraining order is granted. The court may, on the motion of the person seeking the restraining order, or on its own motion, shorten the time for service of the order to show cause on the person to be restrained. The court may, upon its own motion or the filing of a declaration by the person seeking the restraining order, find that the person to be restrained could not be served within the time required by law and reissue an order previously issued and dissolved by the court for failure to serve the person to be restrained. The reissued order shall remain in effect until the date set for the hearing. The reissued order shall state on its face the date of expiration of the order. Any hearing pursuant to this section may be held simultaneously with any regularly scheduled hearings held in proceedings to declare a child a dependent child or ward of the juvenile court pursuant to Section 300, 601, or 602, or subsequent hearings regarding the dependent child or ward.
(d)(1)The juvenile court may issue, upon notice and a hearing, any of the orders set forth in subdivisions (a), (b), and (c). Any restraining order granted pursuant to this subdivision shall remain in effect, in the discretion of the court, no more than three years, unless otherwise terminated by the court, extended by mutual consent of all parties to the restraining order, or extended by further order of the court on the motion of any party to the restraining order.
(2)If an action is filed for the purpose of terminating or modifying a protective order prior to the expiration date specified in the order by a party other than the protected party, the party who is protected by the order shall be given notice, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 1005 of the Code of Civil Procedure, of the proceeding by personal service or, if the protected party has satisfied the requirements of Chapter 3.1 (commencing with Section 6205) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, by service on the Secretary of State. If the party who is protected by the order cannot be notified prior to the hearing for modification or termination of the protective order, the juvenile court shall deny the motion to modify or terminate the order without prejudice or continue the hearing until the party who is protected can be properly noticed and may, upon a showing of good cause, specify another method for service of process that is reasonably designed to afford actual notice to the protected party. The protected party may waive his or her right to notice if he or she is physically present and does not challenge the sufficiency of the notice.
(e)(1)The juvenile court may issue an order made pursuant to subdivision (a), (b), or (d) excluding a person from a residence or dwelling. This order may be issued for the time and on the conditions that the court determines, regardless of which party holds legal or equitable title or is the lessee of the residence or dwelling.
(2)The court may issue an order under paragraph (1) only on a showing of all of the following:
(A)Facts sufficient for the court to ascertain that the party who will stay in the dwelling has a right under color of law to possession of the premises.
(B)That the party to be excluded has assaulted or threatens to assault the other party or any other person under the care, custody, and control of the other party, or any minor child of the parties or of the other party.
(C)That physical or emotional harm would otherwise result to the other party, to any person under the care, custody, and control of the other party, or to any minor child of the parties or of the other party.
(f)Any order issued pursuant to subdivision (a), (b), (c), or (d) shall state on its face the date of expiration of the order.
(g)All data with respect to a juvenile court protective order, or extension, modification, or termination thereof, granted pursuant to subdivision (a), (b), (c), or (d), shall be transmitted by the court or its designee, within one business day, to law enforcement personnel by either one of the following methods:
(1)Transmitting a physical copy of the order to a local law enforcement agency authorized by the Department of Justice to enter orders into the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS).
(2)With the approval of the Department of Justice, entering the order into CLETS directly.
(h)Any willful and knowing violation of any order granted pursuant to subdivision (a), (b), (c), or (d) shall be a misdemeanor punishable under Section 273.65 of the Penal Code.
(i)A juvenile court restraining order related to domestic violence issued by a court pursuant to this section shall be issued on forms adopted by the Judicial Council of California and that have been approved by the Department of Justice pursuant to subdivision (i) of Section 6380 of the Family Code. However, the fact that an order issued by a court pursuant to this section was not issued on forms adopted by the Judicial Council and approved by the Department of Justice shall not, in and of itself, make the order unenforceable.
(j)(1)Prior to a hearing on the issuance or denial of an order under this part, a search shall be conducted as described in subdivision (a) of Section 6306 of the Family Code.
(2)Prior to deciding whether to issue an order under this part, the court shall consider the following information obtained pursuant to a search conducted under paragraph (1): any conviction for a violent felony specified in Section 667.5 of the Penal Code or a serious felony specified in Section 1192.7 of the Penal Code; any misdemeanor conviction involving domestic violence, weapons, or other violence; any outstanding warrant; parole or probation status; any prior restraining order; and any violation of a prior restraining order.
(3)(A)If the results of the search conducted pursuant to paragraph (1) indicate that an outstanding warrant exists against the subject of the search, the court shall order the clerk of the court to immediately notify, by the most effective means available, appropriate law enforcement officials of any information obtained through the search that the court determines is appropriate. The law enforcement officials notified shall take all actions necessary to execute any outstanding warrants or any other actions, as appropriate and as soon as practicable.
(B)If the results of the search conducted pursuant to paragraph (1) indicate that the subject of the search is currently on parole or probation, the court shall order the clerk of the court to immediately notify, by the most effective means available, the appropriate parole or probation officer of any information obtained through the search that the court determines is appropriate. The parole or probation officer notified shall take all actions necessary to revoke any parole or probation, or any other actions, with respect to the subject person, as appropriate and as soon as practicable.
(k)Upon making any order for custody or visitation pursuant to this section, the court shall follow the procedures specified in subdivisions (c) and (d) of Section 6323 of the Family Code.
SEC. 2.5.Section 213.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:213.5.(a)After a petition has been filed pursuant to Section 311 to declare a child a dependent child of the juvenile court, and until the time that the petition is dismissed or dependency is terminated, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure or in the manner provided by Section 6300 of the Family Code, if related to domestic violence, the juvenile court has exclusive jurisdiction to issue ex parte orders (1) enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of the child or any other child in the household; and (2) excluding any person from the dwelling of the person who has care, custody, and control of the child. A court may also issue an ex parte order enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of any parent, legal guardian, or current caretaker of the child, regardless of whether the child resides with that parent, legal guardian, or current caretaker, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure or, if related to domestic violence, in the manner provided by Section 6300 of the Family Code. A court may also issue an ex parte order enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of the childs current or former social worker or court appointed special advocate, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure. On a showing of good cause, in an ex parte order issued pursuant to this subdivision in connection with an animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by a person protected by the restraining order, or residing in the residence or household of a person protected by the restraining order, the court may do either or both of the following:
(1)Grant the applicant exclusive care, possession, or control of the animal.
(2)Order the restrained person to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal.
(b)After a petition has been filed pursuant to Section 601 or 602 to declare a child a ward of the juvenile court, and until the time that the petition is dismissed or wardship is terminated, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure or, if related to domestic violence, in the manner provided by Section 6300 of the Family Code, the juvenile court may issue ex parte orders (1) enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of the child or any other child in the household; (2) excluding any person from the dwelling of the person who has care, custody, and control of the child; or (3) enjoining the child from contacting, threatening, stalking, or disturbing the peace of any person the court finds to be at risk from the conduct of the child, or with whom association would be detrimental to the child. A court may also issue an ex parte order enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of any parent, legal guardian, or current caretaker of the child, regardless of whether the child resides with that parent, legal guardian, or current caretaker, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure or, if related to domestic violence, in the manner provided by Section 6300 of the Family Code. A court may also issue an ex parte order enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of the childs current or former probation officer or court appointed special advocate, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure. On a showing of good cause, in an ex parte order issued pursuant to this subdivision in connection with an animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by a person protected by the restraining order, or residing in the residence or household of a person protected by the restraining order, the court may do either or both of the following:
(1)Grant the applicant exclusive care, possession, or control of the animal.
(2)Order the respondent to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal.
(c)(1)If a temporary restraining order is granted without notice, the matter shall be made returnable on an order requiring cause to be shown why the order should not be granted, on the earliest day that the business of the court will permit, but not later than 21 days or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days from the date the temporary restraining order is granted. The court may, on the motion of the person seeking the restraining order, or on its own motion, shorten the time for the service of the order to show cause on the person to be restrained.
(2)The respondent shall be entitled, as a matter of course, to one continuance, for a reasonable period, to respond to the petition.
(3)Either party may request a continuance of the hearing, which the court shall grant on a showing of good cause. The request may be made in writing before or at the hearing or orally at the hearing. The court may also grant a continuance on its own motion.
(4)If the court grants a continuance, any temporary restraining order that has been issued shall remain in effect until the end of the continued hearing, unless otherwise ordered by the court. In granting a continuance, the court may modify or terminate a temporary restraining order.
(5)A hearing pursuant to this section may be held simultaneously with any regularly scheduled hearings held in proceedings to declare a child a dependent child or ward of the juvenile court pursuant to Section 300, 601, or 602, or subsequent hearings regarding the dependent child or ward.
(d)(1)The juvenile court may issue, upon notice and a hearing, any of the orders set forth in subdivisions (a), (b), and (c). A restraining order granted pursuant to this subdivision shall remain in effect, in the discretion of the court, no more than three years, unless otherwise terminated by the court, extended by mutual consent of all parties to the restraining order, or extended by further order of the court on the motion of any party to the restraining order.
(2)If an action is filed for the purpose of terminating or modifying a protective order prior to the expiration date specified in the order by a party other than the protected party, the party who is protected by the order shall be given notice, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 1005 of the Code of Civil Procedure, of the proceeding by personal service or, if the protected party has satisfied the requirements of Chapter 3.1 (commencing with Section 6205) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, by service on the Secretary of State. If the party who is protected by the order cannot be notified prior to the hearing for modification or termination of the protective order, the juvenile court shall deny the motion to modify or terminate the order without prejudice or continue the hearing until the party who is protected can be properly noticed and may, upon a showing of good cause, specify another method for service of process that is reasonably designed to afford actual notice to the protected party. The protected party may waive his or her right to notice if he or she is physically present and does not challenge the sufficiency of the notice.
(e)(1)The juvenile court may issue an order made pursuant to subdivision (a), (b), or (d) excluding a person from a residence or dwelling. This order may be issued for the time and on the conditions that the court determines, regardless of which party holds legal or equitable title or is the lessee of the residence or dwelling.
(2)The court may issue an order under paragraph (1) only on a showing of all of the following:
(A)Facts sufficient for the court to ascertain that the party who will stay in the dwelling has a right under color of law to possession of the premises.
(B)That the party to be excluded has assaulted or threatens to assault the other party or any other person under the care, custody, and control of the other party, or any minor child of the parties or of the other party.
(C)That physical or emotional harm would otherwise result to the other party, to any person under the care, custody, and control of the other party, or to any minor child of the parties or of the other party.
(f)An order issued pursuant to subdivision (a), (b), (c), or (d) shall state on its face the date of expiration of the order.
(g)All data with respect to a juvenile court protective order, or extension, modification, or termination thereof, granted pursuant to subdivision (a), (b), (c), or (d), shall be transmitted by the court or its designee, within one business day, to law enforcement personnel by either one of the following methods:
(1)Transmitting a physical copy of the order to a local law enforcement agency authorized by the Department of Justice to enter orders into the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS).
(2)With the approval of the Department of Justice, entering the order into CLETS directly.
(h)Any willful and knowing violation of any order granted pursuant to subdivision (a), (b), (c), or (d) shall be a misdemeanor punishable under Section 273.65 of the Penal Code.
(i)A juvenile court restraining order related to domestic violence issued by a court pursuant to this section shall be issued on forms adopted by the Judicial Council of California and that have been approved by the Department of Justice pursuant to subdivision (i) of Section 6380 of the Family Code. However, the fact that an order issued by a court pursuant to this section was not issued on forms adopted by the Judicial Council and approved by the Department of Justice shall not, in and of itself, make the order unenforceable.
(j)(1)Prior to a hearing on the issuance or denial of an order under this part, a search shall be conducted as described in subdivision (a) of Section 6306 of the Family Code.
(2)Prior to deciding whether to issue an order under this part, the court shall consider the following information obtained pursuant to a search conducted under paragraph (1): any conviction for a violent felony specified in Section 667.5 of the Penal Code or a serious felony specified in Section 1192.7 of the Penal Code; any misdemeanor conviction involving domestic violence, weapons, or other violence; any outstanding warrant; parole or probation status; any prior restraining order; and any violation of a prior restraining order.
(3)(A)If the results of the search conducted pursuant to paragraph (1) indicate that an outstanding warrant exists against the subject of the search, the court shall order the clerk of the court to immediately notify, by the most effective means available, appropriate law enforcement officials of any information obtained through the search that the court determines is appropriate. The law enforcement officials notified shall take all actions necessary to execute any outstanding warrants or any other actions, as appropriate and as soon as practicable.
(B)If the results of the search conducted pursuant to paragraph (1) indicate that the subject of the search is currently on parole or probation, the court shall order the clerk of the court to immediately notify, by the most effective means available, the appropriate parole or probation officer of any information obtained through the search that the court determines is appropriate. The parole or probation officer notified shall take all actions necessary to revoke any parole or probation, or any other actions, with respect to the subject person, as appropriate and as soon as practicable.
(k)Upon making any order for custody or visitation pursuant to this section, the court shall follow the procedures specified in subdivisions (c) and (d) of Section 6323 of the Family Code.
SEC. 3.Section 15657.03 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:15657.03.(a)(1)An elder or dependent adult who has suffered abuse as defined in Section 15610.07 may seek protective orders as provided in this section.
(2)A petition may be brought on behalf of an abused elder or dependent adult by a conservator or a trustee of the elder or dependent adult, an attorney-in-fact of an elder or dependent adult who acts within the authority of the power of attorney, a person appointed as a guardian ad litem for the elder or dependent adult, or other person legally authorized to seek such relief.
(b)For the purposes of this section:
(1)Conservator means the legally appointed conservator of the person or estate of the petitioner, or both.
(2)Petitioner means the elder or dependent adult to be protected by the protective orders and, if the court grants the petition, the protected person.
(3)Protective order means an order that includes any of the following restraining orders, whether issued ex parte, after notice and hearing, or in a judgment:
(A)An order enjoining a party from abusing, intimidating, molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, or coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of, the petitioner, and, in the discretion of the court, on a showing of good cause, of other named family or household members or a conservator, if any, of the petitioner. On a showing of good cause, in an order issued pursuant to this subparagraph in connection with an animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by the petitioner, or residing in the residence or household of the petitioner, the court may do either or both of the following:
(i)Grant the petitioner exclusive care, possession, or control of the animal.
(ii)Order the respondent to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal.
(B)An order excluding a party from the petitioners residence or dwelling, except that this order shall not be issued if legal or equitable title to, or lease of, the residence or dwelling is in the sole name of the party to be excluded, or is in the name of the party to be excluded and any other party besides the petitioner.
(C)An order enjoining a party from specified behavior that the court determines is necessary to effectuate orders described in subparagraph (A) or (B).
(4)Respondent means the person against whom the protective orders are sought and, if the petition is granted, the restrained person.
(c)An order may be issued under this section, with or without notice, to restrain any person for the purpose of preventing a recurrence of abuse, if a declaration shows, to the satisfaction of the court, reasonable proof of a past act or acts of abuse of the petitioning elder or dependent adult.
(d)Upon filing a petition for protective orders under this section, the petitioner may obtain a temporary restraining order in accordance with Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure, except to the extent this section provides a rule that is inconsistent. The temporary restraining order may include any of the protective orders described in paragraph (3) of subdivision (b). However, the court may issue an ex parte order excluding a party from the petitioners residence or dwelling only on a showing of all of the following:
(1)Facts sufficient for the court to ascertain that the party who will stay in the dwelling has a right under color of law to possession of the premises.
(2)That the party to be excluded has assaulted or threatens to assault the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or a conservator of the petitioner.
(3)That physical or emotional harm would otherwise result to the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or a conservator of the petitioner.
(e)A request for the issuance of a temporary restraining order without notice under this section shall be granted or denied on the same day that the petition is submitted to the court, unless the petition is filed too late in the day to permit effective review, in which case the order shall be granted or denied on the next day of judicial business in sufficient time for the order to be filed that day with the clerk of the court.
(f)Within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days, from the date that a request for a temporary restraining order is granted or denied, a hearing shall be held on the petition. If no request for temporary orders is made, the hearing shall be held within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days, from the date that the petition is filed.
(g)The respondent may file a response that explains or denies the alleged abuse.
(h)The court may issue, upon notice and a hearing, any of the orders set forth in paragraph (3) of subdivision (b). The court may issue, after notice and hearing, an order excluding a person from a residence or dwelling if the court finds that physical or emotional harm would otherwise result to the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or conservator of the petitioner.
(i)(1)In the discretion of the court, an order issued after notice and a hearing under this section may have a duration of not more than five years, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. These orders may be renewed upon the request of a party, either for five years or permanently, without a showing of any further abuse since the issuance of the original order, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. The request for renewal may be brought at any time within the three months before the expiration of the order.
(2)The failure to state the expiration date on the face of the form creates an order with a duration of three years from the date of issuance.
(3)If an action is filed for the purpose of terminating or modifying a protective order prior to the expiration date specified in the order by a party other than the protected party, the party who is protected by the order shall be given notice, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 1005 of the Code of Civil Procedure, of the proceeding by personal service or, if the protected party has satisfied the requirements of Chapter 3.1 (commencing with Section 6205) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, by service on the Secretary of State. If the party who is protected by the order cannot be notified prior to the hearing for modification or termination of the protective order, the court shall deny the motion to modify or terminate the order without prejudice or continue the hearing until the party who is protected can be properly noticed and may, upon a showing of good cause, specify another method for service of process that is reasonably designed to afford actual notice to the protected party. The protected party may waive his or her right to notice if he or she is physically present in court and does not challenge the sufficiency of the notice.
(j)In a proceeding under this section, a support person may accompany a party in court and, if the party is not represented by an attorney, may sit with the party at the table that is generally reserved for the party and the partys attorney. The support person is present to provide moral and emotional support for a person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse. The support person is not present as a legal adviser and may not provide legal advice. The support person may assist the person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse in feeling more confident that he or she will not be injured or threatened by the other party during the proceedings if the person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse and the other party are required to be present in close proximity. This subdivision does not preclude the court from exercising its discretion to remove the support person from the courtroom if the court believes the support person is prompting, swaying, or influencing the party assisted by the support person.
(k)Upon the filing of a petition for protective orders under this section, the respondent shall be personally served with a copy of the petition, notice of the hearing or order to show cause, temporary restraining order, if any, and any declarations in support of the petition. Service shall be made at least five days before the hearing. The court may, on motion of the petitioner or on its own motion, shorten the time for service on the respondent.
(l)A notice of hearing under this section shall notify the respondent that if he or she does not attend the hearing, the court may make orders against him or her that could last up to five years.
(m)(1)The court may, upon the filing of a declaration by the petitioner that the respondent could not be served within the time required by statute, reissue an order previously issued and dissolved by the court for failure to serve the respondent. The reissued order shall remain in effect until the date set for the hearing.
(2)The reissued order shall state on its face the date of expiration of the order.
(n)(1)If a respondent, named in an order issued under this section after a hearing, has not been served personally with the order but has received actual notice of the existence and substance of the order through personal appearance in court to hear the terms of the order from the court, no additional proof of service is required for enforcement of the order.
(2)If the respondent named in a temporary restraining order is personally served with the order and notice of hearing with respect to a restraining order or protective order based on the temporary restraining order, but the respondent does not appear at the hearing, either personally or by an attorney, and the terms and conditions of the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing are identical to the temporary restraining order, except for the duration of the order, then the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing may be served on the respondent by first-class mail sent to the respondent at the most current address for the respondent that is available to the court.
(3)The Judicial Council form for temporary orders issued pursuant to this subdivision shall contain a statement in substantially the following form:
If you have been personally served with a temporary restraining order and notice of hearing, but you do not appear at the hearing either in person or by a lawyer, and a restraining order that is the same as this temporary restraining order except for the expiration date is issued at the hearing, a copy of the order will be served on you by mail at the following address: ____.
If that address is not correct or you wish to verify that the temporary restraining order was converted to a restraining order at the hearing without substantive change and to find out the duration of that order, contact the clerk of the court.
(o)(1)Information on any protective order relating to elder or dependent adult abuse issued by a court pursuant to this section shall be transmitted to the Department of Justice in accordance with either paragraph (2) or (3).
(2)The court shall order the petitioner or the attorney for the petitioner to deliver a copy of an order issued under this section, or a reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by the close of the business day on which the order, reissuance, extension, modification, or termination was made, to each law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the residence of the petitioner, and to any additional law enforcement agencies within the courts discretion as are requested by the petitioner.
(3)Alternatively, the court or its designee shall transmit, within one business day, to law enforcement personnel all information required under subdivision (b) of Section 6380 of the Family Code regarding any order issued under this section, or a reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by either one of the following methods:
(A)Transmitting a physical copy of the order or proof of service to a local law enforcement agency authorized by the Department of Justice to enter orders into the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS).
(B)With the approval of the Department of Justice, entering the order or proof of service into CLETS directly.
(4)Each appropriate law enforcement agency shall make available information as to the existence and current status of these orders to law enforcement officers responding to the scene of reported abuse.
(5)An order issued under this section shall, on request of the petitioner, be served on the respondent, whether or not the respondent has been taken into custody, by any law enforcement officer who is present at the scene of reported abuse involving the parties to the proceeding. The petitioner shall provide the officer with an endorsed copy of the order and a proof of service, which the officer shall complete and send to the issuing court.
(6)Upon receiving information at the scene of an incident of abuse that a protective order has been issued under this section, or that a person who has been taken into custody is the respondent to that order, if the protected person cannot produce an endorsed copy of the order, a law enforcement officer shall immediately attempt to verify the existence of the order.
(7)If the law enforcement officer determines that a protective order has been issued, but not served, the officer shall immediately notify the respondent of the terms of the order and where a written copy of the order can be obtained, and the officer shall at that time also enforce the order. The law enforcement officers verbal notice of the terms of the order shall constitute service of the order and is sufficient notice for the purposes of this section and for the purposes of Section 273.6 of the Penal Code.
(p)Nothing in this section shall preclude either party from representation by private counsel or from appearing on the partys own behalf.
(q)There is no filing fee for a petition, response, or paper seeking the reissuance, modification, or enforcement of a protective order filed in a proceeding brought pursuant to this section.
(r)Pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (b) of Section 6103.2 of the Government Code, a petitioner shall not be required to pay a fee for law enforcement to serve an order issued under this section.
(s)The prevailing party in any action brought under this section may be awarded court costs and attorneys fees, if any.
(t)(1)A person subject to a protective order under this section shall not own, possess, purchase, receive, or attempt to receive a firearm or ammunition while the protective order is in effect.
(2)The court shall order a person subject to a protective order issued under this section to relinquish any firearms he or she owns or possesses pursuant to Section 527.9 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
(3)Every person who owns, possesses, purchases, or receives, or attempts to purchase or receive a firearm or ammunition while subject to a protective order issued under this section is punishable pursuant to Section 29825 of the Penal Code.
(4)This subdivision shall not apply in a case in which the protective order issued under this section was made solely on the basis of financial abuse unaccompanied by force, threat, harassment, intimidation, or any other form of abuse.
(u)Any willful disobedience of any temporary restraining order or restraining order after hearing granted under this section is punishable pursuant to Section 273.6 of the Penal Code.
(v)This section does not apply to any action or proceeding governed by Title 1.6C (commencing with Section 1788) of Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code, by Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 525) of Title 7 of Part 2 of the Code of Civil Procedure, or by Division 10 (commencing with Section 6200) of the Family Code. Nothing in this section shall preclude a petitioners right to use other existing civil remedies.
(w)The Judicial Council shall develop forms, instructions, and rules relating to matters governed by this section. The petition and response forms shall be simple and concise, and their use by parties in actions brought pursuant to this section shall be mandatory.
SEC. 3.1.Section 15657.03 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:15657.03.(a)(1)An elder or dependent adult who has suffered abuse, as defined in Section 15610.07, may seek protective orders as provided in this section.
(2)A petition may be brought on behalf of an abused elder or dependent adult by a conservator or a trustee of the elder or dependent adult, an attorney-in-fact of an elder or dependent adult who acts within the authority of a power of attorney, a person appointed as a guardian ad litem for the elder or dependent adult, or other person legally authorized to seek such relief.
(b)For purposes of this section:
(1)Conservator means the legally appointed conservator of the person or estate of the petitioner, or both.
(2)Petitioner means the elder or dependent adult to be protected by the protective orders and, if the court grants the petition, the protected person.
(3)Protective order means an order that includes any of the following restraining orders, whether issued ex parte, after notice and hearing, or in a judgment:
(A)An order enjoining a party from abusing, intimidating, molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, or coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of, the petitioner, and, in the discretion of the court, on a showing of good cause, of other named family or household members or a conservator, if any, of the petitioner. On a showing of good cause, in an order issued pursuant to this subparagraph in connection with an animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by the petitioner, or residing in the residence or household of the petitioner, the court may do either or both of the following:
(i)Grant the petitioner exclusive care, possession, or control of the animal.
(ii)Order the respondent to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal.
(B)An order excluding a party from the petitioners residence or dwelling, except that this order shall not be issued if legal or equitable title to, or lease of, the residence or dwelling is in the sole name of the party to be excluded, or is in the name of the party to be excluded and any other party besides the petitioner.
(C)An order enjoining a party from specified behavior that the court determines is necessary to effectuate orders described in subparagraph (A) or (B).
(4)Respondent means the person against whom the protective orders are sought and, if the petition is granted, the restrained person.
(c)An order may be issued under this section, with or without notice, to restrain any person for the purpose of preventing a recurrence of abuse, if a declaration shows, to the satisfaction of the court, reasonable proof of a past act or acts of abuse of the petitioning elder or dependent adult.
(d)Upon filing a petition for protective orders under this section, the petitioner may obtain a temporary restraining order in accordance with Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure, except to the extent this section provides a rule that is inconsistent. The temporary restraining order may include any of the protective orders described in paragraph (3) of subdivision (b). However, the court may issue an ex parte order excluding a party from the petitioners residence or dwelling only on a showing of all of the following:
(1)Facts sufficient for the court to ascertain that the party who will stay in the dwelling has a right under color of law to possession of the premises.
(2)That the party to be excluded has assaulted or threatens to assault the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or a conservator of the petitioner.
(3)That physical or emotional harm would otherwise result to the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or a conservator of the petitioner.
(e)A request for the issuance of a temporary restraining order without notice under this section shall be granted or denied on the same day that the petition is submitted to the court, unless the petition is filed too late in the day to permit effective review, in which case the order shall be granted or denied on the next day of judicial business in sufficient time for the order to be filed that day with the clerk of the court.
(f)Within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days, from the date that a request for a temporary restraining order is granted or denied, a hearing shall be held on the petition. If no request for temporary orders is made, the hearing shall be held within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days, from the date that the petition is filed.
(g)The respondent may file a response that explains or denies the alleged abuse.
(h)The court may issue, upon notice and a hearing, any of the orders set forth in paragraph (3) of subdivision (b). The court may issue, after notice and hearing, an order excluding a person from a residence or dwelling if the court finds that physical or emotional harm would otherwise result to the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or conservator of the petitioner.
(i)(1)In the discretion of the court, an order issued after notice and a hearing under this section may have a duration of not more than five years, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. These orders may be renewed upon the request of a party, either for five years or permanently, without a showing of any further abuse since the issuance of the original order, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. The request for renewal may be brought at any time within the three months before the expiration of the order.
(2)The failure to state the expiration date on the face of the form creates an order with a duration of three years from the date of issuance.
(3)If an action is filed for the purpose of terminating or modifying a protective order prior to the expiration date specified in the order by a party other than the protected party, the party who is protected by the order shall be given notice, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 1005 of the Code of Civil Procedure, of the proceeding by personal service or, if the protected party has satisfied the requirements of Chapter 3.1 (commencing with Section 6205) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, by service on the Secretary of State. If the party who is protected by the order cannot be notified prior to the hearing for modification or termination of the protective order, the court shall deny the motion to modify or terminate the order without prejudice or continue the hearing until the party who is protected can be properly noticed and may, upon a showing of good cause, specify another method for service of process that is reasonably designed to afford actual notice to the protected party. The protected party may waive his or her right to notice if he or she is physically present in court and does not challenge the sufficiency of the notice.
(j)In a proceeding under this section, a support person may accompany a party in court and, if the party is not represented by an attorney, may sit with the party at the table that is generally reserved for the party and the partys attorney. The support person is present to provide moral and emotional support for a person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse. The support person is not present as a legal adviser and may not provide legal advice. The support person may assist the person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse in feeling more confident that he or she will not be injured or threatened by the other party during the proceedings if the person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse and the other party are required to be present in close proximity. This subdivision does not preclude the court from exercising its discretion to remove the support person from the courtroom if the court believes the support person is prompting, swaying, or influencing the party assisted by the support person.
(k)Upon the filing of a petition for protective orders under this section, the respondent shall be personally served with a copy of the petition, notice of the hearing or order to show cause, temporary restraining order, if any, and any declarations in support of the petition. Service shall be made at least five days before the hearing. The court may, on motion of the petitioner or on its own motion, shorten the time for service on the respondent.
(l)A notice of hearing under this section shall notify the respondent that if he or she does not attend the hearing, the court may make orders against him or her that could last up to five years.
(m)The respondent shall be entitled, as a matter of course, to one continuance, for a reasonable period, to respond to the petition.
(n)(1) Either party may request a continuance of the hearing, which the court shall grant on a showing of good cause. The request may be made in writing before or at the hearing or orally at the hearing. The court may also grant a continuance on its own motion.
(2)If the court grants a continuance, any temporary restraining order that has been granted shall remain in effect until the end of the continued hearing, unless otherwise ordered by the court. In granting a continuance, the court may modify or terminate a temporary restraining order.
(o)(1)If a respondent, named in an order issued under this section after a hearing, has not been served personally with the order but has received actual notice of the existence and substance of the order through personal appearance in court to hear the terms of the order from the court, no additional proof of service is required for enforcement of the order.
(2)If the respondent named in a temporary restraining order is personally served with the order and notice of hearing with respect to a restraining order or protective order based on the temporary restraining order, but the respondent does not appear at the hearing, either personally or by an attorney, and the terms and conditions of the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing are identical to the temporary restraining order, except for the duration of the order, then the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing may be served on the respondent by first-class mail sent to the respondent at the most current address for the respondent that is available to the court.
(3)The Judicial Council form for temporary orders issued pursuant to this subdivision shall contain a statement in substantially the following form:
If you have been personally served with a temporary restraining order and notice of hearing, but you do not appear at the hearing either in person or by a lawyer, and a restraining order that is the same as this temporary restraining order except for the expiration date is issued at the hearing, a copy of the order will be served on you by mail at the following address: ____.
If that address is not correct or you wish to verify that the temporary restraining order was converted to a restraining order at the hearing without substantive change and to find out the duration of that order, contact the clerk of the court.
(p)(1)Information on a protective order relating to elder or dependent adult abuse issued by a court pursuant to this section shall be transmitted to the Department of Justice in accordance with either paragraph (2) or (3).
(2)The court shall order the petitioner or the attorney for the petitioner to deliver a copy of an order issued under this section, or a reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by the close of the business day on which the order, reissuance, extension, modification, or termination was made, to each law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the residence of the petitioner, and to any additional law enforcement agencies within the courts discretion as are requested by the petitioner.
(3)Alternatively, the court or its designee shall transmit, within one business day, to law enforcement personnel all information required under subdivision (b) of Section 6380 of the Family Code regarding any order issued under this section, or a reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by either one of the following methods:
(A)Transmitting a physical copy of the order or proof of service to a local law enforcement agency authorized by the Department of Justice to enter orders into the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS).
(B)With the approval of the Department of Justice, entering the order or proof of service into CLETS directly.
(4)Each appropriate law enforcement agency shall make available information as to the existence and current status of these orders to law enforcement officers responding to the scene of reported abuse.
(5)An order issued under this section shall, on request of the petitioner, be served on the respondent, whether or not the respondent has been taken into custody, by any law enforcement officer who is present at the scene of reported abuse involving the parties to the proceeding. The petitioner shall provide the officer with an endorsed copy of the order and a proof of service, which the officer shall complete and send to the issuing court.
(6)Upon receiving information at the scene of an incident of abuse that a protective order has been issued under this section, or that a person who has been taken into custody is the respondent to that order, if the protected person cannot produce an endorsed copy of the order, a law enforcement officer shall immediately attempt to verify the existence of the order.
(7)If the law enforcement officer determines that a protective order has been issued but not served, the officer shall immediately notify the respondent of the terms of the order and where a written copy of the order can be obtained, and the officer shall at that time also enforce the order. The law enforcement officers verbal notice of the terms of the order shall constitute service of the order and is sufficient notice for the purposes of this section and for the purposes of Section 273.6 of the Penal Code.
(q)Nothing in this section shall preclude either party from representation by private counsel or from appearing on the partys own behalf.
(r)There is no filing fee for a petition, response, or paper seeking the reissuance, modification, or enforcement of a protective order filed in a proceeding brought pursuant to this section.
(s)Pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (b) of Section 6103.2 of the Government Code, a petitioner shall not be required to pay a fee for law enforcement to serve an order issued under this section.
(t)The prevailing party in an action brought under this section may be awarded court costs and attorneys fees, if any.
(u)(1)A person subject to a protective order under this section shall not own, possess, purchase, receive, or attempt to receive a firearm or ammunition while the protective order is in effect.
(2)The court shall order a person subject to a protective order issued under this section to relinquish any firearms he or she owns or possesses pursuant to Section 527.9 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
(3)Every person who owns, possesses, purchases, or receives, or attempts to purchase or receive a firearm or ammunition while subject to a protective order issued under this section is punishable pursuant to Section 29825 of the Penal Code.
(4)This subdivision does not apply in a case in which a protective order issued under this section was made solely on the basis of financial abuse unaccompanied by force, threat, harassment, intimidation, or any other form of abuse.
(v)Any willful disobedience of any temporary restraining order or restraining order after hearing granted under this section is punishable pursuant to Section 273.6 of the Penal Code.
(w)This section does not apply to any action or proceeding governed by Title 1.6C (commencing with Section 1788) of Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code, by Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 525) of Title 7 of Part 2 of the Code of Civil Procedure, or by Division 10 (commencing with Section 6200) of the Family Code. Nothing in this section shall preclude a petitioners right to use other existing civil remedies.
(x)The Judicial Council shall develop forms, instructions, and rules relating to matters governed by this section. The petition and response forms shall be simple and concise, and their use by parties in actions brought pursuant to this section shall be mandatory.
SEC. 3.2.Section 15657.03 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:15657.03.(a)(1)An elder or dependent adult who has suffered abuse, as defined in Section 15610.07, may seek protective orders as provided in this section.
(2)A petition may be brought on behalf of an abused elder or dependent adult by a conservator or a trustee of the elder or dependent adult, an attorney-in-fact of an elder or dependent adult who acts within the authority of a power of attorney, a person appointed as a guardian ad litem for the elder or dependent adult, or other person legally authorized to seek such relief.
(b)For the purposes of this section:
(1)Conservator means the legally appointed conservator of the person or estate of the petitioner, or both.
(2)Petitioner means the elder or dependent adult to be protected by the protective orders and, if the court grants the petition, the protected person.
(3)Protective order means an order that includes any of the following restraining orders, whether issued ex parte, after notice and hearing, or in a judgment:
(A)An order enjoining a party from abusing, intimidating, molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, or coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of, the petitioner, and, in the discretion of the court, on a showing of good cause, of other named family or household members or a conservator, if any, of the petitioner. On a showing of good cause, in an order issued pursuant to this subparagraph in connection with an animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by the petitioner, or residing in the residence or household of the petitioner, the court may do either or both of the following:
(i)Grant the petitioner exclusive care, possession, or control of the animal.
(ii)Order the respondent to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal.
(B)An order excluding a party from the petitioners residence or dwelling, except that this order shall not be issued if legal or equitable title to, or lease of, the residence or dwelling is in the sole name of the party to be excluded, or is in the name of the party to be excluded and any other party besides the petitioner.
(C)An order enjoining a party from specified behavior that the court determines is necessary to effectuate orders described in subparagraph (A) or (B).
(4)Respondent means the person against whom the protective orders are sought and, if the petition is granted, the restrained person.
(c)An order may be issued under this section, with or without notice, to restrain any person for the purpose of preventing a recurrence of abuse, if a declaration shows, to the satisfaction of the court, reasonable proof of a past act or acts of abuse of the petitioning elder or dependent adult.
(d)Upon filing a petition for protective orders under this section, the petitioner may obtain a temporary restraining order in accordance with Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure, except to the extent this section provides a rule that is inconsistent. The temporary restraining order may include any of the protective orders described in paragraph (3) of subdivision (b). However, the court may issue an ex parte order excluding a party from the petitioners residence or dwelling only on a showing of all of the following:
(1)Facts sufficient for the court to ascertain that the party who will stay in the dwelling has a right under color of law to possession of the premises.
(2)That the party to be excluded has assaulted or threatens to assault the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or a conservator of the petitioner.
(3)That physical or emotional harm would otherwise result to the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or a conservator of the petitioner.
(e)A request for the issuance of a temporary restraining order without notice under this section shall be granted or denied on the same day that the petition is submitted to the court, unless the petition is filed too late in the day to permit effective review, in which case the order shall be granted or denied on the next day of judicial business in sufficient time for the order to be filed that day with the clerk of the court.
(f)Within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days, from the date that a request for a temporary restraining order is granted or denied, a hearing shall be held on the petition. If no request for temporary orders is made, the hearing shall be held within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days, from the date that the petition is filed.
(g)The respondent may file a response that explains or denies the alleged abuse.
(h)The court may issue, upon notice and a hearing, any of the orders set forth in paragraph (3) of subdivision (b). The court may issue, after notice and hearing, an order excluding a person from a residence or dwelling if the court finds that physical or emotional harm would otherwise result to the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or conservator of the petitioner.
(i)(1)In the discretion of the court, an order issued after notice and a hearing under this section may have a duration of not more than five years, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. These orders may be renewed upon the request of a party, either for five years or permanently, without a showing of any further abuse since the issuance of the original order, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. The request for renewal may be brought at any time within the three months before the expiration of the order.
(2)The failure to state the expiration date on the face of the form creates an order with a duration of three years from the date of issuance.
(3)If an action is filed for the purpose of terminating or modifying a protective order prior to the expiration date specified in the order by a party other than the protected party, the party who is protected by the order shall be given notice, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 1005 of the Code of Civil Procedure, of the proceeding by personal service or, if the protected party has satisfied the requirements of Chapter 3.1 (commencing with Section 6205) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, by service on the Secretary of State. If the party who is protected by the order cannot be notified prior to the hearing for modification or termination of the protective order, the court shall deny the motion to modify or terminate the order without prejudice or continue the hearing until the party who is protected can be properly noticed and may, upon a showing of good cause, specify another method for service of process that is reasonably designed to afford actual notice to the protected party. The protected party may waive his or her right to notice if he or she is physically present in court and does not challenge the sufficiency of the notice.
(j)In a proceeding under this section, a support person may accompany a party in court and, if the party is not represented by an attorney, may sit with the party at the table that is generally reserved for the party and the partys attorney. The support person is present to provide moral and emotional support for a person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse. The support person is not present as a legal adviser and may not provide legal advice. The support person may assist the person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse in feeling more confident that he or she will not be injured or threatened by the other party during the proceedings if the person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse and the other party are required to be present in close proximity. This subdivision does not preclude the court from exercising its discretion to remove the support person from the courtroom if the court believes the support person is prompting, swaying, or influencing the party assisted by the support person.
(k)Upon the filing of a petition for protective orders under this section, the respondent shall be personally served with a copy of the petition, notice of the hearing or order to show cause, temporary restraining order, if any, and any declarations in support of the petition. Service shall be made at least five days before the hearing. The court may, on motion of the petitioner or on its own motion, shorten the time for service on the respondent.
(l)A notice of hearing under this section shall notify the respondent that if he or she does not attend the hearing, the court may make orders against him or her that could last up to five years.
(m)(1)The court may, upon the filing of a declaration by the petitioner that the respondent could not be served within the time required by statute, reissue an order previously issued and dissolved by the court for failure to serve the respondent. The reissued order shall remain in effect until the date set for the hearing.
(2)The reissued order shall state on its face the date of expiration of the order.
(n)(1)If a respondent, named in an order issued under this section after a hearing, has not been served personally with the order but has received actual notice of the existence and substance of the order through personal appearance in court to hear the terms of the order from the court, no additional proof of service is required for enforcement of the order.
(2)If the respondent named in a temporary restraining order is personally served with the order and notice of hearing with respect to a restraining order or protective order based on the temporary restraining order, but the respondent does not appear at the hearing, either personally or by an attorney, and the terms and conditions of the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing are identical to the temporary restraining order, except for the duration of the order, then the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing may be served on the respondent by first-class mail sent to the respondent at the most current address for the respondent that is available to the court.
(3)The Judicial Council form for temporary orders issued pursuant to this subdivision shall contain a statement in substantially the following form:
If you have been personally served with a temporary restraining order and notice of hearing, but you do not appear at the hearing either in person or by a lawyer, and a restraining order that is the same as this temporary restraining order except for the expiration date is issued at the hearing, a copy of the order will be served on you by mail at the following address: ____.
If that address is not correct or you wish to verify that the temporary restraining order was converted to a restraining order at the hearing without substantive change and to find out the duration of that order, contact the clerk of the court.
(o)(1)Information on a protective order relating to elder or dependent adult abuse issued by a court pursuant to this section shall be transmitted to the Department of Justice in accordance with either paragraph (2) or (3).
(2)The court shall order the petitioner or the attorney for the petitioner to deliver a copy of an order issued under this section, or a reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by the close of the business day on which the order, reissuance, extension, modification, or termination was made, to each law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the residence of the petitioner, and to any additional law enforcement agencies within the courts discretion as are requested by the petitioner.
(3)Alternatively, the court or its designee shall transmit, within one business day, to law enforcement personnel all information required under subdivision (b) of Section 6380 of the Family Code regarding any order issued under this section, or a reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by either one of the following methods:
(A)Transmitting a physical copy of the order or proof of service to a local law enforcement agency authorized by the Department of Justice to enter orders into the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS).
(B)With the approval of the Department of Justice, entering the order or proof of service into CLETS directly.
(4)Each appropriate law enforcement agency shall make available information as to the existence and current status of these orders to law enforcement officers responding to the scene of reported abuse.
(5)An order issued under this section shall, on request of the petitioner, be served on the respondent, whether or not the respondent has been taken into custody, by any law enforcement officer who is present at the scene of reported abuse involving the parties to the proceeding. The petitioner shall provide the officer with an endorsed copy of the order and a proof of service, which the officer shall complete and send to the issuing court.
(6)Upon receiving information at the scene of an incident of abuse that a protective order has been issued under this section, or that a person who has been taken into custody is the respondent to that order, if the protected person cannot produce an endorsed copy of the order, a law enforcement officer shall immediately attempt to verify the existence of the order.
(7)If the law enforcement officer determines that a protective order has been issued, but not served, the officer shall immediately notify the respondent of the terms of the order and where a written copy of the order can be obtained, and the officer shall at that time also enforce the order. The law enforcement officers verbal notice of the terms of the order shall constitute service of the order and is sufficient notice for the purposes of this section and for the purposes of Section 273.6 of the Penal Code.
(p)Nothing in this section shall preclude either party from representation by private counsel or from appearing on the partys own behalf.
(q)There is no filing fee for a petition, response, or paper seeking the reissuance, modification, or enforcement of a protective order filed in a proceeding brought pursuant to this section.
(r)Pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (b) of Section 6103.2 of the Government Code, a petitioner shall not be required to pay a fee for law enforcement to serve an order issued under this section.
(s)The prevailing party in an action brought under this section may be awarded court costs and attorneys fees, if any.
(t)(1)A person subject to a protective order under this section shall not own, possess, purchase, receive, or attempt to receive a firearm or ammunition while the protective order is in effect.
(2)The court shall order a person subject to a protective order issued under this section to relinquish any firearms he or she owns or possesses pursuant to Section 527.9 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
(3)Every person who owns, possesses, purchases, or receives, or attempts to purchase or receive a firearm or ammunition while subject to a protective order issued under this section is punishable pursuant to Section 29825 of the Penal Code.
(4)This subdivision does not apply in a case in which a protective order issued under this section was made solely on the basis of financial abuse unaccompanied by force, threat, harassment, intimidation, or any other form of abuse.
(u)Any willful disobedience of any temporary restraining order or restraining order after hearing granted under this section is punishable pursuant to Section 273.6 of the Penal Code.
(v)This section does not apply to any action or proceeding governed by Title 1.6C (commencing with Section 1788) of Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code, Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 525) of Title 7 of Part 2 of the Code of Civil Procedure, or Division 10 (commencing with Section 6200) of the Family Code. Nothing in this section shall preclude a petitioners right to use other existing civil remedies.
(w)The Judicial Council shall develop forms, instructions, and rules relating to matters governed by this section. The petition and response forms shall be simple and concise, and their use by parties in actions brought pursuant to this section shall be mandatory.
(x)This section shall become inoperative on July 1, 2016, and, as of January 1, 2017, is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that becomes operative on or before January 1, 2017, deletes or extends the dates on which it becomes inoperative and is repealed.
SEC. 3.3.Section 15657.03 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:15657.03.(a)(1) An elder or dependent adult who has suffered abuse, as defined in Section 15610.07, may seek protective orders as provided in this section.
(2)A petition may be brought on behalf of an abused elder or dependent adult by a conservator or a trustee of the elder or dependent adult, an attorney-in-fact of an elder or dependent adult who acts within the authority of a power of attorney, a person appointed as a guardian ad litem for the elder or dependent adult, or other person legally authorized to seek the relief.
(3)(A) A petition under this section may be brought on behalf of an elder or dependent adult by a county adult protective services agency in either of the following circumstances:
(i)If the elder or dependent adult has suffered abuse as defined in subdivision (b) and has an impaired ability to appreciate and understand the circumstances that place him or her at risk of harm.
(ii)If the elder or dependent adult has provided written authorization to a county adult protective services agency to act on his or her behalf.
(B)In the case of a petition filed pursuant to clause (i) of subparagraph (A) by a county adult protective services agency, a referral shall be made to the public guardian consistent with Section 2920 of the Probate Code prior to or concurrent with the filing of the petition, unless a petition for appointment of a conservator has already been filed with the probate court by the public guardian or another party.
(C)A county adult protective services agency shall be subject to any confidentiality restrictions that otherwise apply to its activities under law and shall disclose only those facts as necessary to establish reasonable cause for the filing of the petition, including, in the case of a petition filed pursuant to clause (i) of subparagraph (A), to establish the agencys belief that the elder or dependent adult has suffered abuse and has an impaired ability to appreciate and understand the circumstances that place him or her at risk, and as may be requested by the court in determining whether to issue an order under this section.
(b)For the purposes of this section:
(1)Abuse has the meaning set forth in Section 15610.07.
(2)Conservator means the legally appointed conservator of the person or estate of the petitioner, or both.
(3)Petitioner means the elder or dependent adult to be protected by the protective orders and, if the court grants the petition, the protected person.
(4)Protective order means an order that includes any of the following restraining orders, whether issued ex parte, after notice and hearing, or in a judgment:
(A)An order enjoining a party from abusing, intimidating, molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, or coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of, the petitioner, and, in the discretion of the court, on a showing of good cause, of other named family or household members or a conservator, if any, of the petitioner. On a showing of good cause, in an order issued pursuant to this subparagraph in connection with an animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by the petitioner, or residing in the residence or household of the petitioner, the court may do either or both of the following:
(i)Grant the petitioner exclusive care, possession, or control of the animal.
(ii)Order the respondent to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal.
(B)An order excluding a party from the petitioners residence or dwelling, except that this order shall not be issued if legal or equitable title to, or lease of, the residence or dwelling is in the sole name of the party to be excluded, or is in the name of the party to be excluded and any other party besides the petitioner.
(C)An order enjoining a party from specified behavior that the court determines is necessary to effectuate orders described in subparagraph (A) or (B).
(5)Respondent means the person against whom the protective orders are sought and, if the petition is granted, the restrained person.
(c)An order may be issued under this section, with or without notice, to restrain any person for the purpose of preventing a recurrence of abuse, if a declaration shows, to the satisfaction of the court, reasonable proof of a past act or acts of abuse of the petitioning elder or dependent adult.
(d)Upon filing a petition for protective orders under this section, the petitioner may obtain a temporary restraining order in accordance with Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure, except to the extent this section provides a rule that is inconsistent. The temporary restraining order may include any of the protective orders described in paragraph (4) of subdivision (b). However, the court may issue an ex parte order excluding a party from the petitioners residence or dwelling only on a showing of all of the following:
(1)Facts sufficient for the court to ascertain that the party who will stay in the dwelling has a right under color of law to possession of the premises.
(2)That the party to be excluded has assaulted or threatens to assault the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or a conservator of the petitioner.
(3)That physical or emotional harm would otherwise result to the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or a conservator of the petitioner.
(e)A request for the issuance of a temporary restraining order without notice under this section shall be granted or denied on the same day that the petition is submitted to the court, unless the petition is filed too late in the day to permit effective review, in which case the order shall be granted or denied on the next day of judicial business in sufficient time for the order to be filed that day with the clerk of the court.
(f)Within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days, from the date that a request for a temporary restraining order is granted or denied, a hearing shall be held on the petition. If no request for temporary orders is made, the hearing shall be held within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days, from the date that the petition is filed.
(g)The respondent may file a response that explains or denies the alleged abuse.
(h)The court may issue, upon notice and a hearing, any of the orders set forth in paragraph (4) of subdivision (b). The court may issue, after notice and hearing, an order excluding a person from a residence or dwelling if the court finds that physical or emotional harm would otherwise result to the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or conservator of the petitioner.
(i)(1) In the discretion of the court, an order issued after notice and a hearing under this section may have a duration of not more than five years, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. These orders may be renewed upon the request of a party, either for five years or permanently, without a showing of any further abuse since the issuance of the original order, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. The request for renewal may be brought at any time within the three months before the expiration of the order.
(2)The failure to state the expiration date on the face of the form creates an order with a duration of three years from the date of issuance.
(3)If an action is filed for the purpose of terminating or modifying a protective order prior to the expiration date specified in the order by a party other than the protected party, the party who is protected by the order shall be given notice, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 1005 of the Code of Civil Procedure, of the proceeding by personal service or, if the protected party has satisfied the requirements of Chapter 3.1 (commencing with Section 6205) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, by service on the Secretary of State. If the party who is protected by the order cannot be notified prior to the hearing for modification or termination of the protective order, the court shall deny the motion to modify or terminate the order without prejudice or continue the hearing until the party who is protected can be properly noticed and may, upon a showing of good cause, specify another method for service of process that is reasonably designed to afford actual notice to the protected party. The protected party may waive his or her right to notice if he or she is physically present in court and does not challenge the sufficiency of the notice.
(j)In a proceeding under this section, a support person may accompany a party in court and, if the party is not represented by an attorney, may sit with the party at the table that is generally reserved for the party and the partys attorney. The support person is present to provide moral and emotional support for a person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse. The support person is not present as a legal adviser and may not provide legal advice. The support person may assist the person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse in feeling more confident that he or she will not be injured or threatened by the other party during the proceedings if the person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse and the other party are required to be present in close proximity. This subdivision does not preclude the court from exercising its discretion to remove the support person from the courtroom if the court believes the support person is prompting, swaying, or influencing the party assisted by the support person.
(k)Upon the filing of a petition for protective orders under this section, the respondent shall be personally served with a copy of the petition, notice of the hearing or order to show cause, temporary restraining order, if any, and any declarations in support of the petition. Service shall be made at least five days before the hearing. The court may, on motion of the petitioner or on its own motion, shorten the time for service on the respondent.
(l)A notice of hearing under this section shall notify the respondent that if he or she does not attend the hearing, the court may make orders against him or her that could last up to five years.
(m)(1) The court may, upon the filing of a declaration by the petitioner that the respondent could not be served within the time required by statute, reissue an order previously issued and dissolved by the court for failure to serve the respondent. The reissued order shall remain in effect until the date set for the hearing.
(2)The reissued order shall state on its face the date of expiration of the order.
(n)(1) If a respondent, named in an order issued under this section after a hearing, has not been served personally with the order but has received actual notice of the existence and substance of the order through personal appearance in court to hear the terms of the order from the court, no additional proof of service is required for enforcement of the order.
(2)If the respondent named in a temporary restraining order is personally served with the order and notice of hearing with respect to a restraining order or protective order based on the temporary restraining order, but the respondent does not appear at the hearing, either personally or by an attorney, and the terms and conditions of the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing are identical to the temporary restraining order, except for the duration of the order, then the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing may be served on the respondent by first-class mail sent to the respondent at the most current address for the respondent that is available to the court.
(3)The Judicial Council form for temporary orders issued pursuant to this subdivision shall contain a statement in substantially the following form:
If you have been personally served with a temporary restraining order and notice of hearing, but you do not appear at the hearing either in person or by a lawyer, and a restraining order that is the same as this temporary restraining order except for the expiration date is issued at the hearing, a copy of the order will be served on you by mail at the following address:
If that address is not correct or you wish to verify that the temporary restraining order was converted to a restraining order at the hearing without substantive change and to find out the duration of that order, contact the clerk of the court.
(o)(1) Information on a protective order relating to elder or dependent adult abuse issued by a court pursuant to this section shall be transmitted to the Department of Justice in accordance with either paragraph (2) or (3).
(2)The court shall order the petitioner or the attorney for the petitioner to deliver a copy of an order issued under this section, or a reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by the close of the business day on which the order, reissuance, extension, modification, or termination was made, to each law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the residence of the petitioner, and to any additional law enforcement agencies within the courts discretion as are requested by the petitioner.
(3)Alternatively, the court or its designee shall transmit, within one business day, to law enforcement personnel all information required under subdivision (b) of Section 6380 of the Family Code regarding any order issued under this section, or a reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by either one of the following methods:
(A)Transmitting a physical copy of the order or proof of service to a local law enforcement agency authorized by the Department of Justice to enter orders into the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS).
(B)With the approval of the Department of Justice, entering the order or proof of service into CLETS directly.
(4)Each appropriate law enforcement agency shall make available information as to the existence and current status of these orders to law enforcement officers responding to the scene of reported abuse.
(5)An order issued under this section shall, on request of the petitioner, be served on the respondent, whether or not the respondent has been taken into custody, by any law enforcement officer who is present at the scene of reported abuse involving the parties to the proceeding. The petitioner shall provide the officer with an endorsed copy of the order and a proof of service, which the officer shall complete and send to the issuing court.
(6)Upon receiving information at the scene of an incident of abuse that a protective order has been issued under this section, or that a person who has been taken into custody is the respondent to that order, if the protected person cannot produce an endorsed copy of the order, a law enforcement officer shall immediately attempt to verify the existence of the order.
(7)If the law enforcement officer determines that a protective order has been issued, but not served, the officer shall immediately notify the respondent of the terms of the order and where a written copy of the order can be obtained, and the officer shall at that time also enforce the order. The law enforcement officers verbal notice of the terms of the order shall constitute service of the order and is sufficient notice for the purposes of this section and for the purposes of Section 273.6 of the Penal Code.
(p)Nothing in this section shall preclude either party from representation by private counsel or from appearing on the partys own behalf.
(q)There is no filing fee for a petition, response, or paper seeking the reissuance, modification, or enforcement of a protective order filed in a proceeding brought pursuant to this section.
(r)Pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (b) of Section 6103.2 of the Government Code, a petitioner shall not be required to pay a fee for law enforcement to serve an order issued under this section.
(s)The prevailing party in an action brought under this section may be awarded court costs and attorneys fees, if any.
(t)(1) A person subject to a protective order under this section shall not own, possess, purchase, receive, or attempt to receive a firearm or ammunition while the protective order is in effect.
(2)The court shall order a person subject to a protective order issued under this section to relinquish any firearms he or she owns or possesses pursuant to Section 527.9 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
(3)Every person who owns, possesses, purchases, or receives, or attempts to purchase or receive a firearm or ammunition while subject to a protective order issued under this section is punishable pursuant to Section 29825 of the Penal Code.
(4)This subdivision does not apply in a case in which a protective order issued under this section was made solely on the basis of financial abuse unaccompanied by force, threat, harassment, intimidation, or any other form of abuse.
(u)In a proceeding brought under paragraph (3) of subdivision (a), all of the following apply:
(1)Upon the filing of a petition for a protective order, the elder or dependent adult on whose behalf the petition has been filed shall receive a copy of the petition, a notice of the hearing, and any declarations submitted in support of the petition. The elder or dependent adult shall receive this information at least five days before the hearing. The court may, on motion of the petitioner or on its own motion, shorten the time for provision of this information to the elder or dependent adult.
(2)The adult protective services agency shall make reasonable efforts to assist the elder or dependent adult to attend the hearing and provide testimony to the court, if he or she wishes to do so. If the elder or dependent adult does not attend the hearing, the agency shall provide information to the court at the hearing regarding the reasons why the elder or dependent adult is not in attendance.
(3)Upon the filing of a petition for a protective order and upon issuance of an order granting the petition, the county adult protective services agency shall take all reasonable steps to provide for the safety of the elder or dependent adult, pursuant to Chapter 13 (commencing with Section 15750), which may include, but are not limited to, facilitating the location of alternative accommodations for the elder or dependent adult, if needed.
(v)Any willful disobedience of any temporary restraining order or restraining order after hearing granted under this section is punishable pursuant to Section 273.6 of the Penal Code.
(w)This section does not apply to any action or proceeding governed by Title 1.6C (commencing with Section 1788) of Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code, Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 525) of Title 7 of Part 2 of the Code of Civil Procedure, or Division 10 (commencing with Section 6200) of the Family Code. Nothing in this section shall preclude a petitioners right to use other existing civil remedies.
(x)The Judicial Council shall develop forms, instructions, and rules relating to matters governed by this section. The petition and response forms shall be simple and concise, and shall be used by parties in actions brought pursuant to this section.
(y)This section shall become operative on July 1, 2016.
SEC. 3.4.Section 15657.03 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:15657.03.(a)(1)An elder or dependent adult who has suffered abuse, as defined in Section 15610.07, may seek protective orders as provided in this section.
(2)A petition may be brought on behalf of an abused elder or dependent adult by a conservator or a trustee of the elder or dependent adult, an attorney-in-fact of an elder or dependent adult who acts within the authority of a power of attorney, a person appointed as a guardian ad litem for the elder or dependent adult, or other person legally authorized to seek such relief.
(b)For purposes of this section:
(1)Conservator means the legally appointed conservator of the person or estate of the petitioner, or both.
(2)Petitioner means the elder or dependent adult to be protected by the protective orders and, if the court grants the petition, the protected person.
(3)Protective order means an order that includes any of the following restraining orders, whether issued ex parte, after notice and hearing, or in a judgment:
(A)An order enjoining a party from abusing, intimidating, molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, or coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of, the petitioner, and, in the discretion of the court, on a showing of good cause, of other named family or household members or a conservator, if any, of the petitioner. On a showing of good cause, in an order issued pursuant to this subparagraph in connection with an animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by the petitioner, or residing in the residence or household of the petitioner, the court may do either or both of the following:
(i)Grant the petitioner exclusive care, possession, or control of the animal.
(ii)Order the respondent to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal.
(B)An order excluding a party from the petitioners residence or dwelling, except that this order shall not be issued if legal or equitable title to, or lease of, the residence or dwelling is in the sole name of the party to be excluded, or is in the name of the party to be excluded and any other party besides the petitioner.
(C)An order enjoining a party from specified behavior that the court determines is necessary to effectuate orders described in subparagraph (A) or (B).
(4)Respondent means the person against whom the protective orders are sought and, if the petition is granted, the restrained person.
(c)An order may be issued under this section, with or without notice, to restrain any person for the purpose of preventing a recurrence of abuse, if a declaration shows, to the satisfaction of the court, reasonable proof of a past act or acts of abuse of the petitioning elder or dependent adult.
(d)Upon filing a petition for protective orders under this section, the petitioner may obtain a temporary restraining order in accordance with Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure, except to the extent this section provides a rule that is inconsistent. The temporary restraining order may include any of the protective orders described in paragraph (3) of subdivision (b). However, the court may issue an ex parte order excluding a party from the petitioners residence or dwelling only on a showing of all of the following:
(1)Facts sufficient for the court to ascertain that the party who will stay in the dwelling has a right under color of law to possession of the premises.
(2)That the party to be excluded has assaulted or threatens to assault the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or a conservator of the petitioner.
(3)That physical or emotional harm would otherwise result to the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or a conservator of the petitioner.
(e)A request for the issuance of a temporary restraining order without notice under this section shall be granted or denied on the same day that the petition is submitted to the court, unless the petition is filed too late in the day to permit effective review, in which case the order shall be granted or denied on the next day of judicial business in sufficient time for the order to be filed that day with the clerk of the court.
(f)Within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days, from the date that a request for a temporary restraining order is granted or denied, a hearing shall be held on the petition. If no request for temporary orders is made, the hearing shall be held within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days, from the date that the petition is filed.
(g)The respondent may file a response that explains or denies the alleged abuse.
(h)The court may issue, upon notice and a hearing, any of the orders set forth in paragraph (3) of subdivision (b). The court may issue, after notice and hearing, an order excluding a person from a residence or dwelling if the court finds that physical or emotional harm would otherwise result to the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or conservator of the petitioner.
(i)(1)In the discretion of the court, an order issued after notice and a hearing under this section may have a duration of not more than five years, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. These orders may be renewed upon the request of a party, either for five years or permanently, without a showing of any further abuse since the issuance of the original order, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. The request for renewal may be brought at any time within the three months before the expiration of the order.
(2)The failure to state the expiration date on the face of the form creates an order with a duration of three years from the date of issuance.
(3)If an action is filed for the purpose of terminating or modifying a protective order prior to the expiration date specified in the order by a party other than the protected party, the party who is protected by the order shall be given notice, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 1005 of the Code of Civil Procedure, of the proceeding by personal service or, if the protected party has satisfied the requirements of Chapter 3.1 (commencing with Section 6205) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, by service on the Secretary of State. If the party who is protected by the order cannot be notified prior to the hearing for modification or termination of the protective order, the court shall deny the motion to modify or terminate the order without prejudice or continue the hearing until the party who is protected can be properly noticed and may, upon a showing of good cause, specify another method for service of process that is reasonably designed to afford actual notice to the protected party. The protected party may waive his or her right to notice if he or she is physically present in court and does not challenge the sufficiency of the notice.
(j)In a proceeding under this section, a support person may accompany a party in court and, if the party is not represented by an attorney, may sit with the party at the table that is generally reserved for the party and the partys attorney. The support person is present to provide moral and emotional support for a person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse. The support person is not present as a legal adviser and may not provide legal advice. The support person may assist the person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse in feeling more confident that he or she will not be injured or threatened by the other party during the proceedings if the person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse and the other party are required to be present in close proximity. This subdivision does not preclude the court from exercising its discretion to remove the support person from the courtroom if the court believes the support person is prompting, swaying, or influencing the party assisted by the support person.
(k)Upon the filing of a petition for protective orders under this section, the respondent shall be personally served with a copy of the petition, notice of the hearing or order to show cause, temporary restraining order, if any, and any declarations in support of the petition. Service shall be made at least five days before the hearing. The court may, on motion of the petitioner or on its own motion, shorten the time for service on the respondent.
(l)A notice of hearing under this section shall notify the respondent that if he or she does not attend the hearing, the court may make orders against him or her that could last up to five years.
(m)The respondent shall be entitled, as a matter of course, to one continuance, for a reasonable period, to respond to the petition.
(n)(1)Either party may request a continuance of the hearing, which the court shall grant on a showing of good cause. The request may be made in writing before or at the hearing or orally at the hearing. The court may also grant a continuance on its own motion.
(2)If the court grants a continuance, any temporary restraining order that has been granted shall remain in effect until the end of the continued hearing, unless otherwise ordered by the court. In granting a continuance, the court may modify or terminate a temporary restraining order.
(o)(1)If a respondent, named in an order issued under this section after a hearing, has not been served personally with the order but has received actual notice of the existence and substance of the order through personal appearance in court to hear the terms of the order from the court, no additional proof of service is required for enforcement of the order.
(2)If the respondent named in a temporary restraining order is personally served with the order and notice of hearing with respect to a restraining order or protective order based on the temporary restraining order, but the respondent does not appear at the hearing, either personally or by an attorney, and the terms and conditions of the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing are identical to the temporary restraining order, except for the duration of the order, then the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing may be served on the respondent by first-class mail sent to the respondent at the most current address for the respondent that is available to the court.
(3)The Judicial Council form for temporary orders issued pursuant to this subdivision shall contain a statement in substantially the following form:
If you have been personally served with a temporary restraining order and notice of hearing, but you do not appear at the hearing either in person or by a lawyer, and a restraining order that is the same as this temporary restraining order except for the expiration date is issued at the hearing, a copy of the order will be served on you by mail at the following address: ____.
If that address is not correct or you wish to verify that the temporary restraining order was converted to a restraining order at the hearing without substantive change and to find out the duration of that order, contact the clerk of the court.
(p)(1)Information on a protective order relating to elder or dependent adult abuse issued by a court pursuant to this section shall be transmitted to the Department of Justice in accordance with either paragraph (2) or (3).
(2)The court shall order the petitioner or the attorney for the petitioner to deliver a copy of an order issued under this section, or a reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by the close of the business day on which the order, reissuance, extension, modification, or termination was made, to each law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the residence of the petitioner, and to any additional law enforcement agencies within the courts discretion as are requested by the petitioner.
(3)Alternatively, the court or its designee shall transmit, within one business day, to law enforcement personnel all information required under subdivision (b) of Section 6380 of the Family Code regarding any order issued under this section, or a reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by either one of the following methods:
(A)Transmitting a physical copy of the order or proof of service to a local law enforcement agency authorized by the Department of Justice to enter orders into the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS).
(B)With the approval of the Department of Justice, entering the order or proof of service into CLETS directly.
(4)Each appropriate law enforcement agency shall make available information as to the existence and current status of these orders to law enforcement officers responding to the scene of reported abuse.
(5)An order issued under this section shall, on request of the petitioner, be served on the respondent, whether or not the respondent has been taken into custody, by any law enforcement officer who is present at the scene of reported abuse involving the parties to the proceeding. The petitioner shall provide the officer with an endorsed copy of the order and a proof of service, which the officer shall complete and send to the issuing court.
(6)Upon receiving information at the scene of an incident of abuse that a protective order has been issued under this section, or that a person who has been taken into custody is the respondent to that order, if the protected person cannot produce an endorsed copy of the order, a law enforcement officer shall immediately attempt to verify the existence of the order.
(7)If the law enforcement officer determines that a protective order has been issued but not served, the officer shall immediately notify the respondent of the terms of the order and where a written copy of the order can be obtained, and the officer shall at that time also enforce the order. The law enforcement officers verbal notice of the terms of the order shall constitute service of the order and is sufficient notice for the purposes of this section and for the purposes of Section 273.6 of the Penal Code.
(q)Nothing in this section shall preclude either party from representation by private counsel or from appearing on the partys own behalf.
(r)There is no filing fee for a petition, response, or paper seeking the reissuance, modification, or enforcement of a protective order filed in a proceeding brought pursuant to this section.
(s)Pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (b) of Section 6103.2 of the Government Code, a petitioner shall not be required to pay a fee for law enforcement to serve an order issued under this section.
(t)The prevailing party in an action brought under this section may be awarded court costs and attorneys fees, if any.
(u)(1)A person subject to a protective order under this section shall not own, possess, purchase, receive, or attempt to receive a firearm or ammunition while the protective order is in effect.
(2)The court shall order a person subject to a protective order issued under this section to relinquish any firearms he or she owns or possesses pursuant to Section 527.9 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
(3)Every person who owns, possesses, purchases, or receives, or attempts to purchase or receive a firearm or ammunition while subject to a protective order issued under this section is punishable pursuant to Section 29825 of the Penal Code.
(4)This subdivision does not apply in a case in which a protective order issued under this section was made solely on the basis of financial abuse unaccompanied by force, threat, harassment, intimidation, or any other form of abuse.
(v)Any willful disobedience of any temporary restraining order or restraining order after hearing granted under this section is punishable pursuant to Section 273.6 of the Penal Code.
(w)This section does not apply to any action or proceeding governed by Title 1.6C (commencing with Section 1788) of Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code, Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 525) of Title 7 of Part 2 of the Code of Civil Procedure, or Division 10 (commencing with Section 6200) of the Family Code. Nothing in this section shall preclude a petitioners right to use other existing civil remedies.
(x)The Judicial Council shall develop forms, instructions, and rules relating to matters governed by this section. The petition and response forms shall be simple and concise, and their use by parties in actions brought pursuant to this section shall be mandatory.
(y)This section shall become inoperative on July 1, 2016, and, as of January 1, 2017, is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that becomes operative on or before January 1, 2017, deletes or extends the dates on which it becomes inoperative and is repealed.
SEC. 3.5.Section 15657.03 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:15657.03.(a)(1) An elder or dependent adult who has suffered abuse, as defined in Section 15610.07, may seek protective orders as provided in this section.
(2)A petition may be brought on behalf of an abused elder or dependent adult by a conservator or a trustee of the elder or dependent adult, an attorney-in-fact of an elder or dependent adult who acts within the authority of a power of attorney, a person appointed as a guardian ad litem for the elder or dependent adult, or other person legally authorized to seek the relief.
(3)(A) A petition under this section may be brought on behalf of an elder or dependent adult by a county adult protective services agency in either of the following circumstances:
(i)If the elder or dependent adult has suffered abuse as defined in subdivision (b) and has an impaired ability to appreciate and understand the circumstances that place him or her at risk of harm.
(ii)If the elder or dependent adult has provided written authorization to a county adult protective services agency to act on his or her behalf.
(B)In the case of a petition filed pursuant to clause (i) of subparagraph (A) by a county adult protective services agency, a referral shall be made to the public guardian consistent with Section 2920 of the Probate Code prior to or concurrent with the filing of the petition, unless a petition for appointment of a conservator has already been filed with the probate court by the public guardian or another party.
(C)A county adult protective services agency shall be subject to any confidentiality restrictions that otherwise apply to its activities under law and shall disclose only those facts as necessary to establish reasonable cause for the filing of the petition, including, in the case of a petition filed pursuant to clause (i) of subparagraph (A), to establish the agencys belief that the elder or dependent adult has suffered abuse and has an impaired ability to appreciate and understand the circumstances that place him or her at risk, and as may be requested by the court in determining whether to issue an order under this section.
(b)For purposes of this section:
(1)Abuse has the meaning set forth in Section 15610.07.
(2)Conservator means the legally appointed conservator of the person or estate of the petitioner, or both.
(3)Petitioner means the elder or dependent adult to be protected by the protective orders and, if the court grants the petition, the protected person.
(4)Protective order means an order that includes any of the following restraining orders, whether issued ex parte, after notice and hearing, or in a judgment:
(A)An order enjoining a party from abusing, intimidating, molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, or coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of, the petitioner, and, in the discretion of the court, on a showing of good cause, of other named family or household members or a conservator, if any, of the petitioner. On a showing of good cause, in an order issued pursuant to this subparagraph in connection with an animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by the petitioner, or residing in the residence or household of the petitioner, the court may do either or both of the following:
(i)Grant the petitioner exclusive care, possession, or control of the animal.
(ii)Order the respondent to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal.
(B)An order excluding a party from the petitioners residence or dwelling, except that this order shall not be issued if legal or equitable title to, or lease of, the residence or dwelling is in the sole name of the party to be excluded, or is in the name of the party to be excluded and any other party besides the petitioner.
(C)An order enjoining a party from specified behavior that the court determines is necessary to effectuate orders described in subparagraph (A) or (B).
(5)Respondent means the person against whom the protective orders are sought and, if the petition is granted, the restrained person.
(c)An order may be issued under this section, with or without notice, to restrain any person for the purpose of preventing a recurrence of abuse, if a declaration shows, to the satisfaction of the court, reasonable proof of a past act or acts of abuse of the petitioning elder or dependent adult.
(d)Upon filing a petition for protective orders under this section, the petitioner may obtain a temporary restraining order in accordance with Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure, except to the extent this section provides a rule that is inconsistent. The temporary restraining order may include any of the protective orders described in paragraph (4) of subdivision (b). However, the court may issue an ex parte order excluding a party from the petitioners residence or dwelling only on a showing of all of the following:
(1)Facts sufficient for the court to ascertain that the party who will stay in the dwelling has a right under color of law to possession of the premises.
(2)That the party to be excluded has assaulted or threatens to assault the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or a conservator of the petitioner.
(3)That physical or emotional harm would otherwise result to the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or a conservator of the petitioner.
(e)A request for the issuance of a temporary restraining order without notice under this section shall be granted or denied on the same day that the petition is submitted to the court, unless the petition is filed too late in the day to permit effective review, in which case the order shall be granted or denied on the next day of judicial business in sufficient time for the order to be filed that day with the clerk of the court.
(f)Within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days, from the date that a request for a temporary restraining order is granted or denied, a hearing shall be held on the petition. If no request for temporary orders is made, the hearing shall be held within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days, from the date that the petition is filed.
(g)The respondent may file a response that explains or denies the alleged abuse.
(h)The court may issue, upon notice and a hearing, any of the orders set forth in paragraph (4) of subdivision (b). The court may issue, after notice and hearing, an order excluding a person from a residence or dwelling if the court finds that physical or emotional harm would otherwise result to the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or conservator of the petitioner.
(i)(1) In the discretion of the court, an order issued after notice and a hearing under this section may have a duration of not more than five years, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. These orders may be renewed upon the request of a party, either for five years or permanently, without a showing of any further abuse since the issuance of the original order, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. The request for renewal may be brought at any time within the three months before the expiration of the order.
(2)The failure to state the expiration date on the face of the form creates an order with a duration of three years from the date of issuance.
(3)If an action is filed for the purpose of terminating or modifying a protective order prior to the expiration date specified in the order by a party other than the protected party, the party who is protected by the order shall be given notice, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 1005 of the Code of Civil Procedure, of the proceeding by personal service or, if the protected party has satisfied the requirements of Chapter 3.1 (commencing with Section 6205) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, by service on the Secretary of State. If the party who is protected by the order cannot be notified prior to the hearing for modification or termination of the protective order, the court shall deny the motion to modify or terminate the order without prejudice or continue the hearing until the party who is protected can be properly noticed and may, upon a showing of good cause, specify another method for service of process that is reasonably designed to afford actual notice to the protected party. The protected party may waive his or her right to notice if he or she is physically present in court and does not challenge the sufficiency of the notice.
(j)In a proceeding under this section, a support person may accompany a party in court and, if the party is not represented by an attorney, may sit with the party at the table that is generally reserved for the party and the partys attorney. The support person is present to provide moral and emotional support for a person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse. The support person is not present as a legal adviser and may not provide legal advice. The support person may assist the person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse in feeling more confident that he or she will not be injured or threatened by the other party during the proceedings if the person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse and the other party are required to be present in close proximity. This subdivision does not preclude the court from exercising its discretion to remove the support person from the courtroom if the court believes the support person is prompting, swaying, or influencing the party assisted by the support person.
(k)Upon the filing of a petition for protective orders under this section, the respondent shall be personally served with a copy of the petition, notice of the hearing or order to show cause, temporary restraining order, if any, and any declarations in support of the petition. Service shall be made at least five days before the hearing. The court may, on motion of the petitioner or on its own motion, shorten the time for service on the respondent.
(l)A notice of hearing under this section shall notify the respondent that if he or she does not attend the hearing, the court may make orders against him or her that could last up to five years.
(m)The respondent shall be entitled, as a matter of course, to one continuance, for a reasonable period, to respond to the petition.
(n)(1) Either party may request a continuance of the hearing, which the court shall grant on a showing of good cause. The request may be made in writing before or at the hearing or orally at the hearing. The court may also grant a continuance on its own motion.
(2)If the court grants a continuance, any temporary restraining order that has been granted shall remain in effect until the end of the continued hearing, unless otherwise ordered by the court. In granting a continuance, the court may modify or terminate a temporary restraining order.
(o)(1) If a respondent, named in an order issued under this section after a hearing, has not been served personally with the order but has received actual notice of the existence and substance of the order through personal appearance in court to hear the terms of the order from the court, no additional proof of service is required for enforcement of the order.
(2)If the respondent named in a temporary restraining order is personally served with the order and notice of hearing with respect to a restraining order or protective order based on the temporary restraining order, but the respondent does not appear at the hearing, either personally or by an attorney, and the terms and conditions of the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing are identical to the temporary restraining order, except for the duration of the order, then the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing may be served on the respondent by first-class mail sent to the respondent at the most current address for the respondent that is available to the court.
(3)The Judicial Council form for temporary orders issued pursuant to this subdivision shall contain a statement in substantially the following form:
If you have been personally served with a temporary restraining order and notice of hearing, but you do not appear at the hearing either in person or by a lawyer, and a restraining order that is the same as this temporary restraining order except for the expiration date is issued at the hearing, a copy of the order will be served on you by mail at the following address:
If that address is not correct or you wish to verify that the temporary restraining order was converted to a restraining order at the hearing without substantive change and to find out the duration of that order, contact the clerk of the court.
(p)(1) Information on a protective order relating to elder or dependent adult abuse issued by a court pursuant to this section shall be transmitted to the Department of Justice in accordance with either paragraph (2) or (3).
(2)The court shall order the petitioner or the attorney for the petitioner to deliver a copy of an order issued under this section, or a reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by the close of the business day on which the order, reissuance, extension, modification, or termination was made, to each law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the residence of the petitioner, and to any additional law enforcement agencies within the courts discretion as are requested by the petitioner.
(3)Alternatively, the court or its designee shall transmit, within one business day, to law enforcement personnel all information required under subdivision (b) of Section 6380 of the Family Code regarding any order issued under this section, or a reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by either one of the following methods:
(A)Transmitting a physical copy of the order or proof of service to a local law enforcement agency authorized by the Department of Justice to enter orders into the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS).
(B)With the approval of the Department of Justice, entering the order or proof of service into CLETS directly.
(4)Each appropriate law enforcement agency shall make available information as to the existence and current status of these orders to law enforcement officers responding to the scene of reported abuse.
(5)An order issued under this section shall, on request of the petitioner, be served on the respondent, whether or not the respondent has been taken into custody, by any law enforcement officer who is present at the scene of reported abuse involving the parties to the proceeding. The petitioner shall provide the officer with an endorsed copy of the order and a proof of service, which the officer shall complete and send to the issuing court.
(6)Upon receiving information at the scene of an incident of abuse that a protective order has been issued under this section, or that a person who has been taken into custody is the respondent to that order, if the protected person cannot produce an endorsed copy of the order, a law enforcement officer shall immediately attempt to verify the existence of the order.
(7)If the law enforcement officer determines that a protective order has been issued but not served, the officer shall immediately notify the respondent of the terms of the order and where a written copy of the order can be obtained, and the officer shall at that time also enforce the order. The law enforcement officers verbal notice of the terms of the order shall constitute service of the order and is sufficient notice for the purposes of this section and for the purposes of Section 273.6 of the Penal Code.
(q)Nothing in this section shall preclude either party from representation by private counsel or from appearing on the partys own behalf.
(r)There is no filing fee for a petition, response, or paper seeking the reissuance, modification, or enforcement of a protective order filed in a proceeding brought pursuant to this section.
(s)Pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (b) of Section 6103.2 of the Government Code, a petitioner shall not be required to pay a fee for law enforcement to serve an order issued under this section.
(t)The prevailing party in an action brought under this section may be awarded court costs and attorneys fees, if any.
(u)(1) A person subject to a protective order under this section shall not own, possess, purchase, receive, or attempt to receive a firearm or ammunition while the protective order is in effect.
(2)The court shall order a person subject to a protective order issued under this section to relinquish any firearms he or she owns or possesses pursuant to Section 527.9 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
(3)Every person who owns, possesses, purchases, or receives, or attempts to purchase or receive a firearm or ammunition while subject to a protective order issued under this section is punishable pursuant to Section 29825 of the Penal Code.
(4)This subdivision does not apply in a case in which a protective order issued under this section was made solely on the basis of financial abuse unaccompanied by force, threat, harassment, intimidation, or any other form of abuse.
(v)In a proceeding brought under paragraph (3) of subdivision (a), all of the following apply:
(1)Upon the filing of a petition for a protective order, the elder or dependent adult on whose behalf the petition has been filed shall receive a copy of the petition, a notice of the hearing, and any declarations submitted in support of the petition. The elder or dependent adult shall receive this information at least five days before the hearing. The court may, on motion of the petitioner or on its own motion, shorten the time for provision of this information to the elder or dependent adult.
(2)The adult protective services agency shall make reasonable efforts to assist the elder or dependent adult to attend the hearing and provide testimony to the court, if he or she wishes to do so. If the elder or dependent adult does not attend the hearing, the agency shall provide information to the court at the hearing regarding the reasons why the elder or dependent adult is not in attendance.
(3)Upon the filing of a petition for a protective order and upon issuance of an order granting the petition, the county adult protective services agency shall take all reasonable steps to provide for the safety of the elder or dependent adult, pursuant to Chapter 13 (commencing with Section 15750), which may include, but are not limited to, facilitating the location of alternative accommodations for the elder or dependent adult, if needed.
(w)Any willful disobedience of any temporary restraining order or restraining order after hearing granted under this section is punishable pursuant to Section 273.6 of the Penal Code.
(x)This section does not apply to any action or proceeding governed by Title 1.6C (commencing with Section 1788) of Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code, Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 525) of Title 7 of Part 2 of the Code of Civil Procedure, or Division 10 (commencing with Section 6200) of the Family Code. Nothing in this section shall preclude a petitioners right to use other existing civil remedies.
(y)The Judicial Council shall develop forms, instructions, and rules relating to matters governed by this section. The petition and response forms shall be simple and concise, and shall be used by parties in actions brought pursuant to this section.
(z)This section shall become operative on July 1, 2016.
SEC. 4.(a)Section 1.5 of this bill incorporates amendments to Section 527.6 of the Code of Civil Procedure proposed by both this bill and Assembly Bill 1081. It shall only become operative if (1) both bills are enacted and become effective on or before January 1, 2016, (2) each bill amends Section 527.6 of the Code of Civil Procedure, and (3) this bill is enacted after Assembly Bill 1081, in which case Section 1 of this bill shall not become operative.
(b)Section 2.5 of this bill incorporates amendments to Section 213.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code proposed by both this bill and Assembly Bill 1081. It shall only become operative if (1) both bills are enacted and become effective on or before January 1, 2016, (2) each bill amends Section 213.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, and (3) this bill is enacted after Assembly Bill 1081, in which case Section 2 of this bill shall not become operative.
(c)Section 3.1 of this bill incorporates amendments to Section 15657.03 of the Welfare and Institutions Code proposed by both this bill and Assembly Bill 1081. It shall only become operative if (1) both bills are enacted and become effective on or before January 1, 2016, (2) each bill amends Section 15657.03 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, and (3) Senate Bill 196 is not enacted or as enacted does not amend that section, and (4) this bill is enacted after Assembly Bill 1081, in which case Sections 3, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, and 3.5 of this bill shall not become operative.
(d)Sections 3.2 and 3.3 of this bill incorporate amendments to Section 15657.03 of the Welfare and Institutions Code proposed by both this bill and Senate Bill 196. They shall only become operative if (1) both bills are enacted and become effective on or before January 1, 2016, (2) each bill amends Section 15657.03 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, and (3) Assembly Bill 1081 is not enacted or as enacted does not amend that section, and (4) this bill is enacted after Senate Bill 196, in which case Sections 3, 3.1, 3.4, and 3.5 of this bill shall not become operative.
(e)Sections 3.4 and 3.5 of this bill incorporate amendments to Section 15657.03 of the Welfare and Institutions Code proposed by this bill, Assembly Bill 1081, and Senate Bill 196. They shall only become operative if (1) all three bills are enacted and become effective on or before January 1, 2016, (2) all three bills amend Section 15657.03 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, and (3) this bill is enacted after Assembly Bill 1081 and Senate Bill 196, in which case Sections 3, 3.1, 3.2, and 3.3 of this bill shall not become operative.
(a)(1)A person who has suffered harassment as defined in subdivision (b) may seek a temporary restraining order and an injunction prohibiting harassment as provided in this section.
(2)A minor, under 12 years of age, accompanied by a duly appointed and acting guardian ad litem, shall be permitted to appear in court without counsel for the limited purpose of requesting or opposing a request for a temporary restraining order or injunction, or both, under this section as provided in Section 374.
(b)For the purposes of this section:
(1)Course of conduct is a pattern of conduct composed of a series of acts over a period of time, however short, evidencing a continuity of purpose, including following or stalking an individual, making harassing telephone calls to an individual, or sending harassing correspondence to an individual by any means, including, but not limited to, the use of public or private mails, interoffice mail, facsimile, or computer email. Constitutionally protected activity is not included within the meaning of course of conduct.
(2)Credible threat of violence is a knowing and willful statement or course of conduct that would place a reasonable person in fear for his or her safety, or the safety of his or her immediate family, and that serves no legitimate purpose.
(3)Harassment is unlawful violence, a credible threat of violence, or a knowing and willful course of conduct directed at a specific person that seriously alarms, annoys, or harasses the person, and that serves no legitimate purpose. The course of conduct must be such as would cause a reasonable person to suffer substantial emotional distress, and must actually cause substantial emotional distress to the petitioner.
(4)Petitioner means the person to be protected by the temporary restraining order and injunction and, if the court grants the petition, the protected person.
(5)Respondent means the person against whom the temporary restraining order and injunction are sought and, if the petition is granted, the restrained person.
(6)Temporary restraining order and injunction mean orders that include any of the following restraining orders, whether issued ex parte or after notice and hearing:
(A)An order enjoining a party from harassing, intimidating, molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, abusing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls, as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, or coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of, the petitioner. On a showing of good cause, in an order issued pursuant to this subparagraph in connection with an animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by the petitioner, or residing in the residence or household of the petitioner, the court may do either or both of the following:
(i)Grant the petitioner exclusive care, possession, or control of the animal.
(ii)Order the respondent to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal.
(B)An order enjoining a party from specified behavior that the court determines is necessary to effectuate orders described in subparagraph (A).
(7)Unlawful violence is any assault or battery, or stalking as prohibited in Section 646.9 of the Penal Code, but shall not include lawful acts of self-defense or defense of others.
(c)In the discretion of the court, on a showing of good cause, a temporary restraining order or injunction issued under this section may include other named family or household members.
(d)Upon filing a petition for an injunction under this section, the petitioner may obtain a temporary restraining order in accordance with Section 527, except to the extent this section provides a rule that is inconsistent. The temporary restraining order may include any of the restraining orders described in paragraph (6) of subdivision (b). A temporary restraining order may be issued with or without notice, based on a declaration that, to the satisfaction of the court, shows reasonable proof of harassment of the petitioner by the respondent, and that great or irreparable harm would result to the petitioner.
(e)A request for the issuance of a temporary restraining order without notice under this section shall be granted or denied on the same day that the petition is submitted to the court, unless the petition is filed too late in the day to permit effective review, in which case the order shall be granted or denied on the next day of judicial business in sufficient time for the order to be filed that day with the clerk of the court.
(f)A temporary restraining order issued under this section shall remain in effect, at the courts discretion, for a period not to exceed 21 days, or, if the court extends the time for hearing under subdivision (g), not to exceed 25 days, unless otherwise modified or terminated by the court.
(g)Within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days from the date that a petition for a temporary order is granted or denied, a hearing shall be held on the petition for the injunction. If no request for temporary orders is made, the hearing shall be held within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days, from the date that the petition is filed.
(h)The respondent may file a response that explains, excuses, justifies, or denies the alleged harassment or may file a cross-petition under this section.
(i)At the hearing, the judge shall receive any testimony that is relevant, and may make an independent inquiry. If the judge finds by clear and convincing evidence that unlawful harassment exists, an injunction shall issue prohibiting the harassment.
(j)(1)In the discretion of the court, an order issued after notice and hearing under this section may have a duration of not more than five years, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. The order may be renewed, upon the request of a party, for a duration of not more than five additional years, without a showing of any further harassment since the issuance of the original order, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. A request for renewal may be brought at any time within the three months before the expiration of the order.
(2)The failure to state the expiration date on the face of the form creates an order with a duration of three years from the date of issuance.
(3)If an action is filed for the purpose of terminating or modifying a protective order prior to the expiration date specified in the order by a party other than the protected party, the party who is protected by the order shall be given notice, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 1005, of the proceeding by personal service or, if the protected party has satisfied the requirements of Chapter 3.1 (commencing with Section 6205) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, by service on the Secretary of State. If the party who is protected by the order cannot be notified prior to the hearing for modification or termination of the protective order, the court shall deny the motion to modify or terminate the order without prejudice or continue the hearing until the party who is protected can be properly noticed and may, upon a showing of good cause, specify another method for service of process that is reasonably designed to afford actual notice to the protected party. The protected party may waive his or her right to notice if he or she is physically present in court and does not challenge the sufficiency of the notice.
(k)This section does not preclude either party from representation by private counsel or from appearing on the partys own behalf.
(l)In a proceeding under this section if there are allegations of unlawful violence or credible threats of violence, a support person may accompany a party in court and, if the party is not represented by an attorney, may sit with the party at the table that is generally reserved for the party and the partys attorney. The support person is present to provide moral and emotional support for a person who alleges he or she is a victim of violence. The support person is not present as a legal adviser and may not provide legal advice. The support person may assist the person who alleges he or she is a victim of violence in feeling more confident that he or she will not be injured or threatened by the other party during the proceedings if the person who alleges he or she is a victim of violence and the other party are required to be present in close proximity. This subdivision does not preclude the court from exercising its discretion to remove the support person from the courtroom if the court believes the support person is prompting, swaying, or influencing the party assisted by the support person.
(m)Upon the filing of a petition for an injunction under this section, the respondent shall be personally served with a copy of the petition, temporary restraining order, if any, and notice of hearing of the petition. Service shall be made at least five days before the hearing. The court may for good cause, on motion of the petitioner or on its own motion, shorten the time for service on the respondent.
(n)A notice of hearing under this section shall notify the respondent that if he or she does not attend the hearing, the court may make orders against him or her that could last up to three years.
(o)(1)The court may, upon the filing of a declaration by the petitioner that the respondent could not be served within the time required by statute, reissue an order previously issued and dissolved by the court for failure to serve the respondent. The reissued order shall remain in effect until the date set for the hearing.
(2)The reissued order shall state on its face the date of expiration of the order.
(p)(1)If a respondent, named in a restraining order issued after a hearing, has not been served personally with the order but has received actual notice of the existence and substance of the order through personal appearance in court to hear the terms of the order from the court, no additional proof of service is required for enforcement of the order.
(2)If the respondent named in a temporary restraining order is personally served with the order and notice of hearing with respect to a restraining order or protective order based on the temporary restraining order, but the respondent does not appear at the hearing, either personally or by an attorney, and the terms and conditions of the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing are identical to the temporary restraining order, except for the duration of the order, then the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing may be served on the respondent by first-class mail sent to the respondent at the most current address for the respondent available to the court.
(3)The Judicial Council form for temporary orders issued pursuant to this subdivision shall contain a statement in substantially the following form:
If you have been personally served with this temporary restraining order and notice of hearing, but you do not appear at the hearing either in person or by a lawyer, and a restraining order that is the same as this temporary restraining order except for the expiration date is issued at the hearing, a copy of the restraining order will be served on you by mail at the following address: ____.
If that address is not correct or you wish to verify that the temporary restraining order was converted to a restraining order at the hearing without substantive change and to find out the duration of that order, contact the clerk of the court.
(q)(1)Information on any temporary restraining order or injunction relating to civil harassment issued by a court pursuant to this section shall be transmitted to the Department of Justice in accordance with either paragraph (2) or (3).
(2)The court shall order the petitioner or the attorney for the petitioner to deliver a copy of an order issued under this section, or reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by the close of the business day on which the order, reissuance, extension, modification, or termination was made, to a law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the residence of the petitioner and to any additional law enforcement agencies within the courts discretion as are requested by the petitioner.
(3)Alternatively, the court or its designee shall transmit, within one business day, to law enforcement personnel all information required under subdivision (b) of Section 6380 of the Family Code regarding any order issued under this section, or a reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by either one of the following methods:
(A)Transmitting a physical copy of the order or proof of service to a local law enforcement agency authorized by the Department of Justice to enter orders into the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS).
(B)With the approval of the Department of Justice, entering the order or proof of service into CLETS directly.
(4)Each appropriate law enforcement agency shall make available information as to the existence and current status of these orders to law enforcement officers responding to the scene of reported harassment.
(5)An order issued under this section shall, on request of the petitioner, be served on the respondent, whether or not the respondent has been taken into custody, by any law enforcement officer who is present at the scene of reported harassment involving the parties to the proceeding. The petitioner shall provide the officer with an endorsed copy of the order and a proof of service that the officer shall complete and send to the issuing court.
(6)Upon receiving information at the scene of an incident of harassment that a protective order has been issued under this section, or that a person who has been taken into custody is the subject of an order, if the protected person cannot produce a certified copy of the order, a law enforcement officer shall immediately attempt to verify the existence of the order.
(7)If the law enforcement officer determines that a protective order has been issued, but not served, the officer shall immediately notify the respondent of the terms of the order and shall at that time also enforce the order. Verbal notice of the terms of the order shall constitute service of the order and is sufficient notice for the purposes of this section and for the purposes of Section 29825 of the Penal Code.
(r)The prevailing party in any action brought under this section may be awarded court costs and attorneys fees, if any.
(s)Any willful disobedience of any temporary restraining order or injunction granted under this section is punishable pursuant to Section 273.6 of the Penal Code.
(t)(1)A person subject to a protective order issued under this section shall not own, possess, purchase, receive, or attempt to purchase or receive a firearm or ammunition while the protective order is in effect.
(2)The court shall order a person subject to a protective order issued under this section to relinquish any firearms he or she owns or possesses pursuant to Section 527.9.
(3)Every person who owns, possesses, purchases, or receives, or attempts to purchase or receive, a firearm or ammunition while the protective order is in effect is punishable pursuant to Section 29825 of the Penal Code.
(u)This section does not apply to any action or proceeding covered by Title 1.6C (commencing with Section 1788) of Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code or by Division 10 (commencing with Section 6200) of the Family Code. This section does not preclude a petitioner from using other existing civil remedies.
(v)(1)The Judicial Council shall develop forms, instructions, and rules relating to matters governed by this section. The petition and response forms shall be simple and concise, and their use by parties in actions brought pursuant to this section shall be mandatory.
(2)A temporary restraining order or injunction relating to civil harassment issued by a court pursuant to this section shall be issued on forms adopted by the Judicial Council of California and that have been approved by the Department of Justice pursuant to subdivision (i) of Section 6380 of the Family Code. However, the fact that an order issued by a court pursuant to this section was not issued on forms adopted by the Judicial Council and approved by the Department of Justice shall not, in and of itself, make the order unenforceable.
(w)There is no filing fee for a petition that alleges that a person has inflicted or threatened violence against the petitioner, or stalked the petitioner, or acted or spoken in any other manner that has placed the petitioner in reasonable fear of violence, and that seeks a protective or restraining order or injunction restraining stalking or future violence or threats of violence, in any action brought pursuant to this section. A fee shall not be paid for a subpoena filed in connection with a petition alleging these acts. A fee shall not be paid for filing a response to a petition alleging these acts.
(x)(1)Subject to paragraph (4) of subdivision (b) of Section 6103.2 of the Government Code, there shall not be a fee for the service of process by a sheriff or marshal of a protective order, restraining order, or injunction to be issued, if either of the following conditions applies:
(A)The protective order, restraining order, or injunction issued pursuant to this section is based upon stalking, as prohibited by Section 646.9 of the Penal Code.
(B)The protective order, restraining order, or injunction issued pursuant to this section is based upon unlawful violence or a credible threat of violence.
(2)The Judicial Council shall prepare and develop forms for persons who wish to avail themselves of the services described in this subdivision.
(y)This section shall become operative on July 1, 2014.
SEC. 1.5.Section 527.6 of the Code of Civil Procedure is amended to read:527.6.(a)(1)A person who has suffered harassment as defined in subdivision (b) may seek a temporary restraining order and an injunction order after hearing prohibiting harassment as provided in this section.
(2)A minor, under 12 years of age, accompanied by a duly appointed and acting guardian ad litem, shall be permitted to appear in court without counsel for the limited purpose of requesting or opposing a request for a temporary restraining order or injunction, order after hearing or both, under this section as provided in Section 374.
(b)For the purposes of this section:
(1)Course of conduct is a pattern of conduct composed of a series of acts over a period of time, however short, evidencing a continuity of purpose, including following or stalking an individual, making harassing telephone calls to an individual, or sending harassing correspondence to an individual by any means, including, but not limited to, the use of public or private mails, interoffice mail, facsimile, or computer email. Constitutionally protected activity is not included within the meaning of course of conduct.
(2)Credible threat of violence is a knowing and willful statement or course of conduct that would place a reasonable person in fear for his or her safety, or the safety of his or her immediate family, and that serves no legitimate purpose.
(3)Harassment is unlawful violence, a credible threat of violence, or a knowing and willful course of conduct directed at a specific person that seriously alarms, annoys, or harasses the person, and that serves no legitimate purpose. The course of conduct must be such as would cause a reasonable person to suffer substantial emotional distress, and must actually cause substantial emotional distress to the petitioner.
(4)Petitioner means the person to be protected by the temporary restraining order and injunction order after hearing and, if the court grants the petition, the protected person.
(5)Respondent means the person against whom the temporary restraining order and injunction order after hearing are sought and, if the petition is granted, the restrained person.
(6)Temporary restraining order and injunction order after hearing mean orders that include any of the following restraining orders, whether issued ex parte or after notice and hearing:
(A)An order enjoining a party from harassing, intimidating, molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, abusing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls, as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, or coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of, the petitioner. On a showing of good cause, in an order issued pursuant to this subparagraph in connection with an animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by the petitioner, or residing in the residence or household of the petitioner, the court may do either or both of the following:
(i)Grant the petitioner exclusive care, possession, or control of the animal.
(ii)Order the respondent to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal.
(B)An order enjoining a party from specified behavior that the court determines is necessary to effectuate orders described in subparagraph (A).
(7)Unlawful violence is any assault or battery, or stalking as prohibited in Section 646.9 of the Penal Code, but shall not include lawful acts of self-defense or defense of others.
(c)In the discretion of the court, on a showing of good cause, a temporary restraining order or injunction order after hearing issued under this section may include other named family or household members.
(d)Upon filing a petition for an injunction orders under this section, the petitioner may obtain a temporary restraining order in accordance with Section 527, except to the extent this section provides a rule that is inconsistent. The temporary restraining order may include any of the restraining orders described in paragraph (6) of subdivision (b). A temporary restraining order may be issued with or without notice, based on a declaration that, to the satisfaction of the court, shows reasonable proof of harassment of the petitioner by the respondent, and that great or irreparable harm would result to the petitioner.
(e)A request for the issuance of a temporary restraining order without notice under this section shall be granted or denied on the same day that the petition is submitted to the court, unless the petition is filed too late in the day to permit effective review, in which case the order shall be granted or denied on the next day of judicial business in sufficient time for the order to be filed that day with the clerk of the court.
(f)A temporary restraining order issued under this section shall remain in effect, at the courts discretion, for a period not to exceed 21 days, or, if the court extends the time for hearing under subdivision (g), not to exceed 25 days, unless otherwise modified or terminated by the court.
(g)Within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days from the date that a petition for a temporary order is granted or denied, a hearing shall be held on the petition for the injunction. If petition. If no request for temporary orders is made, the hearing shall be held within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days, from the date that the petition is filed.
(h)The respondent may file a response that explains, excuses, justifies, or denies the alleged harassment or may file a cross-petition under this section.
(i)At the hearing, the judge shall receive any testimony that is relevant, and may make an independent inquiry. If the judge finds by clear and convincing evidence that unlawful harassment exists, an injunction order shall issue prohibiting the harassment.
(j)(1)In the discretion of the court, an order issued after notice and hearing under this section may have a duration of not more than five years, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. The order may be renewed, upon the request of a party, for a duration of not more than five additional years, without a showing of any further harassment since the issuance of the original order, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. A request for renewal may be brought at any time within the three months before the expiration of the order.
(2)The failure to state the expiration date on the face of the form creates an order with a duration of three years from the date of issuance.
(3)If an action is filed for the purpose of terminating or modifying a protective order prior to the expiration date specified in the order by a party other than the protected party, the party who is protected by the order shall be given notice, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 1005, of the proceeding by personal service or, if the protected party has satisfied the requirements of Chapter 3.1 (commencing with Section 6205) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, by service on the Secretary of State. If the party who is protected by the order cannot be notified prior to the hearing for modification or termination of the protective order, the court shall deny the motion to modify or terminate the order without prejudice or continue the hearing until the party who is protected can be properly noticed and may, upon a showing of good cause, specify another method for service of process that is reasonably designed to afford actual notice to the protected party. The protected party may waive his or her right to notice if he or she is physically present in court and does not challenge the sufficiency of the notice.
(k)This section does not preclude either party from representation by private counsel or from appearing on the partys own behalf.
(l)In a proceeding under this section section, if there are allegations of unlawful violence or credible threats of violence, a support person may accompany a party in court and, if the party is not represented by an attorney, may sit with the party at the table that is generally reserved for the party and the partys attorney. The support person is present to provide moral and emotional support for a person who alleges he or she is a victim of violence. The support person is not present as a legal adviser and may not provide legal advice. The support person may assist the person who alleges he or she is a victim of violence in feeling more confident that he or she will not be injured or threatened by the other party during the proceedings if the person who alleges he or she is a victim of violence and the other party are required to be present in close proximity. This subdivision does not preclude the court from exercising its discretion to remove the support person from the courtroom if the court believes the support person is prompting, swaying, or influencing the party assisted by the support person.
(m)Upon the filing of a petition for an injunction under this section, the respondent shall be personally served with a copy of the petition, temporary restraining order, if any, and notice of hearing of the petition. Service shall be made at least five days before the hearing. The court may for good cause, on motion of the petitioner or on its own motion, shorten the time for service on the respondent.
(n)A notice of hearing under this section shall notify the respondent that if he or she does not attend the hearing, the court may make orders against him or her that could last up to three five years.
(o)(1)The court may, upon the filing of a declaration by the petitioner that the respondent could not be served within the time required by statute, reissue an order previously issued and dissolved by the court for failure to serve the respondent. The reissued order shall remain in effect until the date set for the hearing.
(2)The reissued order shall state on its face the date of expiration of the order.
(o)The respondent shall be entitled, as a matter of course, to one continuance, for a reasonable period, to respond to the petition.
(p)(1)Either party may request a continuance of the hearing, which the court shall grant on a showing of good cause. The request may be made in writing before or at the hearing or orally at the hearing. The court may also grant a continuance on its own motion.
(2)If the court grants a continuance, any temporary restraining order that has been granted shall remain in effect until the end of the continued hearing, unless otherwise ordered by the court. In granting a continuance, the court may modify or terminate a temporary restraining order.
(p)
(q)(1)If a respondent, named in a restraining order issued after a hearing, has not been served personally with the order but has received actual notice of the existence and substance of the order through personal appearance in court to hear the terms of the order from the court, no additional proof of service is required for enforcement of the order.
(2)If the respondent named in a temporary restraining order is personally served with the order and notice of hearing with respect to a restraining order or protective order based on the temporary restraining order, but the respondent does not appear at the hearing, either personally or by an attorney, and the terms and conditions of the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing are identical to the temporary restraining order, except for the duration of the order, then the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing may be served on the respondent by first-class mail sent to the respondent at the most current address for the respondent available to the court.
(3)The Judicial Council form for temporary orders issued pursuant to this subdivision shall contain a statement in substantially the following form:
If you have been personally served with this temporary restraining order and notice of hearing, but you do not appear at the hearing either in person or by a lawyer, and a restraining order that is the same as this temporary restraining order except for the expiration date is issued at the hearing, a copy of the restraining order will be served on you by mail at the following address: ____.
If that address is not correct or you wish to verify that the temporary restraining order was converted to a restraining order at the hearing without substantive change and to find out the duration of that order, contact the clerk of the court.
(q)
(r)(1)Information on any a temporary restraining order or injunction order after hearing relating to civil harassment issued by a court pursuant to this section shall be transmitted to the Department of Justice in accordance with either paragraph (2) or (3).
(2)The court shall order the petitioner or the attorney for the petitioner to deliver a copy of an order issued under this section, or reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by the close of the business day on which the order, reissuance, extension, modification, or termination was made, to a law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the residence of the petitioner and to any additional law enforcement agencies within the courts discretion as are requested by the petitioner.
(3)Alternatively, the court or its designee shall transmit, within one business day, to law enforcement personnel all information required under subdivision (b) of Section 6380 of the Family Code regarding any order issued under this section, or a reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by either one of the following methods:
(A)Transmitting a physical copy of the order or proof of service to a local law enforcement agency authorized by the Department of Justice to enter orders into the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS).
(B)With the approval of the Department of Justice, entering the order or proof of service into CLETS directly.
(4)Each appropriate law enforcement agency shall make available information as to the existence and current status of these orders to law enforcement officers responding to the scene of reported harassment.
(5)An order issued under this section shall, on request of the petitioner, be served on the respondent, whether or not the respondent has been taken into custody, by any law enforcement officer who is present at the scene of reported harassment involving the parties to the proceeding. The petitioner shall provide the officer with an endorsed copy of the order and a proof of service that the officer shall complete and send to the issuing court.
(6)Upon receiving information at the scene of an incident of harassment that a protective order has been issued under this section, or that a person who has been taken into custody is the subject of an order, if the protected person cannot produce a certified copy of the order, a law enforcement officer shall immediately attempt to verify the existence of the order.
(7)If the law enforcement officer determines that a protective order has been issued, issued but not served, the officer shall immediately notify the respondent of the terms of the order and shall at that time also enforce the order. Verbal notice of the terms of the order shall constitute service of the order and is sufficient notice for the purposes of this section and for the purposes of Section 29825 of the Penal Code.
(r)
(s)The prevailing party in any action brought under this section may be awarded court costs and attorneys fees, if any.
(s)
(t)Any willful disobedience of any temporary restraining order or injunction order after hearing granted under this section is punishable pursuant to Section 273.6 of the Penal Code.
(t)
(u)(1)A person subject to a protective order issued under this section shall not own, possess, purchase, receive, or attempt to purchase or receive a firearm or ammunition while the protective order is in effect.
(2)The court shall order a person subject to a protective order issued under this section to relinquish any firearms he or she owns or possesses pursuant to Section 527.9.
(3)Every person who owns, possesses, purchases, or receives, or attempts to purchase or receive, a firearm or ammunition while the protective order is in effect is punishable pursuant to Section 29825 of the Penal Code.
(u)
(v)This section does not apply to any action or proceeding covered by Title 1.6C (commencing with Section 1788) of Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code or by Division 10 (commencing with Section 6200) of the Family Code. This section does not preclude a petitioner from using other existing civil remedies.
(v)
(w)(1)The Judicial Council shall develop forms, instructions, and rules relating to matters governed by this section. The petition and response forms shall be simple and concise, and their use by parties in actions brought pursuant to this section shall be mandatory.
(2)A temporary restraining order or injunction order after hearing relating to civil harassment issued by a court pursuant to this section shall be issued on forms adopted by the Judicial Council of California and that have been approved by the Department of Justice pursuant to subdivision (i) of Section 6380 of the Family Code. However, the fact that an order issued by a court pursuant to this section was not issued on forms adopted by the Judicial Council and approved by the Department of Justice shall not, in and of itself, make the order unenforceable.
(w)
(x)There is no filing fee for a petition that alleges that a person has inflicted or threatened violence against the petitioner, or stalked the petitioner, or acted or spoken in any other manner that has placed the petitioner in reasonable fear of violence, and that seeks a protective or restraining order or injunction restraining stalking or future violence or threats of violence, in any action brought pursuant to this section. No A fee shall not be paid for a subpoena filed in connection with a petition alleging these acts. No A fee shall not be paid for filing a response to a petition alleging these acts.
(x)
(y)(1)Subject to paragraph (4) of subdivision (b) of Section 6103.2 of the Government Code, there shall not be no a fee for the service of process by a sheriff or marshal of a protective order, restraining order, or injunction or restraining order to be issued, if either of the following conditions applies:
(A)The protective order, restraining order, or injunction or restraining order issued pursuant to this section is based upon stalking, as prohibited by Section 646.9 of the Penal Code.
(B)The protective order, restraining order, or injunction or restraining order issued pursuant to this section is based upon unlawful violence or a credible threat of violence.
(2)The Judicial Council shall prepare and develop forms for persons who wish to avail themselves of the services described in this subdivision.
(y)This section shall become operative on July 1, 2014.
SEC. 2.Section 213.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:213.5.(a)After a petition has been filed pursuant to Section 311 to declare a child a dependent child of the juvenile court, and until the time that the petition is dismissed or dependency is terminated, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure or in the manner provided by Section 6300 of the Family Code, if related to domestic violence, the juvenile court has exclusive jurisdiction to issue ex parte orders (1) enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of the child or any other child in the household; and (2) excluding any person from the dwelling of the person who has care, custody, and control of the child. A court may also issue an ex parte order enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of any parent, legal guardian, or current caretaker of the child, regardless of whether the child resides with that parent, legal guardian, or current caretaker, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure or, if related to domestic violence, in the manner provided by Section 6300 of the Family Code. A court may also issue an ex parte order enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of the childs current or former social worker or court appointed special advocate, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure. On a showing of good cause, in an ex parte order issued pursuant to this subdivision in connection with an animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by a person protected by the restraining order, or residing in the residence or household of a person protected by the restraining order, the court may do either or both of the following:
(1)Grant the applicant exclusive care, possession, or control of the animal.
(2)Order the restrained person to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal.
(b)After a petition has been filed pursuant to Section 601 or 602 to declare a child a ward of the juvenile court, and until the time that the petition is dismissed or wardship is terminated, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure or, if related to domestic violence, in the manner provided by Section 6300 of the Family Code, the juvenile court may issue ex parte orders (1) enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of the child or any other child in the household; (2) excluding any person from the dwelling of the person who has care, custody, and control of the child; or (3) enjoining the child from contacting, threatening, stalking, or disturbing the peace of any person the court finds to be at risk from the conduct of the child, or with whom association would be detrimental to the child. A court may also issue an ex parte order enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of any parent, legal guardian, or current caretaker of the child, regardless of whether the child resides with that parent, legal guardian, or current caretaker, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure or, if related to domestic violence, in the manner provided by Section 6300 of the Family Code. A court may also issue an ex parte order enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of the childs current or former probation officer or court appointed special advocate, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure. On a showing of good cause, in an ex parte order issued pursuant to this subdivision in connection with an animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by a person protected by the restraining order, or residing in the residence or household of a person protected by the restraining order, the court may do either or both of the following:
(1)Grant the applicant exclusive care, possession, or control of the animal.
(2)Order the respondent to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal.
(c)If a temporary restraining order is granted without notice, the matter shall be made returnable on an order requiring cause to be shown why the order should not be granted, on the earliest day that the business of the court will permit, but not later than 21 days or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days from the date the temporary restraining order is granted. The court may, on the motion of the person seeking the restraining order, or on its own motion, shorten the time for service of the order to show cause on the person to be restrained. The court may, upon its own motion or the filing of a declaration by the person seeking the restraining order, find that the person to be restrained could not be served within the time required by law and reissue an order previously issued and dissolved by the court for failure to serve the person to be restrained. The reissued order shall remain in effect until the date set for the hearing. The reissued order shall state on its face the date of expiration of the order. Any hearing pursuant to this section may be held simultaneously with any regularly scheduled hearings held in proceedings to declare a child a dependent child or ward of the juvenile court pursuant to Section 300, 601, or 602, or subsequent hearings regarding the dependent child or ward.
(d)(1)The juvenile court may issue, upon notice and a hearing, any of the orders set forth in subdivisions (a), (b), and (c). Any restraining order granted pursuant to this subdivision shall remain in effect, in the discretion of the court, no more than three years, unless otherwise terminated by the court, extended by mutual consent of all parties to the restraining order, or extended by further order of the court on the motion of any party to the restraining order.
(2)If an action is filed for the purpose of terminating or modifying a protective order prior to the expiration date specified in the order by a party other than the protected party, the party who is protected by the order shall be given notice, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 1005 of the Code of Civil Procedure, of the proceeding by personal service or, if the protected party has satisfied the requirements of Chapter 3.1 (commencing with Section 6205) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, by service on the Secretary of State. If the party who is protected by the order cannot be notified prior to the hearing for modification or termination of the protective order, the juvenile court shall deny the motion to modify or terminate the order without prejudice or continue the hearing until the party who is protected can be properly noticed and may, upon a showing of good cause, specify another method for service of process that is reasonably designed to afford actual notice to the protected party. The protected party may waive his or her right to notice if he or she is physically present and does not challenge the sufficiency of the notice.
(e)(1)The juvenile court may issue an order made pursuant to subdivision (a), (b), or (d) excluding a person from a residence or dwelling. This order may be issued for the time and on the conditions that the court determines, regardless of which party holds legal or equitable title or is the lessee of the residence or dwelling.
(2)The court may issue an order under paragraph (1) only on a showing of all of the following:
(A)Facts sufficient for the court to ascertain that the party who will stay in the dwelling has a right under color of law to possession of the premises.
(B)That the party to be excluded has assaulted or threatens to assault the other party or any other person under the care, custody, and control of the other party, or any minor child of the parties or of the other party.
(C)That physical or emotional harm would otherwise result to the other party, to any person under the care, custody, and control of the other party, or to any minor child of the parties or of the other party.
(f)Any order issued pursuant to subdivision (a), (b), (c), or (d) shall state on its face the date of expiration of the order.
(g)All data with respect to a juvenile court protective order, or extension, modification, or termination thereof, granted pursuant to subdivision (a), (b), (c), or (d), shall be transmitted by the court or its designee, within one business day, to law enforcement personnel by either one of the following methods:
(1)Transmitting a physical copy of the order to a local law enforcement agency authorized by the Department of Justice to enter orders into the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS).
(2)With the approval of the Department of Justice, entering the order into CLETS directly.
(h)Any willful and knowing violation of any order granted pursuant to subdivision (a), (b), (c), or (d) shall be a misdemeanor punishable under Section 273.65 of the Penal Code.
(i)A juvenile court restraining order related to domestic violence issued by a court pursuant to this section shall be issued on forms adopted by the Judicial Council of California and that have been approved by the Department of Justice pursuant to subdivision (i) of Section 6380 of the Family Code. However, the fact that an order issued by a court pursuant to this section was not issued on forms adopted by the Judicial Council and approved by the Department of Justice shall not, in and of itself, make the order unenforceable.
(j)(1)Prior to a hearing on the issuance or denial of an order under this part, a search shall be conducted as described in subdivision (a) of Section 6306 of the Family Code.
(2)Prior to deciding whether to issue an order under this part, the court shall consider the following information obtained pursuant to a search conducted under paragraph (1): any conviction for a violent felony specified in Section 667.5 of the Penal Code or a serious felony specified in Section 1192.7 of the Penal Code; any misdemeanor conviction involving domestic violence, weapons, or other violence; any outstanding warrant; parole or probation status; any prior restraining order; and any violation of a prior restraining order.
(3)(A)If the results of the search conducted pursuant to paragraph (1) indicate that an outstanding warrant exists against the subject of the search, the court shall order the clerk of the court to immediately notify, by the most effective means available, appropriate law enforcement officials of any information obtained through the search that the court determines is appropriate. The law enforcement officials notified shall take all actions necessary to execute any outstanding warrants or any other actions, as appropriate and as soon as practicable.
(B)If the results of the search conducted pursuant to paragraph (1) indicate that the subject of the search is currently on parole or probation, the court shall order the clerk of the court to immediately notify, by the most effective means available, the appropriate parole or probation officer of any information obtained through the search that the court determines is appropriate. The parole or probation officer notified shall take all actions necessary to revoke any parole or probation, or any other actions, with respect to the subject person, as appropriate and as soon as practicable.
(k)Upon making any order for custody or visitation pursuant to this section, the court shall follow the procedures specified in subdivisions (c) and (d) of Section 6323 of the Family Code.
SEC. 2.5.Section 213.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:213.5.(a)After a petition has been filed pursuant to Section 311 to declare a child a dependent child of the juvenile court, and until the time that the petition is dismissed or dependency is terminated, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure or in the manner provided by Section 6300 of the Family Code, if related to domestic violence, the juvenile court has exclusive jurisdiction to issue ex parte orders (1) enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of the child or any other child in the household; and (2) excluding any person from the dwelling of the person who has care, custody, and control of the child. A court may also issue an ex parte order enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of any parent, legal guardian, or current caretaker of the child, regardless of whether the child resides with that parent, legal guardian, or current caretaker, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure or, if related to domestic violence, in the manner provided by Section 6300 of the Family Code. A court may also issue an ex parte order enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of the childs current or former social worker or court appointed special advocate, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure. On a showing of good cause, in an ex parte order issued pursuant to this subdivision in connection with an animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by a person protected by the restraining order, or residing in the residence or household of a person protected by the restraining order, the court may do either or both of the following:
(1)Grant the applicant exclusive care, possession, or control of the animal.
(2)Order the restrained person to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal.
(b)After a petition has been filed pursuant to Section 601 or 602 to declare a child a ward of the juvenile court, and until the time that the petition is dismissed or wardship is terminated, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure or, if related to domestic violence, in the manner provided by Section 6300 of the Family Code, the juvenile court may issue ex parte orders (1) enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of the child or any other child in the household; (2) excluding any person from the dwelling of the person who has care, custody, and control of the child; or (3) enjoining the child from contacting, threatening, stalking, or disturbing the peace of any person the court finds to be at risk from the conduct of the child, or with whom association would be detrimental to the child. A court may also issue an ex parte order enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of any parent, legal guardian, or current caretaker of the child, regardless of whether the child resides with that parent, legal guardian, or current caretaker, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure or, if related to domestic violence, in the manner provided by Section 6300 of the Family Code. A court may also issue an ex parte order enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of the childs current or former probation officer or court appointed special advocate, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure. On a showing of good cause, in an ex parte order issued pursuant to this subdivision in connection with an animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by a person protected by the restraining order, or residing in the residence or household of a person protected by the restraining order, the court may do either or both of the following:
(1)Grant the applicant exclusive care, possession, or control of the animal.
(2)Order the respondent to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal.
(c)(1)If a temporary restraining order is granted without notice, the matter shall be made returnable on an order requiring cause to be shown why the order should not be granted, on the earliest day that the business of the court will permit, but not later than 21 days or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days from the date the temporary restraining order is granted. The court may, on the motion of the person seeking the restraining order, or on its own motion, shorten the time for the service of the order to show cause on the person to be restrained. The court may, upon its own motion or the filing of a declaration by the person seeking the restraining order, find that the person to be restrained could not be served within the time required by law and reissue an order previously issued and dissolved by the court for failure to serve the person to be restrained. The reissued order shall remain in effect until the date set for the hearing. The reissued order shall state on its face the date of expiration of the order. Any hearing pursuant to this section may be held simultaneously with any regularly scheduled hearings held in proceedings to declare a child a dependent child or ward of the juvenile court pursuant to Section 300, 601, or 602, or subsequent hearings regarding the dependent child or ward.
(2)The respondent shall be entitled, as a matter of course, to one continuance, for a reasonable period, to respond to the petition.
(3)Either party may request a continuance of the hearing, which the court shall grant on a showing of good cause. The request may be made in writing before or at the hearing or orally at the hearing. The court may also grant a continuance on its own motion.
(4)If the court grants a continuance, any temporary restraining order that has been issued shall remain in effect until the end of the continued hearing, unless otherwise ordered by the court. In granting a continuance, the court may modify or terminate a temporary restraining order.
(5)A hearing pursuant to this section may be held simultaneously with any regularly scheduled hearings held in proceedings to declare a child a dependent child or ward of the juvenile court pursuant to Section 300, 601, or 602, or subsequent hearings regarding the dependent child or ward.
(d)(1)The juvenile court may issue, upon notice and a hearing, any of the orders set forth in subdivisions (a), (b), and (c). Any A restraining order granted pursuant to this subdivision shall remain in effect, in the discretion of the court, no more than three years, unless otherwise terminated by the court, extended by mutual consent of all parties to the restraining order, or extended by further order of the court on the motion of any party to the restraining order.
(2)If an action is filed for the purpose of terminating or modifying a protective order prior to the expiration date specified in the order by a party other than the protected party, the party who is protected by the order shall be given notice, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 1005 of the Code of Civil Procedure, of the proceeding by personal service or, if the protected party has satisfied the requirements of Chapter 3.1 (commencing with Section 6205) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, by service on the Secretary of State. If the party who is protected by the order cannot be notified prior to the hearing for modification or termination of the protective order, the juvenile court shall deny the motion to modify or terminate the order without prejudice or continue the hearing until the party who is protected can be properly noticed and may, upon a showing of good cause, specify another method for service of process that is reasonably designed to afford actual notice to the protected party. The protected party may waive his or her right to notice if he or she is physically present and does not challenge the sufficiency of the notice.
(e)(1)The juvenile court may issue an order made pursuant to subdivision (a), (b), or (d) excluding a person from a residence or dwelling. This order may be issued for the time and on the conditions that the court determines, regardless of which party holds legal or equitable title or is the lessee of the residence or dwelling.
(2)The court may issue an order under paragraph (1) only on a showing of all of the following:
(A)Facts sufficient for the court to ascertain that the party who will stay in the dwelling has a right under color of law to possession of the premises.
(B)That the party to be excluded has assaulted or threatens to assault the other party or any other person under the care, custody, and control of the other party, or any minor child of the parties or of the other party.
(C)That physical or emotional harm would otherwise result to the other party, to any person under the care, custody, and control of the other party, or to any minor child of the parties or of the other party.
(f)Any An order issued pursuant to subdivision (a), (b), (c), or (d) shall state on its face the date of expiration of the order.
(g)All data with respect to a juvenile court protective order, or extension, modification, or termination thereof, granted pursuant to subdivision (a), (b), (c), or (d), shall be transmitted by the court or its designee, within one business day, to law enforcement personnel by either one of the following methods:
(1)Transmitting a physical copy of the order to a local law enforcement agency authorized by the Department of Justice to enter orders into the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS).
(2)With the approval of the Department of Justice, entering the order into CLETS directly.
(h)Any willful and knowing violation of any order granted pursuant to subdivision (a), (b), (c), or (d) shall be a misdemeanor punishable under Section 273.65 of the Penal Code.
(i)A juvenile court restraining order related to domestic violence issued by a court pursuant to this section shall be issued on forms adopted by the Judicial Council of California and that have been approved by the Department of Justice pursuant to subdivision (i) of Section 6380 of the Family Code. However, the fact that an order issued by a court pursuant to this section was not issued on forms adopted by the Judicial Council and approved by the Department of Justice shall not, in and of itself, make the order unenforceable.
(j)(1)Prior to a hearing on the issuance or denial of an order under this part, a search shall be conducted as described in subdivision (a) of Section 6306 of the Family Code.
(2)Prior to deciding whether to issue an order under this part, the court shall consider the following information obtained pursuant to a search conducted under paragraph (1): any conviction for a violent felony specified in Section 667.5 of the Penal Code or a serious felony specified in Section 1192.7 of the Penal Code; any misdemeanor conviction involving domestic violence, weapons, or other violence; any outstanding warrant; parole or probation status; any prior restraining order; and any violation of a prior restraining order.
(3)(A)If the results of the search conducted pursuant to paragraph (1) indicate that an outstanding warrant exists against the subject of the search, the court shall order the clerk of the court to immediately notify, by the most effective means available, appropriate law enforcement officials of any information obtained through the search that the court determines is appropriate. The law enforcement officials notified shall take all actions necessary to execute any outstanding warrants or any other actions, as appropriate and as soon as practicable.
(B)If the results of the search conducted pursuant to paragraph (1) indicate that the subject of the search is currently on parole or probation, the court shall order the clerk of the court to immediately notify, by the most effective means available, the appropriate parole or probation officer of any information obtained through the search that the court determines is appropriate. The parole or probation officer notified shall take all actions necessary to revoke any parole or probation, or any other actions, with respect to the subject person, as appropriate and as soon as practicable.
(k)Upon making any order for custody or visitation pursuant to this section, the court shall follow the procedures specified in subdivisions (c) and (d) of Section 6323 of the Family Code.
SEC. 3.Section 15657.03 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:15657.03.(a)(1)An elder or dependent adult who has suffered abuse as defined in Section 15610.07 may seek protective orders as provided in this section.
(2)A petition may be brought on behalf of an abused elder or dependent adult by a conservator or a trustee of the elder or dependent adult, an attorney-in-fact of an elder or dependent adult who acts within the authority of the power of attorney, a person appointed as a guardian ad litem for the elder or dependent adult, or other person legally authorized to seek such relief.
(b)For the purposes of this section:
(1)Conservator means the legally appointed conservator of the person or estate of the petitioner, or both.
(2)Petitioner means the elder or dependent adult to be protected by the protective orders and, if the court grants the petition, the protected person.
(3)Protective order means an order that includes any of the following restraining orders, whether issued ex parte, after notice and hearing, or in a judgment:
(A)An order enjoining a party from abusing, intimidating, molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, or coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of, the petitioner, and, in the discretion of the court, on a showing of good cause, of other named family or household members or a conservator, if any, of the petitioner. On a showing of good cause, in an order issued pursuant to this subparagraph in connection with an animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by the petitioner, or residing in the residence or household of the petitioner, the court may do either or both of the following:
(i)Grant the petitioner exclusive care, possession, or control of the animal.
(ii)Order the respondent to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal.
(B)An order excluding a party from the petitioners residence or dwelling, except that this order shall not be issued if legal or equitable title to, or lease of, the residence or dwelling is in the sole name of the party to be excluded, or is in the name of the party to be excluded and any other party besides the petitioner.
(C)An order enjoining a party from specified behavior that the court determines is necessary to effectuate orders described in subparagraph (A) or (B).
(4)Respondent means the person against whom the protective orders are sought and, if the petition is granted, the restrained person.
(c)An order may be issued under this section, with or without notice, to restrain any person for the purpose of preventing a recurrence of abuse, if a declaration shows, to the satisfaction of the court, reasonable proof of a past act or acts of abuse of the petitioning elder or dependent adult.
(d)Upon filing a petition for protective orders under this section, the petitioner may obtain a temporary restraining order in accordance with Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure, except to the extent this section provides a rule that is inconsistent. The temporary restraining order may include any of the protective orders described in paragraph (3) of subdivision (b). However, the court may issue an ex parte order excluding a party from the petitioners residence or dwelling only on a showing of all of the following:
(1)Facts sufficient for the court to ascertain that the party who will stay in the dwelling has a right under color of law to possession of the premises.
(2)That the party to be excluded has assaulted or threatens to assault the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or a conservator of the petitioner.
(3)That physical or emotional harm would otherwise result to the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or a conservator of the petitioner.
(e)A request for the issuance of a temporary restraining order without notice under this section shall be granted or denied on the same day that the petition is submitted to the court, unless the petition is filed too late in the day to permit effective review, in which case the order shall be granted or denied on the next day of judicial business in sufficient time for the order to be filed that day with the clerk of the court.
(f)Within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days, from the date that a request for a temporary restraining order is granted or denied, a hearing shall be held on the petition. If no request for temporary orders is made, the hearing shall be held within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days, from the date that the petition is filed.
(g)The respondent may file a response that explains or denies the alleged abuse.
(h)The court may issue, upon notice and a hearing, any of the orders set forth in paragraph (3) of subdivision (b). The court may issue, after notice and hearing, an order excluding a person from a residence or dwelling if the court finds that physical or emotional harm would otherwise result to the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or conservator of the petitioner.
(i)(1)In the discretion of the court, an order issued after notice and a hearing under this section may have a duration of not more than five years, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. These orders may be renewed upon the request of a party, either for five years or permanently, without a showing of any further abuse since the issuance of the original order, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. The request for renewal may be brought at any time within the three months before the expiration of the order.
(2)The failure to state the expiration date on the face of the form creates an order with a duration of three years from the date of issuance.
(3)If an action is filed for the purpose of terminating or modifying a protective order prior to the expiration date specified in the order by a party other than the protected party, the party who is protected by the order shall be given notice, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 1005 of the Code of Civil Procedure, of the proceeding by personal service or, if the protected party has satisfied the requirements of Chapter 3.1 (commencing with Section 6205) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, by service on the Secretary of State. If the party who is protected by the order cannot be notified prior to the hearing for modification or termination of the protective order, the court shall deny the motion to modify or terminate the order without prejudice or continue the hearing until the party who is protected can be properly noticed and may, upon a showing of good cause, specify another method for service of process that is reasonably designed to afford actual notice to the protected party. The protected party may waive his or her right to notice if he or she is physically present in court and does not challenge the sufficiency of the notice.
(j)In a proceeding under this section, a support person may accompany a party in court and, if the party is not represented by an attorney, may sit with the party at the table that is generally reserved for the party and the partys attorney. The support person is present to provide moral and emotional support for a person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse. The support person is not present as a legal adviser and may not provide legal advice. The support person may assist the person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse in feeling more confident that he or she will not be injured or threatened by the other party during the proceedings if the person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse and the other party are required to be present in close proximity. This subdivision does not preclude the court from exercising its discretion to remove the support person from the courtroom if the court believes the support person is prompting, swaying, or influencing the party assisted by the support person.
(k)Upon the filing of a petition for protective orders under this section, the respondent shall be personally served with a copy of the petition, notice of the hearing or order to show cause, temporary restraining order, if any, and any declarations in support of the petition. Service shall be made at least five days before the hearing. The court may, on motion of the petitioner or on its own motion, shorten the time for service on the respondent.
(l)A notice of hearing under this section shall notify the respondent that if he or she does not attend the hearing, the court may make orders against him or her that could last up to five years.
(m)(1)The court may, upon the filing of a declaration by the petitioner that the respondent could not be served within the time required by statute, reissue an order previously issued and dissolved by the court for failure to serve the respondent. The reissued order shall remain in effect until the date set for the hearing.
(2)The reissued order shall state on its face the date of expiration of the order.
(n)(1)If a respondent, named in an order issued under this section after a hearing, has not been served personally with the order but has received actual notice of the existence and substance of the order through personal appearance in court to hear the terms of the order from the court, no additional proof of service is required for enforcement of the order.
(2)If the respondent named in a temporary restraining order is personally served with the order and notice of hearing with respect to a restraining order or protective order based on the temporary restraining order, but the respondent does not appear at the hearing, either personally or by an attorney, and the terms and conditions of the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing are identical to the temporary restraining order, except for the duration of the order, then the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing may be served on the respondent by first-class mail sent to the respondent at the most current address for the respondent that is available to the court.
(3)The Judicial Council form for temporary orders issued pursuant to this subdivision shall contain a statement in substantially the following form:
If you have been personally served with a temporary restraining order and notice of hearing, but you do not appear at the hearing either in person or by a lawyer, and a restraining order that is the same as this temporary restraining order except for the expiration date is issued at the hearing, a copy of the order will be served on you by mail at the following address: ____.
If that address is not correct or you wish to verify that the temporary restraining order was converted to a restraining order at the hearing without substantive change and to find out the duration of that order, contact the clerk of the court.
(o)(1)Information on any protective order relating to elder or dependent adult abuse issued by a court pursuant to this section shall be transmitted to the Department of Justice in accordance with either paragraph (2) or (3).
(2)The court shall order the petitioner or the attorney for the petitioner to deliver a copy of an order issued under this section, or a reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by the close of the business day on which the order, reissuance, extension, modification, or termination was made, to each law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the residence of the petitioner, and to any additional law enforcement agencies within the courts discretion as are requested by the petitioner.
(3)Alternatively, the court or its designee shall transmit, within one business day, to law enforcement personnel all information required under subdivision (b) of Section 6380 of the Family Code regarding any order issued under this section, or a reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by either one of the following methods:
(A)Transmitting a physical copy of the order or proof of service to a local law enforcement agency authorized by the Department of Justice to enter orders into the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS).
(B)With the approval of the Department of Justice, entering the order or proof of service into CLETS directly.
(4)Each appropriate law enforcement agency shall make available information as to the existence and current status of these orders to law enforcement officers responding to the scene of reported abuse.
(5)An order issued under this section shall, on request of the petitioner, be served on the respondent, whether or not the respondent has been taken into custody, by any law enforcement officer who is present at the scene of reported abuse involving the parties to the proceeding. The petitioner shall provide the officer with an endorsed copy of the order and a proof of service, which the officer shall complete and send to the issuing court.
(6)Upon receiving information at the scene of an incident of abuse that a protective order has been issued under this section, or that a person who has been taken into custody is the respondent to that order, if the protected person cannot produce an endorsed copy of the order, a law enforcement officer shall immediately attempt to verify the existence of the order.
(7)If the law enforcement officer determines that a protective order has been issued, but not served, the officer shall immediately notify the respondent of the terms of the order and where a written copy of the order can be obtained, and the officer shall at that time also enforce the order. The law enforcement officers verbal notice of the terms of the order shall constitute service of the order and is sufficient notice for the purposes of this section and for the purposes of Section 273.6 of the Penal Code.
(p)Nothing in this section shall preclude either party from representation by private counsel or from appearing on the partys own behalf.
(q)There is no filing fee for a petition, response, or paper seeking the reissuance, modification, or enforcement of a protective order filed in a proceeding brought pursuant to this section.
(r)Pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (b) of Section 6103.2 of the Government Code, a petitioner shall not be required to pay a fee for law enforcement to serve an order issued under this section.
(s)The prevailing party in any action brought under this section may be awarded court costs and attorneys fees, if any.
(t)(1)A person subject to a protective order under this section shall not own, possess, purchase, receive, or attempt to receive a firearm or ammunition while the protective order is in effect.
(2)The court shall order a person subject to a protective order issued under this section to relinquish any firearms he or she owns or possesses pursuant to Section 527.9 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
(3)Every person who owns, possesses, purchases, or receives, or attempts to purchase or receive a firearm or ammunition while subject to a protective order issued under this section is punishable pursuant to Section 29825 of the Penal Code.
(4)This subdivision shall not apply in a case in which the protective order issued under this section was made solely on the basis of financial abuse unaccompanied by force, threat, harassment, intimidation, or any other form of abuse.
(u)Any willful disobedience of any temporary restraining order or restraining order after hearing granted under this section is punishable pursuant to Section 273.6 of the Penal Code.
(v)This section does not apply to any action or proceeding governed by Title 1.6C (commencing with Section 1788) of Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code, by Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 525) of Title 7 of Part 2 of the Code of Civil Procedure, or by Division 10 (commencing with Section 6200) of the Family Code. Nothing in this section shall preclude a petitioners right to use other existing civil remedies.
(w)The Judicial Council shall develop forms, instructions, and rules relating to matters governed by this section. The petition and response forms shall be simple and concise, and their use by parties in actions brought pursuant to this section shall be mandatory.
SEC. 3.1.Section 15657.03 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:15657.03.(a)(1)An elder or dependent adult who has suffered abuse abuse, as defined in Section 15610.07 15610.07, may seek protective orders as provided in this section.
(2)A petition may be brought on behalf of an abused elder or dependent adult by a conservator or a trustee of the elder or dependent adult, an attorney-in-fact of an elder or dependent adult who acts within the authority of the a power of attorney, a person appointed as a guardian ad litem for the elder or dependent adult, or other person legally authorized to seek such relief.
(b)For the purposes of this section:
(1)Conservator means the legally appointed conservator of the person or estate of the petitioner, or both.
(2)Petitioner means the elder or dependent adult to be protected by the protective orders and, if the court grants the petition, the protected person.
(3)Protective order means an order that includes any of the following restraining orders, whether issued ex parte, after notice and hearing, or in a judgment:
(A)An order enjoining a party from abusing, intimidating, molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, or coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of, the petitioner, and, in the discretion of the court, on a showing of good cause, of other named family or household members or a conservator, if any, of the petitioner. On a showing of good cause, in an order issued pursuant to this subparagraph in connection with an animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by the petitioner, or residing in the residence or household of the petitioner, the court may do either or both of the following:
(i)Grant the petitioner exclusive care, possession, or control of the animal.
(ii)Order the respondent to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal.
(B)An order excluding a party from the petitioners residence or dwelling, except that this order shall not be issued if legal or equitable title to, or lease of, the residence or dwelling is in the sole name of the party to be excluded, or is in the name of the party to be excluded and any other party besides the petitioner.
(C)An order enjoining a party from specified behavior that the court determines is necessary to effectuate orders described in subparagraph (A) or (B).
(4)Respondent means the person against whom the protective orders are sought and, if the petition is granted, the restrained person.
(c)An order may be issued under this section, with or without notice, to restrain any person for the purpose of preventing a recurrence of abuse, if a declaration shows, to the satisfaction of the court, reasonable proof of a past act or acts of abuse of the petitioning elder or dependent adult.
(d)Upon filing a petition for protective orders under this section, the petitioner may obtain a temporary restraining order in accordance with Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure, except to the extent this section provides a rule that is inconsistent. The temporary restraining order may include any of the protective orders described in paragraph (3) of subdivision (b). However, the court may issue an ex parte order excluding a party from the petitioners residence or dwelling only on a showing of all of the following:
(1)Facts sufficient for the court to ascertain that the party who will stay in the dwelling has a right under color of law to possession of the premises.
(2)That the party to be excluded has assaulted or threatens to assault the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or a conservator of the petitioner.
(3)That physical or emotional harm would otherwise result to the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or a conservator of the petitioner.
(e)A request for the issuance of a temporary restraining order without notice under this section shall be granted or denied on the same day that the petition is submitted to the court, unless the petition is filed too late in the day to permit effective review, in which case the order shall be granted or denied on the next day of judicial business in sufficient time for the order to be filed that day with the clerk of the court.
(f)Within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days, from the date that a request for a temporary restraining order is granted or denied, a hearing shall be held on the petition. If no request for temporary orders is made, the hearing shall be held within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days, from the date that the petition is filed.
(g)The respondent may file a response that explains or denies the alleged abuse.
(h)The court may issue, upon notice and a hearing, any of the orders set forth in paragraph (3) of subdivision (b). The court may issue, after notice and hearing, an order excluding a person from a residence or dwelling if the court finds that physical or emotional harm would otherwise result to the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or conservator of the petitioner.
(i)(1)In the discretion of the court, an order issued after notice and a hearing under this section may have a duration of not more than five years, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. These orders may be renewed upon the request of a party, either for five years or permanently, without a showing of any further abuse since the issuance of the original order, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. The request for renewal may be brought at any time within the three months before the expiration of the order.
(2)The failure to state the expiration date on the face of the form creates an order with a duration of three years from the date of issuance.
(3)If an action is filed for the purpose of terminating or modifying a protective order prior to the expiration date specified in the order by a party other than the protected party, the party who is protected by the order shall be given notice, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 1005 of the Code of Civil Procedure, of the proceeding by personal service or, if the protected party has satisfied the requirements of Chapter 3.1 (commencing with Section 6205) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, by service on the Secretary of State. If the party who is protected by the order cannot be notified prior to the hearing for modification or termination of the protective order, the court shall deny the motion to modify or terminate the order without prejudice or continue the hearing until the party who is protected can be properly noticed and may, upon a showing of good cause, specify another method for service of process that is reasonably designed to afford actual notice to the protected party. The protected party may waive his or her right to notice if he or she is physically present in court and does not challenge the sufficiency of the notice.
(j)In a proceeding under this section, a support person may accompany a party in court and, if the party is not represented by an attorney, may sit with the party at the table that is generally reserved for the party and the partys attorney. The support person is present to provide moral and emotional support for a person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse. The support person is not present as a legal adviser and may not provide legal advice. The support person may assist the person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse in feeling more confident that he or she will not be injured or threatened by the other party during the proceedings if the person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse and the other party are required to be present in close proximity. This subdivision does not preclude the court from exercising its discretion to remove the support person from the courtroom if the court believes the support person is prompting, swaying, or influencing the party assisted by the support person.
(k)Upon the filing of a petition for protective orders under this section, the respondent shall be personally served with a copy of the petition, notice of the hearing or order to show cause, temporary restraining order, if any, and any declarations in support of the petition. Service shall be made at least five days before the hearing. The court may, on motion of the petitioner or on its own motion, shorten the time for service on the respondent.
(l)A notice of hearing under this section shall notify the respondent that if he or she does not attend the hearing, the court may make orders against him or her that could last up to five years.
(m)(1)The court may, upon the filing of a declaration by the petitioner that the respondent could not be served within the time required by statute, reissue an order previously issued and dissolved by the court for failure to serve the respondent. The reissued order shall remain in effect until the date set for the hearing.
(2)The reissued order shall state on its face the date of expiration of the order.
(m)The respondent shall be entitled, as a matter of course, to one continuance, for a reasonable period, to respond to the petition.
(n)(1) Either party may request a continuance of the hearing, which the court shall grant on a showing of good cause. The request may be made in writing before or at the hearing or orally at the hearing. The court may also grant a continuance on its own motion.
(2)If the court grants a continuance, any temporary restraining order that has been granted shall remain in effect until the end of the continued hearing, unless otherwise ordered by the court. In granting a continuance, the court may modify or terminate a temporary restraining order.
(n)
(o)(1)If a respondent, named in an order issued under this section after a hearing, has not been served personally with the order but has received actual notice of the existence and substance of the order through personal appearance in court to hear the terms of the order from the court, no additional proof of service is required for enforcement of the order.
(2)If the respondent named in a temporary restraining order is personally served with the order and notice of hearing with respect to a restraining order or protective order based on the temporary restraining order, but the respondent does not appear at the hearing, either personally or by an attorney, and the terms and conditions of the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing are identical to the temporary restraining order, except for the duration of the order, then the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing may be served on the respondent by first-class mail sent to the respondent at the most current address for the respondent that is available to the court.
(3)The Judicial Council form for temporary orders issued pursuant to this subdivision shall contain a statement in substantially the following form:
If you have been personally served with a temporary restraining order and notice of hearing, but you do not appear at the hearing either in person or by a lawyer, and a restraining order that is the same as this temporary restraining order except for the expiration date is issued at the hearing, a copy of the order will be served on you by mail at the following address: ____.
If that address is not correct or you wish to verify that the temporary restraining order was converted to a restraining order at the hearing without substantive change and to find out the duration of that order, contact the clerk of the court.
(o)
(p)(1)Information on any a protective order relating to elder or dependent adult abuse issued by a court pursuant to this section shall be transmitted to the Department of Justice in accordance with either paragraph (2) or (3).
(2)The court shall order the petitioner or the attorney for the petitioner to deliver a copy of an order issued under this section, or a reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by the close of the business day on which the order, reissuance, extension, modification, or termination was made, to each law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the residence of the petitioner, and to any additional law enforcement agencies within the courts discretion as are requested by the petitioner.
(3)Alternatively, the court or its designee shall transmit, within one business day, to law enforcement personnel all information required under subdivision (b) of Section 6380 of the Family Code regarding any order issued under this section, or a reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by either one of the following methods:
(A)Transmitting a physical copy of the order or proof of service to a local law enforcement agency authorized by the Department of Justice to enter orders into the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS).
(B)With the approval of the Department of Justice, entering the order or proof of service into CLETS directly.
(4)Each appropriate law enforcement agency shall make available information as to the existence and current status of these orders to law enforcement officers responding to the scene of reported abuse.
(5)An order issued under this section shall, on request of the petitioner, be served on the respondent, whether or not the respondent has been taken into custody, by any law enforcement officer who is present at the scene of reported abuse involving the parties to the proceeding. The petitioner shall provide the officer with an endorsed copy of the order and a proof of service, which the officer shall complete and send to the issuing court.
(6)Upon receiving information at the scene of an incident of abuse that a protective order has been issued under this section, or that a person who has been taken into custody is the respondent to that order, if the protected person cannot produce an endorsed copy of the order, a law enforcement officer shall immediately attempt to verify the existence of the order.
(7)If the law enforcement officer determines that a protective order has been issued, issued but not served, the officer shall immediately notify the respondent of the terms of the order and where a written copy of the order can be obtained, and the officer shall at that time also enforce the order. The law enforcement officers verbal notice of the terms of the order shall constitute service of the order and is sufficient notice for the purposes of this section and for the purposes of Section 273.6 of the Penal Code.
(p)
(q)Nothing in this section shall preclude either party from representation by private counsel or from appearing on the partys own behalf.
(q)
(r)There is no filing fee for a petition, response, or paper seeking the reissuance, modification, or enforcement of a protective order filed in a proceeding brought pursuant to this section.
(r)
(s)Pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (b) of Section 6103.2 of the Government Code, a petitioner shall not be required to pay a fee for law enforcement to serve an order issued under this section.
(s)
(t)The prevailing party in any an action brought under this section may be awarded court costs and attorneys fees, if any.
(t)
(u)(1)A person subject to a protective order under this section shall not own, possess, purchase, receive, or attempt to receive a firearm or ammunition while the protective order is in effect.
(2)The court shall order a person subject to a protective order issued under this section to relinquish any firearms he or she owns or possesses pursuant to Section 527.9 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
(3)Every person who owns, possesses, purchases, or receives, or attempts to purchase or receive a firearm or ammunition while subject to a protective order issued under this section is punishable pursuant to Section 29825 of the Penal Code.
(4)This subdivision shall does not apply in a case in which the a protective order issued under this section was made solely on the basis of financial abuse unaccompanied by force, threat, harassment, intimidation, or any other form of abuse.
(u)
(v)Any willful disobedience of any temporary restraining order or restraining order after hearing granted under this section is punishable pursuant to Section 273.6 of the Penal Code.
(v)
(w)This section does not apply to any action or proceeding governed by Title 1.6C (commencing with Section 1788) of Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code, by Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 525) of Title 7 of Part 2 of the Code of Civil Procedure, or by Division 10 (commencing with Section 6200) of the Family Code. Nothing in this section shall preclude a petitioners right to use other existing civil remedies.
(w)
(x)The Judicial Council shall develop forms, instructions, and rules relating to matters governed by this section. The petition and response forms shall be simple and concise, and their use by parties in actions brought pursuant to this section shall be mandatory.
SEC. 3.2.Section 15657.03 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:15657.03.(a)(1)An elder or dependent adult who has suffered abuse abuse, as defined in Section 15610.07 15610.07, may seek protective orders as provided in this section.
(2)A petition may be brought on behalf of an abused elder or dependent adult by a conservator or a trustee of the elder or dependent adult, an attorney-in-fact of an elder or dependent adult who acts within the authority of the a power of attorney, a person appointed as a guardian ad litem for the elder or dependent adult, or other person legally authorized to seek such relief.
(b)For the purposes of this section:
(1)Conservator means the legally appointed conservator of the person or estate of the petitioner, or both.
(2)Petitioner means the elder or dependent adult to be protected by the protective orders and, if the court grants the petition, the protected person.
(3)Protective order means an order that includes any of the following restraining orders, whether issued ex parte, after notice and hearing, or in a judgment:
(A)An order enjoining a party from abusing, intimidating, molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, or coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of, the petitioner, and, in the discretion of the court, on a showing of good cause, of other named family or household members or a conservator, if any, of the petitioner. On a showing of good cause, in an order issued pursuant to this subparagraph in connection with an animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by the petitioner, or residing in the residence or household of the petitioner, the court may do either or both of the following:
(i)Grant the petitioner exclusive care, possession, or control of the animal.
(ii)Order the respondent to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal.
(B)An order excluding a party from the petitioners residence or dwelling, except that this order shall not be issued if legal or equitable title to, or lease of, the residence or dwelling is in the sole name of the party to be excluded, or is in the name of the party to be excluded and any other party besides the petitioner.
(C)An order enjoining a party from specified behavior that the court determines is necessary to effectuate orders described in subparagraph (A) or (B).
(4)Respondent means the person against whom the protective orders are sought and, if the petition is granted, the restrained person.
(c)An order may be issued under this section, with or without notice, to restrain any person for the purpose of preventing a recurrence of abuse, if a declaration shows, to the satisfaction of the court, reasonable proof of a past act or acts of abuse of the petitioning elder or dependent adult.
(d)Upon filing a petition for protective orders under this section, the petitioner may obtain a temporary restraining order in accordance with Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure, except to the extent this section provides a rule that is inconsistent. The temporary restraining order may include any of the protective orders described in paragraph (3) of subdivision (b). However, the court may issue an ex parte order excluding a party from the petitioners residence or dwelling only on a showing of all of the following:
(1)Facts sufficient for the court to ascertain that the party who will stay in the dwelling has a right under color of law to possession of the premises.
(2)That the party to be excluded has assaulted or threatens to assault the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or a conservator of the petitioner.
(3)That physical or emotional harm would otherwise result to the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or a conservator of the petitioner.
(e)A request for the issuance of a temporary restraining order without notice under this section shall be granted or denied on the same day that the petition is submitted to the court, unless the petition is filed too late in the day to permit effective review, in which case the order shall be granted or denied on the next day of judicial business in sufficient time for the order to be filed that day with the clerk of the court.
(f)Within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days, from the date that a request for a temporary restraining order is granted or denied, a hearing shall be held on the petition. If no request for temporary orders is made, the hearing shall be held within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days, from the date that the petition is filed.
(g)The respondent may file a response that explains or denies the alleged abuse.
(h)The court may issue, upon notice and a hearing, any of the orders set forth in paragraph (3) of subdivision (b). The court may issue, after notice and hearing, an order excluding a person from a residence or dwelling if the court finds that physical or emotional harm would otherwise result to the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or conservator of the petitioner.
(i)(1)In the discretion of the court, an order issued after notice and a hearing under this section may have a duration of not more than five years, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. These orders may be renewed upon the request of a party, either for five years or permanently, without a showing of any further abuse since the issuance of the original order, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. The request for renewal may be brought at any time within the three months before the expiration of the order.
(2)The failure to state the expiration date on the face of the form creates an order with a duration of three years from the date of issuance.
(3)If an action is filed for the purpose of terminating or modifying a protective order prior to the expiration date specified in the order by a party other than the protected party, the party who is protected by the order shall be given notice, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 1005 of the Code of Civil Procedure, of the proceeding by personal service or, if the protected party has satisfied the requirements of Chapter 3.1 (commencing with Section 6205) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, by service on the Secretary of State. If the party who is protected by the order cannot be notified prior to the hearing for modification or termination of the protective order, the court shall deny the motion to modify or terminate the order without prejudice or continue the hearing until the party who is protected can be properly noticed and may, upon a showing of good cause, specify another method for service of process that is reasonably designed to afford actual notice to the protected party. The protected party may waive his or her right to notice if he or she is physically present in court and does not challenge the sufficiency of the notice.
(j)In a proceeding under this section, a support person may accompany a party in court and, if the party is not represented by an attorney, may sit with the party at the table that is generally reserved for the party and the partys attorney. The support person is present to provide moral and emotional support for a person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse. The support person is not present as a legal adviser and may not provide legal advice. The support person may assist the person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse in feeling more confident that he or she will not be injured or threatened by the other party during the proceedings if the person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse and the other party are required to be present in close proximity. This subdivision does not preclude the court from exercising its discretion to remove the support person from the courtroom if the court believes the support person is prompting, swaying, or influencing the party assisted by the support person.
(k)Upon the filing of a petition for protective orders under this section, the respondent shall be personally served with a copy of the petition, notice of the hearing or order to show cause, temporary restraining order, if any, and any declarations in support of the petition. Service shall be made at least five days before the hearing. The court may, on motion of the petitioner or on its own motion, shorten the time for service on the respondent.
(l)A notice of hearing under this section shall notify the respondent that if he or she does not attend the hearing, the court may make orders against him or her that could last up to five years.
(m)(1)The court may, upon the filing of a declaration by the petitioner that the respondent could not be served within the time required by statute, reissue an order previously issued and dissolved by the court for failure to serve the respondent. The reissued order shall remain in effect until the date set for the hearing.
(2)The reissued order shall state on its face the date of expiration of the order.
(n)(1)If a respondent, named in an order issued under this section after a hearing, has not been served personally with the order but has received actual notice of the existence and substance of the order through personal appearance in court to hear the terms of the order from the court, no additional proof of service is required for enforcement of the order.
(2)If the respondent named in a temporary restraining order is personally served with the order and notice of hearing with respect to a restraining order or protective order based on the temporary restraining order, but the respondent does not appear at the hearing, either personally or by an attorney, and the terms and conditions of the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing are identical to the temporary restraining order, except for the duration of the order, then the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing may be served on the respondent by first-class mail sent to the respondent at the most current address for the respondent that is available to the court.
(3)The Judicial Council form for temporary orders issued pursuant to this subdivision shall contain a statement in substantially the following form:
If you have been personally served with a temporary restraining order and notice of hearing, but you do not appear at the hearing either in person or by a lawyer, and a restraining order that is the same as this temporary restraining order except for the expiration date is issued at the hearing, a copy of the order will be served on you by mail at the following address: ____.
If that address is not correct or you wish to verify that the temporary restraining order was converted to a restraining order at the hearing without substantive change and to find out the duration of that order, contact the clerk of the court.
(o)(1)Information on any a protective order relating to elder or dependent adult abuse issued by a court pursuant to this section shall be transmitted to the Department of Justice in accordance with either paragraph (2) or (3).
(2)The court shall order the petitioner or the attorney for the petitioner to deliver a copy of an order issued under this section, or a reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by the close of the business day on which the order, reissuance, extension, modification, or termination was made, to each law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the residence of the petitioner, and to any additional law enforcement agencies within the courts discretion as are requested by the petitioner.
(3)Alternatively, the court or its designee shall transmit, within one business day, to law enforcement personnel all information required under subdivision (b) of Section 6380 of the Family Code regarding any order issued under this section, or a reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by either one of the following methods:
(A)Transmitting a physical copy of the order or proof of service to a local law enforcement agency authorized by the Department of Justice to enter orders into the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS).
(B)With the approval of the Department of Justice, entering the order or proof of service into CLETS directly.
(4)Each appropriate law enforcement agency shall make available information as to the existence and current status of these orders to law enforcement officers responding to the scene of reported abuse.
(5)An order issued under this section shall, on request of the petitioner, be served on the respondent, whether or not the respondent has been taken into custody, by any law enforcement officer who is present at the scene of reported abuse involving the parties to the proceeding. The petitioner shall provide the officer with an endorsed copy of the order and a proof of service, which the officer shall complete and send to the issuing court.
(6)Upon receiving information at the scene of an incident of abuse that a protective order has been issued under this section, or that a person who has been taken into custody is the respondent to that order, if the protected person cannot produce an endorsed copy of the order, a law enforcement officer shall immediately attempt to verify the existence of the order.
(7)If the law enforcement officer determines that a protective order has been issued, but not served, the officer shall immediately notify the respondent of the terms of the order and where a written copy of the order can be obtained, and the officer shall at that time also enforce the order. The law enforcement officers verbal notice of the terms of the order shall constitute service of the order and is sufficient notice for the purposes of this section and for the purposes of Section 273.6 of the Penal Code.
(p)Nothing in this section shall preclude either party from representation by private counsel or from appearing on the partys own behalf.
(q)There is no filing fee for a petition, response, or paper seeking the reissuance, modification, or enforcement of a protective order filed in a proceeding brought pursuant to this section.
(r)Pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (b) of Section 6103.2 of the Government Code, a petitioner shall not be required to pay a fee for law enforcement to serve an order issued under this section.
(s)The prevailing party in any an action brought under this section may be awarded court costs and attorneys fees, if any.
(t)(1)A person subject to a protective order under this section shall not own, possess, purchase, receive, or attempt to receive a firearm or ammunition while the protective order is in effect.
(2)The court shall order a person subject to a protective order issued under this section to relinquish any firearms he or she owns or possesses pursuant to Section 527.9 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
(3)Every person who owns, possesses, purchases, or receives, or attempts to purchase or receive a firearm or ammunition while subject to a protective order issued under this section is punishable pursuant to Section 29825 of the Penal Code.
(4)This subdivision shall does not apply in a case in which the a protective order issued under this section was made solely on the basis of financial abuse unaccompanied by force, threat, harassment, intimidation, or any other form of abuse.
(u)Any willful disobedience of any temporary restraining order or restraining order after hearing granted under this section is punishable pursuant to Section 273.6 of the Penal Code.
(v)This section does not apply to any action or proceeding governed by Title 1.6C (commencing with Section 1788) of Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code, by Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 525) of Title 7 of Part 2 of the Code of Civil Procedure, or by Division 10 (commencing with Section 6200) of the Family Code. Nothing in this section shall preclude a petitioners right to use other existing civil remedies.
(w)The Judicial Council shall develop forms, instructions, and rules relating to matters governed by this section. The petition and response forms shall be simple and concise, and their use by parties in actions brought pursuant to this section shall be mandatory.
(x)This section shall become inoperative on July 1, 2016, and, as of January 1, 2017, is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that becomes operative on or before January 1, 2017, deletes or extends the dates on which it becomes inoperative and is repealed.
SEC. 3.3.Section 15657.03 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:15657.03.(a)(1) An elder or dependent adult who has suffered abuse, as defined in Section 15610.07, may seek protective orders as provided in this section.
(2)A petition may be brought on behalf of an abused elder or dependent adult by a conservator or a trustee of the elder or dependent adult, an attorney-in-fact of an elder or dependent adult who acts within the authority of a power of attorney, a person appointed as a guardian ad litem for the elder or dependent adult, or other person legally authorized to seek the relief.
(3)(A) A petition under this section may be brought on behalf of an elder or dependent adult by a county adult protective services agency in either of the following circumstances:
(i)If the elder or dependent adult has suffered abuse as defined in subdivision (b) and has an impaired ability to appreciate and understand the circumstances that place him or her at risk of harm.
(ii)If the elder or dependent adult has provided written authorization to a county adult protective services agency to act on his or her behalf.
(B)In the case of a petition filed pursuant to clause (i) of subparagraph (A) by a county adult protective services agency, a referral shall be made to the public guardian consistent with Section 2920 of the Probate Code prior to or concurrent with the filing of the petition, unless a petition for appointment of a conservator has already been filed with the probate court by the public guardian or another party.
(C)A county adult protective services agency shall be subject to any confidentiality restrictions that otherwise apply to its activities under law and shall disclose only those facts as necessary to establish reasonable cause for the filing of the petition, including, in the case of a petition filed pursuant to clause (i) of subparagraph (A), to establish the agencys belief that the elder or dependent adult has suffered abuse and has an impaired ability to appreciate and understand the circumstances that place him or her at risk, and as may be requested by the court in determining whether to issue an order under this section.
(b)For the purposes of this section:
(1)Abuse has the meaning set forth in Section 15610.07.
(2)Conservator means the legally appointed conservator of the person or estate of the petitioner, or both.
(3)Petitioner means the elder or dependent adult to be protected by the protective orders and, if the court grants the petition, the protected person.
(4)Protective order means an order that includes any of the following restraining orders, whether issued ex parte, after notice and hearing, or in a judgment:
(A)An order enjoining a party from abusing, intimidating, molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, or coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of, the petitioner, and, in the discretion of the court, on a showing of good cause, of other named family or household members or a conservator, if any, of the petitioner. On a showing of good cause, in an order issued pursuant to this subparagraph in connection with an animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by the petitioner, or residing in the residence or household of the petitioner, the court may do either or both of the following:
(i)Grant the petitioner exclusive care, possession, or control of the animal.
(ii)Order the respondent to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal.
(B)An order excluding a party from the petitioners residence or dwelling, except that this order shall not be issued if legal or equitable title to, or lease of, the residence or dwelling is in the sole name of the party to be excluded, or is in the name of the party to be excluded and any other party besides the petitioner.
(C)An order enjoining a party from specified behavior that the court determines is necessary to effectuate orders described in subparagraph (A) or (B).
(5)Respondent means the person against whom the protective orders are sought and, if the petition is granted, the restrained person.
(c)An order may be issued under this section, with or without notice, to restrain any person for the purpose of preventing a recurrence of abuse, if a declaration shows, to the satisfaction of the court, reasonable proof of a past act or acts of abuse of the petitioning elder or dependent adult.
(d)Upon filing a petition for protective orders under this section, the petitioner may obtain a temporary restraining order in accordance with Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure, except to the extent this section provides a rule that is inconsistent. The temporary restraining order may include any of the protective orders described in paragraph (4) of subdivision (b). However, the court may issue an ex parte order excluding a party from the petitioners residence or dwelling only on a showing of all of the following:
(1)Facts sufficient for the court to ascertain that the party who will stay in the dwelling has a right under color of law to possession of the premises.
(2)That the party to be excluded has assaulted or threatens to assault the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or a conservator of the petitioner.
(3)That physical or emotional harm would otherwise result to the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or a conservator of the petitioner.
(e)A request for the issuance of a temporary restraining order without notice under this section shall be granted or denied on the same day that the petition is submitted to the court, unless the petition is filed too late in the day to permit effective review, in which case the order shall be granted or denied on the next day of judicial business in sufficient time for the order to be filed that day with the clerk of the court.
(f)Within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days, from the date that a request for a temporary restraining order is granted or denied, a hearing shall be held on the petition. If no request for temporary orders is made, the hearing shall be held within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days, from the date that the petition is filed.
(g)The respondent may file a response that explains or denies the alleged abuse.
(h)The court may issue, upon notice and a hearing, any of the orders set forth in paragraph (4) of subdivision (b). The court may issue, after notice and hearing, an order excluding a person from a residence or dwelling if the court finds that physical or emotional harm would otherwise result to the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or conservator of the petitioner.
(i)(1) In the discretion of the court, an order issued after notice and a hearing under this section may have a duration of not more than five years, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. These orders may be renewed upon the request of a party, either for five years or permanently, without a showing of any further abuse since the issuance of the original order, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. The request for renewal may be brought at any time within the three months before the expiration of the order.
(2)The failure to state the expiration date on the face of the form creates an order with a duration of three years from the date of issuance.
(3)If an action is filed for the purpose of terminating or modifying a protective order prior to the expiration date specified in the order by a party other than the protected party, the party who is protected by the order shall be given notice, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 1005 of the Code of Civil Procedure, of the proceeding by personal service or, if the protected party has satisfied the requirements of Chapter 3.1 (commencing with Section 6205) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, by service on the Secretary of State. If the party who is protected by the order cannot be notified prior to the hearing for modification or termination of the protective order, the court shall deny the motion to modify or terminate the order without prejudice or continue the hearing until the party who is protected can be properly noticed and may, upon a showing of good cause, specify another method for service of process that is reasonably designed to afford actual notice to the protected party. The protected party may waive his or her right to notice if he or she is physically present in court and does not challenge the sufficiency of the notice.
(j)In a proceeding under this section, a support person may accompany a party in court and, if the party is not represented by an attorney, may sit with the party at the table that is generally reserved for the party and the partys attorney. The support person is present to provide moral and emotional support for a person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse. The support person is not present as a legal adviser and may not provide legal advice. The support person may assist the person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse in feeling more confident that he or she will not be injured or threatened by the other party during the proceedings if the person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse and the other party are required to be present in close proximity. This subdivision does not preclude the court from exercising its discretion to remove the support person from the courtroom if the court believes the support person is prompting, swaying, or influencing the party assisted by the support person.
(k)Upon the filing of a petition for protective orders under this section, the respondent shall be personally served with a copy of the petition, notice of the hearing or order to show cause, temporary restraining order, if any, and any declarations in support of the petition. Service shall be made at least five days before the hearing. The court may, on motion of the petitioner or on its own motion, shorten the time for service on the respondent.
(l)A notice of hearing under this section shall notify the respondent that if he or she does not attend the hearing, the court may make orders against him or her that could last up to five years.
(m)(1) The court may, upon the filing of a declaration by the petitioner that the respondent could not be served within the time required by statute, reissue an order previously issued and dissolved by the court for failure to serve the respondent. The reissued order shall remain in effect until the date set for the hearing.
(2)The reissued order shall state on its face the date of expiration of the order.
(n)(1) If a respondent, named in an order issued under this section after a hearing, has not been served personally with the order but has received actual notice of the existence and substance of the order through personal appearance in court to hear the terms of the order from the court, no additional proof of service is required for enforcement of the order.
(2)If the respondent named in a temporary restraining order is personally served with the order and notice of hearing with respect to a restraining order or protective order based on the temporary restraining order, but the respondent does not appear at the hearing, either personally or by an attorney, and the terms and conditions of the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing are identical to the temporary restraining order, except for the duration of the order, then the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing may be served on the respondent by first-class mail sent to the respondent at the most current address for the respondent that is available to the court.
(3)The Judicial Council form for temporary orders issued pursuant to this subdivision shall contain a statement in substantially the following form:
If you have been personally served with a temporary restraining order and notice of hearing, but you do not appear at the hearing either in person or by a lawyer, and a restraining order that is the same as this temporary restraining order except for the expiration date is issued at the hearing, a copy of the order will be served on you by mail at the following address:
If that address is not correct or you wish to verify that the temporary restraining order was converted to a restraining order at the hearing without substantive change and to find out the duration of that order, contact the clerk of the court.
(o)(1) Information on a protective order relating to elder or dependent adult abuse issued by a court pursuant to this section shall be transmitted to the Department of Justice in accordance with either paragraph (2) or (3).
(2)The court shall order the petitioner or the attorney for the petitioner to deliver a copy of an order issued under this section, or a reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by the close of the business day on which the order, reissuance, extension, modification, or termination was made, to each law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the residence of the petitioner, and to any additional law enforcement agencies within the courts discretion as are requested by the petitioner.
(3)Alternatively, the court or its designee shall transmit, within one business day, to law enforcement personnel all information required under subdivision (b) of Section 6380 of the Family Code regarding any order issued under this section, or a reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by either one of the following methods:
(A)Transmitting a physical copy of the order or proof of service to a local law enforcement agency authorized by the Department of Justice to enter orders into the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS).
(B)With the approval of the Department of Justice, entering the order or proof of service into CLETS directly.
(4)Each appropriate law enforcement agency shall make available information as to the existence and current status of these orders to law enforcement officers responding to the scene of reported abuse.
(5)An order issued under this section shall, on request of the petitioner, be served on the respondent, whether or not the respondent has been taken into custody, by any law enforcement officer who is present at the scene of reported abuse involving the parties to the proceeding. The petitioner shall provide the officer with an endorsed copy of the order and a proof of service, which the officer shall complete and send to the issuing court.
(6)Upon receiving information at the scene of an incident of abuse that a protective order has been issued under this section, or that a person who has been taken into custody is the respondent to that order, if the protected person cannot produce an endorsed copy of the order, a law enforcement officer shall immediately attempt to verify the existence of the order.
(7)If the law enforcement officer determines that a protective order has been issued, but not served, the officer shall immediately notify the respondent of the terms of the order and where a written copy of the order can be obtained, and the officer shall at that time also enforce the order. The law enforcement officers verbal notice of the terms of the order shall constitute service of the order and is sufficient notice for the purposes of this section and for the purposes of Section 273.6 of the Penal Code.
(p)Nothing in this section shall preclude either party from representation by private counsel or from appearing on the partys own behalf.
(q)There is no filing fee for a petition, response, or paper seeking the reissuance, modification, or enforcement of a protective order filed in a proceeding brought pursuant to this section.
(r)Pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (b) of Section 6103.2 of the Government Code, a petitioner shall not be required to pay a fee for law enforcement to serve an order issued under this section.
(s)The prevailing party in an action brought under this section may be awarded court costs and attorneys fees, if any.
(t)(1) A person subject to a protective order under this section shall not own, possess, purchase, receive, or attempt to receive a firearm or ammunition while the protective order is in effect.
(2)The court shall order a person subject to a protective order issued under this section to relinquish any firearms he or she owns or possesses pursuant to Section 527.9 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
(3)Every person who owns, possesses, purchases, or receives, or attempts to purchase or receive a firearm or ammunition while subject to a protective order issued under this section is punishable pursuant to Section 29825 of the Penal Code.
(4)This subdivision does not apply in a case in which a protective order issued under this section was made solely on the basis of financial abuse unaccompanied by force, threat, harassment, intimidation, or any other form of abuse.
(u)In a proceeding brought under paragraph (3) of subdivision (a), all of the following apply:
(1)Upon the filing of a petition for a protective order, the elder or dependent adult on whose behalf the petition has been filed shall receive a copy of the petition, a notice of the hearing, and any declarations submitted in support of the petition. The elder or dependent adult shall receive this information at least five days before the hearing. The court may, on motion of the petitioner or on its own motion, shorten the time for provision of this information to the elder or dependent adult.
(2)The adult protective services agency shall make reasonable efforts to assist the elder or dependent adult to attend the hearing and provide testimony to the court, if he or she wishes to do so. If the elder or dependent adult does not attend the hearing, the agency shall provide information to the court at the hearing regarding the reasons why the elder or dependent adult is not in attendance.
(3)Upon the filing of a petition for a protective order and upon issuance of an order granting the petition, the county adult protective services agency shall take all reasonable steps to provide for the safety of the elder or dependent adult, pursuant to Chapter 13 (commencing with Section 15750), which may include, but are not limited to, facilitating the location of alternative accommodations for the elder or dependent adult, if needed.
(v)Any willful disobedience of any temporary restraining order or restraining order after hearing granted under this section is punishable pursuant to Section 273.6 of the Penal Code.
(w)This section does not apply to any action or proceeding governed by Title 1.6C (commencing with Section 1788) of Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code, Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 525) of Title 7 of Part 2 of the Code of Civil Procedure, or Division 10 (commencing with Section 6200) of the Family Code. Nothing in this section shall preclude a petitioners right to use other existing civil remedies.
(x)The Judicial Council shall develop forms, instructions, and rules relating to matters governed by this section. The petition and response forms shall be simple and concise, and shall be used by parties in actions brought pursuant to this section.
(y)This section shall become operative on July 1, 2016.
SEC. 3.4.Section 15657.03 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:15657.03.(a)(1)An elder or dependent adult who has suffered abuse abuse, as defined in Section 15610.07 15610.07, may seek protective orders as provided in this section.
(2)A petition may be brought on behalf of an abused elder or dependent adult by a conservator or a trustee of the elder or dependent adult, an attorney-in-fact of an elder or dependent adult who acts within the authority of the a power of attorney, a person appointed as a guardian ad litem for the elder or dependent adult, or other person legally authorized to seek such relief.
(b)For the purposes of this section:
(1)Conservator means the legally appointed conservator of the person or estate of the petitioner, or both.
(2)Petitioner means the elder or dependent adult to be protected by the protective orders and, if the court grants the petition, the protected person.
(3)Protective order means an order that includes any of the following restraining orders, whether issued ex parte, after notice and hearing, or in a judgment:
(A)An order enjoining a party from abusing, intimidating, molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, or coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of, the petitioner, and, in the discretion of the court, on a showing of good cause, of other named family or household members or a conservator, if any, of the petitioner. On a showing of good cause, in an order issued pursuant to this subparagraph in connection with an animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by the petitioner, or residing in the residence or household of the petitioner, the court may do either or both of the following:
(i)Grant the petitioner exclusive care, possession, or control of the animal.
(ii)Order the respondent to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal.
(B)An order excluding a party from the petitioners residence or dwelling, except that this order shall not be issued if legal or equitable title to, or lease of, the residence or dwelling is in the sole name of the party to be excluded, or is in the name of the party to be excluded and any other party besides the petitioner.
(C)An order enjoining a party from specified behavior that the court determines is necessary to effectuate orders described in subparagraph (A) or (B).
(4)Respondent means the person against whom the protective orders are sought and, if the petition is granted, the restrained person.
(c)An order may be issued under this section, with or without notice, to restrain any person for the purpose of preventing a recurrence of abuse, if a declaration shows, to the satisfaction of the court, reasonable proof of a past act or acts of abuse of the petitioning elder or dependent adult.
(d)Upon filing a petition for protective orders under this section, the petitioner may obtain a temporary restraining order in accordance with Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure, except to the extent this section provides a rule that is inconsistent. The temporary restraining order may include any of the protective orders described in paragraph (3) of subdivision (b). However, the court may issue an ex parte order excluding a party from the petitioners residence or dwelling only on a showing of all of the following:
(1)Facts sufficient for the court to ascertain that the party who will stay in the dwelling has a right under color of law to possession of the premises.
(2)That the party to be excluded has assaulted or threatens to assault the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or a conservator of the petitioner.
(3)That physical or emotional harm would otherwise result to the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or a conservator of the petitioner.
(e)A request for the issuance of a temporary restraining order without notice under this section shall be granted or denied on the same day that the petition is submitted to the court, unless the petition is filed too late in the day to permit effective review, in which case the order shall be granted or denied on the next day of judicial business in sufficient time for the order to be filed that day with the clerk of the court.
(f)Within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days, from the date that a request for a temporary restraining order is granted or denied, a hearing shall be held on the petition. If no request for temporary orders is made, the hearing shall be held within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days, from the date that the petition is filed.
(g)The respondent may file a response that explains or denies the alleged abuse.
(h)The court may issue, upon notice and a hearing, any of the orders set forth in paragraph (3) of subdivision (b). The court may issue, after notice and hearing, an order excluding a person from a residence or dwelling if the court finds that physical or emotional harm would otherwise result to the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or conservator of the petitioner.
(i)(1)In the discretion of the court, an order issued after notice and a hearing under this section may have a duration of not more than five years, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. These orders may be renewed upon the request of a party, either for five years or permanently, without a showing of any further abuse since the issuance of the original order, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. The request for renewal may be brought at any time within the three months before the expiration of the order.
(2)The failure to state the expiration date on the face of the form creates an order with a duration of three years from the date of issuance.
(3)If an action is filed for the purpose of terminating or modifying a protective order prior to the expiration date specified in the order by a party other than the protected party, the party who is protected by the order shall be given notice, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 1005 of the Code of Civil Procedure, of the proceeding by personal service or, if the protected party has satisfied the requirements of Chapter 3.1 (commencing with Section 6205) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, by service on the Secretary of State. If the party who is protected by the order cannot be notified prior to the hearing for modification or termination of the protective order, the court shall deny the motion to modify or terminate the order without prejudice or continue the hearing until the party who is protected can be properly noticed and may, upon a showing of good cause, specify another method for service of process that is reasonably designed to afford actual notice to the protected party. The protected party may waive his or her right to notice if he or she is physically present in court and does not challenge the sufficiency of the notice.
(j)In a proceeding under this section, a support person may accompany a party in court and, if the party is not represented by an attorney, may sit with the party at the table that is generally reserved for the party and the partys attorney. The support person is present to provide moral and emotional support for a person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse. The support person is not present as a legal adviser and may not provide legal advice. The support person may assist the person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse in feeling more confident that he or she will not be injured or threatened by the other party during the proceedings if the person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse and the other party are required to be present in close proximity. This subdivision does not preclude the court from exercising its discretion to remove the support person from the courtroom if the court believes the support person is prompting, swaying, or influencing the party assisted by the support person.
(k)Upon the filing of a petition for protective orders under this section, the respondent shall be personally served with a copy of the petition, notice of the hearing or order to show cause, temporary restraining order, if any, and any declarations in support of the petition. Service shall be made at least five days before the hearing. The court may, on motion of the petitioner or on its own motion, shorten the time for service on the respondent.
(l)A notice of hearing under this section shall notify the respondent that if he or she does not attend the hearing, the court may make orders against him or her that could last up to five years.
(m)(1)The court may, upon the filing of a declaration by the petitioner that the respondent could not be served within the time required by statute, reissue an order previously issued and dissolved by the court for failure to serve the respondent. The reissued order shall remain in effect until the date set for the hearing.
(m)The respondent shall be entitled, as a matter of course, to one continuance, for a reasonable period, to respond to the petition.
(n)(1)Either party may request a continuance of the hearing, which the court shall grant on a showing of good cause. The request may be made in writing before or at the hearing or orally at the hearing. The court may also grant a continuance on its own motion.
(2)If the court grants a continuance, any temporary restraining order that has been granted shall remain in effect until the end of the continued hearing, unless otherwise ordered by the court. In granting a continuance, the court may modify or terminate a temporary restraining order.
(2)The reissued order shall state on its face the date of expiration of the order.
(n)
(o)(1)If a respondent, named in an order issued under this section after a hearing, has not been served personally with the order but has received actual notice of the existence and substance of the order through personal appearance in court to hear the terms of the order from the court, no additional proof of service is required for enforcement of the order.
(2)If the respondent named in a temporary restraining order is personally served with the order and notice of hearing with respect to a restraining order or protective order based on the temporary restraining order, but the respondent does not appear at the hearing, either personally or by an attorney, and the terms and conditions of the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing are identical to the temporary restraining order, except for the duration of the order, then the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing may be served on the respondent by first-class mail sent to the respondent at the most current address for the respondent that is available to the court.
(3)The Judicial Council form for temporary orders issued pursuant to this subdivision shall contain a statement in substantially the following form:
If you have been personally served with a temporary restraining order and notice of hearing, but you do not appear at the hearing either in person or by a lawyer, and a restraining order that is the same as this temporary restraining order except for the expiration date is issued at the hearing, a copy of the order will be served on you by mail at the following address: ____.
If that address is not correct or you wish to verify that the temporary restraining order was converted to a restraining order at the hearing without substantive change and to find out the duration of that order, contact the clerk of the court.
(o)
(p)(1)Information on any a protective order relating to elder or dependent adult abuse issued by a court pursuant to this section shall be transmitted to the Department of Justice in accordance with either paragraph (2) or (3).
(2)The court shall order the petitioner or the attorney for the petitioner to deliver a copy of an order issued under this section, or a reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by the close of the business day on which the order, reissuance, extension, modification, or termination was made, to each law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the residence of the petitioner, and to any additional law enforcement agencies within the courts discretion as are requested by the petitioner.
(3)Alternatively, the court or its designee shall transmit, within one business day, to law enforcement personnel all information required under subdivision (b) of Section 6380 of the Family Code regarding any order issued under this section, or a reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by either one of the following methods:
(A)Transmitting a physical copy of the order or proof of service to a local law enforcement agency authorized by the Department of Justice to enter orders into the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS).
(B)With the approval of the Department of Justice, entering the order or proof of service into CLETS directly.
(4)Each appropriate law enforcement agency shall make available information as to the existence and current status of these orders to law enforcement officers responding to the scene of reported abuse.
(5)An order issued under this section shall, on request of the petitioner, be served on the respondent, whether or not the respondent has been taken into custody, by any law enforcement officer who is present at the scene of reported abuse involving the parties to the proceeding. The petitioner shall provide the officer with an endorsed copy of the order and a proof of service, which the officer shall complete and send to the issuing court.
(6)Upon receiving information at the scene of an incident of abuse that a protective order has been issued under this section, or that a person who has been taken into custody is the respondent to that order, if the protected person cannot produce an endorsed copy of the order, a law enforcement officer shall immediately attempt to verify the existence of the order.
(7)If the law enforcement officer determines that a protective order has been issued, issued but not served, the officer shall immediately notify the respondent of the terms of the order and where a written copy of the order can be obtained, and the officer shall at that time also enforce the order. The law enforcement officers verbal notice of the terms of the order shall constitute service of the order and is sufficient notice for the purposes of this section and for the purposes of Section 273.6 of the Penal Code.
(p)
(q)Nothing in this section shall preclude either party from representation by private counsel or from appearing on the partys own behalf.
(q)
(r)There is no filing fee for a petition, response, or paper seeking the reissuance, modification, or enforcement of a protective order filed in a proceeding brought pursuant to this section.
(r)
(s)Pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (b) of Section 6103.2 of the Government Code, a petitioner shall not be required to pay a fee for law enforcement to serve an order issued under this section.
(s)
(t)The prevailing party in any an action brought under this section may be awarded court costs and attorneys fees, if any.
(t)
(u)(1)A person subject to a protective order under this section shall not own, possess, purchase, receive, or attempt to receive a firearm or ammunition while the protective order is in effect.
(2)The court shall order a person subject to a protective order issued under this section to relinquish any firearms he or she owns or possesses pursuant to Section 527.9 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
(3)Every person who owns, possesses, purchases, or receives, or attempts to purchase or receive a firearm or ammunition while subject to a protective order issued under this section is punishable pursuant to Section 29825 of the Penal Code.
(4)This subdivision shall does not apply in a case in which the a protective order issued under this section was made solely on the basis of financial abuse unaccompanied by force, threat, harassment, intimidation, or any other form of abuse.
(u)
(v)Any willful disobedience of any temporary restraining order or restraining order after hearing granted under this section is punishable pursuant to Section 273.6 of the Penal Code.
(v)
(w)This section does not apply to any action or proceeding governed by Title 1.6C (commencing with Section 1788) of Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code, by Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 525) of Title 7 of Part 2 of the Code of Civil Procedure, or by Division 10 (commencing with Section 6200) of the Family Code. Nothing in this section shall preclude a petitioners right to use other existing civil remedies.
(w)
(x)The Judicial Council shall develop forms, instructions, and rules relating to matters governed by this section. The petition and response forms shall be simple and concise, and their use by parties in actions brought pursuant to this section shall be mandatory.
(y)This section shall become inoperative on July 1, 2016, and, as of January 1, 2017, is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that becomes operative on or before January 1, 2017, deletes or extends the dates on which it becomes inoperative and is repealed.
SEC. 3.5.Section 15657.03 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:15657.03.(a)(1) An elder or dependent adult who has suffered abuse, as defined in Section 15610.07, may seek protective orders as provided in this section.
(2)A petition may be brought on behalf of an abused elder or dependent adult by a conservator or a trustee of the elder or dependent adult, an attorney-in-fact of an elder or dependent adult who acts within the authority of a power of attorney, a person appointed as a guardian ad litem for the elder or dependent adult, or other person legally authorized to seek the relief.
(3)(A) A petition under this section may be brought on behalf of an elder or dependent adult by a county adult protective services agency in either of the following circumstances:
(i)If the elder or dependent adult has suffered abuse as defined in subdivision (b) and has an impaired ability to appreciate and understand the circumstances that place him or her at risk of harm.
(ii)If the elder or dependent adult has provided written authorization to a county adult protective services agency to act on his or her behalf.
(B)In the case of a petition filed pursuant to clause (i) of subparagraph (A) by a county adult protective services agency, a referral shall be made to the public guardian consistent with Section 2920 of the Probate Code prior to or concurrent with the filing of the petition, unless a petition for appointment of a conservator has already been filed with the probate court by the public guardian or another party.
(C)A county adult protective services agency shall be subject to any confidentiality restrictions that otherwise apply to its activities under law and shall disclose only those facts as necessary to establish reasonable cause for the filing of the petition, including, in the case of a petition filed pursuant to clause (i) of subparagraph (A), to establish the agencys belief that the elder or dependent adult has suffered abuse and has an impaired ability to appreciate and understand the circumstances that place him or her at risk, and as may be requested by the court in determining whether to issue an order under this section.
(b)For purposes of this section:
(1)Abuse has the meaning set forth in Section 15610.07.
(2)Conservator means the legally appointed conservator of the person or estate of the petitioner, or both.
(3)Petitioner means the elder or dependent adult to be protected by the protective orders and, if the court grants the petition, the protected person.
(4)Protective order means an order that includes any of the following restraining orders, whether issued ex parte, after notice and hearing, or in a judgment:
(A)An order enjoining a party from abusing, intimidating, molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, or coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of, the petitioner, and, in the discretion of the court, on a showing of good cause, of other named family or household members or a conservator, if any, of the petitioner. On a showing of good cause, in an order issued pursuant to this subparagraph in connection with an animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by the petitioner, or residing in the residence or household of the petitioner, the court may do either or both of the following:
(i)Grant the petitioner exclusive care, possession, or control of the animal.
(ii)Order the respondent to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal.
(B)An order excluding a party from the petitioners residence or dwelling, except that this order shall not be issued if legal or equitable title to, or lease of, the residence or dwelling is in the sole name of the party to be excluded, or is in the name of the party to be excluded and any other party besides the petitioner.
(C)An order enjoining a party from specified behavior that the court determines is necessary to effectuate orders described in subparagraph (A) or (B).
(5)Respondent means the person against whom the protective orders are sought and, if the petition is granted, the restrained person.
(c)An order may be issued under this section, with or without notice, to restrain any person for the purpose of preventing a recurrence of abuse, if a declaration shows, to the satisfaction of the court, reasonable proof of a past act or acts of abuse of the petitioning elder or dependent adult.
(d)Upon filing a petition for protective orders under this section, the petitioner may obtain a temporary restraining order in accordance with Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure, except to the extent this section provides a rule that is inconsistent. The temporary restraining order may include any of the protective orders described in paragraph (4) of subdivision (b). However, the court may issue an ex parte order excluding a party from the petitioners residence or dwelling only on a showing of all of the following:
(1)Facts sufficient for the court to ascertain that the party who will stay in the dwelling has a right under color of law to possession of the premises.
(2)That the party to be excluded has assaulted or threatens to assault the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or a conservator of the petitioner.
(3)That physical or emotional harm would otherwise result to the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or a conservator of the petitioner.
(e)A request for the issuance of a temporary restraining order without notice under this section shall be granted or denied on the same day that the petition is submitted to the court, unless the petition is filed too late in the day to permit effective review, in which case the order shall be granted or denied on the next day of judicial business in sufficient time for the order to be filed that day with the clerk of the court.
(f)Within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days, from the date that a request for a temporary restraining order is granted or denied, a hearing shall be held on the petition. If no request for temporary orders is made, the hearing shall be held within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days, from the date that the petition is filed.
(g)The respondent may file a response that explains or denies the alleged abuse.
(h)The court may issue, upon notice and a hearing, any of the orders set forth in paragraph (4) of subdivision (b). The court may issue, after notice and hearing, an order excluding a person from a residence or dwelling if the court finds that physical or emotional harm would otherwise result to the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or conservator of the petitioner.
(i)(1) In the discretion of the court, an order issued after notice and a hearing under this section may have a duration of not more than five years, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. These orders may be renewed upon the request of a party, either for five years or permanently, without a showing of any further abuse since the issuance of the original order, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. The request for renewal may be brought at any time within the three months before the expiration of the order.
(2)The failure to state the expiration date on the face of the form creates an order with a duration of three years from the date of issuance.
(3)If an action is filed for the purpose of terminating or modifying a protective order prior to the expiration date specified in the order by a party other than the protected party, the party who is protected by the order shall be given notice, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 1005 of the Code of Civil Procedure, of the proceeding by personal service or, if the protected party has satisfied the requirements of Chapter 3.1 (commencing with Section 6205) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, by service on the Secretary of State. If the party who is protected by the order cannot be notified prior to the hearing for modification or termination of the protective order, the court shall deny the motion to modify or terminate the order without prejudice or continue the hearing until the party who is protected can be properly noticed and may, upon a showing of good cause, specify another method for service of process that is reasonably designed to afford actual notice to the protected party. The protected party may waive his or her right to notice if he or she is physically present in court and does not challenge the sufficiency of the notice.
(j)In a proceeding under this section, a support person may accompany a party in court and, if the party is not represented by an attorney, may sit with the party at the table that is generally reserved for the party and the partys attorney. The support person is present to provide moral and emotional support for a person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse. The support person is not present as a legal adviser and may not provide legal advice. The support person may assist the person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse in feeling more confident that he or she will not be injured or threatened by the other party during the proceedings if the person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse and the other party are required to be present in close proximity. This subdivision does not preclude the court from exercising its discretion to remove the support person from the courtroom if the court believes the support person is prompting, swaying, or influencing the party assisted by the support person.
(k)Upon the filing of a petition for protective orders under this section, the respondent shall be personally served with a copy of the petition, notice of the hearing or order to show cause, temporary restraining order, if any, and any declarations in support of the petition. Service shall be made at least five days before the hearing. The court may, on motion of the petitioner or on its own motion, shorten the time for service on the respondent.
(l)A notice of hearing under this section shall notify the respondent that if he or she does not attend the hearing, the court may make orders against him or her that could last up to five years.
(m)The respondent shall be entitled, as a matter of course, to one continuance, for a reasonable period, to respond to the petition.
(n)(1) Either party may request a continuance of the hearing, which the court shall grant on a showing of good cause. The request may be made in writing before or at the hearing or orally at the hearing. The court may also grant a continuance on its own motion.
(2)If the court grants a continuance, any temporary restraining order that has been granted shall remain in effect until the end of the continued hearing, unless otherwise ordered by the court. In granting a continuance, the court may modify or terminate a temporary restraining order.
(o)(1) If a respondent, named in an order issued under this section after a hearing, has not been served personally with the order but has received actual notice of the existence and substance of the order through personal appearance in court to hear the terms of the order from the court, no additional proof of service is required for enforcement of the order.
(2)If the respondent named in a temporary restraining order is personally served with the order and notice of hearing with respect to a restraining order or protective order based on the temporary restraining order, but the respondent does not appear at the hearing, either personally or by an attorney, and the terms and conditions of the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing are identical to the temporary restraining order, except for the duration of the order, then the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing may be served on the respondent by first-class mail sent to the respondent at the most current address for the respondent that is available to the court.
(3)The Judicial Council form for temporary orders issued pursuant to this subdivision shall contain a statement in substantially the following form:
If you have been personally served with a temporary restraining order and notice of hearing, but you do not appear at the hearing either in person or by a lawyer, and a restraining order that is the same as this temporary restraining order except for the expiration date is issued at the hearing, a copy of the order will be served on you by mail at the following address:
If that address is not correct or you wish to verify that the temporary restraining order was converted to a restraining order at the hearing without substantive change and to find out the duration of that order, contact the clerk of the court.
(p)(1) Information on a protective order relating to elder or dependent adult abuse issued by a court pursuant to this section shall be transmitted to the Department of Justice in accordance with either paragraph (2) or (3).
(2)The court shall order the petitioner or the attorney for the petitioner to deliver a copy of an order issued under this section, or a reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by the close of the business day on which the order, reissuance, extension, modification, or termination was made, to each law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the residence of the petitioner, and to any additional law enforcement agencies within the courts discretion as are requested by the petitioner.
(3)Alternatively, the court or its designee shall transmit, within one business day, to law enforcement personnel all information required under subdivision (b) of Section 6380 of the Family Code regarding any order issued under this section, or a reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by either one of the following methods:
(A)Transmitting a physical copy of the order or proof of service to a local law enforcement agency authorized by the Department of Justice to enter orders into the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS).
(B)With the approval of the Department of Justice, entering the order or proof of service into CLETS directly.
(4)Each appropriate law enforcement agency shall make available information as to the existence and current status of these orders to law enforcement officers responding to the scene of reported abuse.
(5)An order issued under this section shall, on request of the petitioner, be served on the respondent, whether or not the respondent has been taken into custody, by any law enforcement officer who is present at the scene of reported abuse involving the parties to the proceeding. The petitioner shall provide the officer with an endorsed copy of the order and a proof of service, which the officer shall complete and send to the issuing court.
(6)Upon receiving information at the scene of an incident of abuse that a protective order has been issued under this section, or that a person who has been taken into custody is the respondent to that order, if the protected person cannot produce an endorsed copy of the order, a law enforcement officer shall immediately attempt to verify the existence of the order.
(7)If the law enforcement officer determines that a protective order has been issued but not served, the officer shall immediately notify the respondent of the terms of the order and where a written copy of the order can be obtained, and the officer shall at that time also enforce the order. The law enforcement officers verbal notice of the terms of the order shall constitute service of the order and is sufficient notice for the purposes of this section and for the purposes of Section 273.6 of the Penal Code.
(q)Nothing in this section shall preclude either party from representation by private counsel or from appearing on the partys own behalf.
(r)There is no filing fee for a petition, response, or paper seeking the reissuance, modification, or enforcement of a protective order filed in a proceeding brought pursuant to this section.
(s)Pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (b) of Section 6103.2 of the Government Code, a petitioner shall not be required to pay a fee for law enforcement to serve an order issued under this section.
(t)The prevailing party in an action brought under this section may be awarded court costs and attorneys fees, if any.
(u)(1) A person subject to a protective order under this section shall not own, possess, purchase, receive, or attempt to receive a firearm or ammunition while the protective order is in effect.
(2)The court shall order a person subject to a protective order issued under this section to relinquish any firearms he or she owns or possesses pursuant to Section 527.9 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
(3)Every person who owns, possesses, purchases, or receives, or attempts to purchase or receive a firearm or ammunition while subject to a protective order issued under this section is punishable pursuant to Section 29825 of the Penal Code.
(4)This subdivision does not apply in a case in which a protective order issued under this section was made solely on the basis of financial abuse unaccompanied by force, threat, harassment, intimidation, or any other form of abuse.
(v)In a proceeding brought under paragraph (3) of subdivision (a), all of the following apply:
(1)Upon the filing of a petition for a protective order, the elder or dependent adult on whose behalf the petition has been filed shall receive a copy of the petition, a notice of the hearing, and any declarations submitted in support of the petition. The elder or dependent adult shall receive this information at least five days before the hearing. The court may, on motion of the petitioner or on its own motion, shorten the time for provision of this information to the elder or dependent adult.
(2)The adult protective services agency shall make reasonable efforts to assist the elder or dependent adult to attend the hearing and provide testimony to the court, if he or she wishes to do so. If the elder or dependent adult does not attend the hearing, the agency shall provide information to the court at the hearing regarding the reasons why the elder or dependent adult is not in attendance.
(3)Upon the filing of a petition for a protective order and upon issuance of an order granting the petition, the county adult protective services agency shall take all reasonable steps to provide for the safety of the elder or dependent adult, pursuant to Chapter 13 (commencing with Section 15750), which may include, but are not limited to, facilitating the location of alternative accommodations for the elder or dependent adult, if needed.
(w)Any willful disobedience of any temporary restraining order or restraining order after hearing granted under this section is punishable pursuant to Section 273.6 of the Penal Code.
(x)This section does not apply to any action or proceeding governed by Title 1.6C (commencing with Section 1788) of Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code, Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 525) of Title 7 of Part 2 of the Code of Civil Procedure, or Division 10 (commencing with Section 6200) of the Family Code. Nothing in this section shall preclude a petitioners right to use other existing civil remedies.
(y)The Judicial Council shall develop forms, instructions, and rules relating to matters governed by this section. The petition and response forms shall be simple and concise, and shall be used by parties in actions brought pursuant to this section.
(z)This section shall become operative on July 1, 2016.
SEC. 4.(a)Section 1.5 of this bill incorporates amendments to Section 527.6 of the Code of Civil Procedure proposed by both this bill and Assembly Bill 1081. It shall only become operative if (1) both bills are enacted and become effective on or before January 1, 2016, (2) each bill amends Section 527.6 of the Code of Civil Procedure, and (3) this bill is enacted after Assembly Bill 1081, in which case Section 1 of this bill shall not become operative.
(b)Section 2.5 of this bill incorporates amendments to Section 213.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code proposed by both this bill and Assembly Bill 1081. It shall only become operative if (1) both bills are enacted and become effective on or before January 1, 2016, (2) each bill amends Section 213.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, and (3) this bill is enacted after Assembly Bill 1081, in which case Section 2 of this bill shall not become operative.
(c)Section 3.1 of this bill incorporates amendments to Section 15657.03 of the Welfare and Institutions Code proposed by both this bill and Assembly Bill 1081. It shall only become operative if (1) both bills are enacted and become effective on or before January 1, 2016, (2) each bill amends Section 15657.03 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, and (3) Senate Bill 196 is not enacted or as enacted does not amend that section, and (4) this bill is enacted after Assembly Bill 1081, in which case Sections 3, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, and 3.5 of this bill shall not become operative.
(d)Sections 3.2 and 3.3 of this bill incorporate amendments to Section 15657.03 of the Welfare and Institutions Code proposed by both this bill and Senate Bill 196. They shall only become operative if (1) both bills are enacted and become effective on or before January 1, 2016, (2) each bill amends Section 15657.03 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, and (3) Assembly Bill 1081 is not enacted or as enacted does not amend that section, and (4) this bill is enacted after Senate Bill 196, in which case Sections 3, 3.1, 3.4, and 3.5 of this bill shall not become operative.
(e)Sections 3.4 and 3.5 of this bill incorporate amendments to Section 15657.03 of the Welfare and Institutions Code proposed by this bill, Assembly Bill 1081, and Senate Bill 196. They shall only become operative if (1) all three bills are enacted and become effective on or before January 1, 2016, (2) all three bills amend Section 15657.03 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, and (3) this bill is enacted after Assembly Bill 1081 and Senate Bill 196, in which case Sections 3, 3.1, 3.2, and 3.3 of this bill shall not become operative.
(a)(1)A person who has suffered harassment as defined in subdivision (b) may seek a temporary restraining order and an injunction prohibiting harassment as provided in this section.
(2)A minor, under 12 years of age, accompanied by a duly appointed and acting guardian ad litem, shall be permitted to appear in court without counsel for the limited purpose of requesting or opposing a request for a temporary restraining order or injunction, or both, under this section as provided in Section 374.
(b)For the purposes of this section:
(1)Course of conduct is a pattern of conduct composed of a series of acts over a period of time, however short, evidencing a continuity of purpose, including following or stalking an individual, making harassing telephone calls to an individual, or sending harassing correspondence to an individual by any means, including, but not limited to, the use of public or private mails, interoffice mail, facsimile, or computer email. Constitutionally protected activity is not included within the meaning of course of conduct.
(2)Credible threat of violence is a knowing and willful statement or course of conduct that would place a reasonable person in fear for his or her safety, or the safety of his or her immediate family, and that serves no legitimate purpose.
(3)Harassment is unlawful violence, a credible threat of violence, or a knowing and willful course of conduct directed at a specific person that seriously alarms, annoys, or harasses the person, and that serves no legitimate purpose. The course of conduct must be such as would cause a reasonable person to suffer substantial emotional distress, and must actually cause substantial emotional distress to the petitioner.
(4)Petitioner means the person to be protected by the temporary restraining order and injunction and, if the court grants the petition, the protected person.
(5)Respondent means the person against whom the temporary restraining order and injunction are sought and, if the petition is granted, the restrained person.
(6)Temporary restraining order and injunction mean orders that include any of the following restraining orders, whether issued ex parte or after notice and hearing:
(A)An order enjoining a party from harassing, intimidating, molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, abusing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls, as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, or coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of, the petitioner. On a showing of good cause, in an order issued pursuant to this subparagraph in connection with an animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by the petitioner, or residing in the residence or household of the petitioner, the court may do either or both of the following:
(i)Grant the petitioner exclusive care, possession, or control of an the animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by the petitioner, or residing in the residence or household of the petitioner.
(ii)Order the respondent to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal.
(B)An order enjoining a party from specified behavior that the court determines is necessary to effectuate orders described in subparagraph (A).
(7)Unlawful violence is any assault or battery, or stalking as prohibited in Section 646.9 of the Penal Code, but shall not include lawful acts of self-defense or defense of others.
(c)In the discretion of the court, on a showing of good cause, a temporary restraining order or injunction issued under this section may include other named family or household members.
(d)Upon filing a petition for an injunction under this section, the petitioner may obtain a temporary restraining order in accordance with Section 527, except to the extent this section provides a rule that is inconsistent. The temporary restraining order may include any of the restraining orders described in paragraph (6) of subdivision (b). A temporary restraining order may be issued with or without notice, based on a declaration that, to the satisfaction of the court, shows reasonable proof of harassment of the petitioner by the respondent, and that great or irreparable harm would result to the petitioner.
(e)A request for the issuance of a temporary restraining order without notice under this section shall be granted or denied on the same day that the petition is submitted to the court, unless the petition is filed too late in the day to permit effective review, in which case the order shall be granted or denied on the next day of judicial business in sufficient time for the order to be filed that day with the clerk of the court.
(f)A temporary restraining order issued under this section shall remain in effect, at the courts discretion, for a period not to exceed 21 days, or, if the court extends the time for hearing under subdivision (g), not to exceed 25 days, unless otherwise modified or terminated by the court.
(g)Within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days from the date that a petition for a temporary order is granted or denied, a hearing shall be held on the petition for the injunction. If no request for temporary orders is made, the hearing shall be held within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days, from the date that the petition is filed.
(h)The respondent may file a response that explains, excuses, justifies, or denies the alleged harassment or may file a cross-petition under this section.
(i)At the hearing, the judge shall receive any testimony that is relevant, and may make an independent inquiry. If the judge finds by clear and convincing evidence that unlawful harassment exists, an injunction shall issue prohibiting the harassment.
(j)(1)In the discretion of the court, an order issued after notice and hearing under this section may have a duration of not more than five years, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. The order may be renewed, upon the request of a party, for a duration of not more than five additional years, without a showing of any further harassment since the issuance of the original order, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. A request for renewal may be brought at any time within the three months before the expiration of the order.
(2)The failure to state the expiration date on the face of the form creates an order with a duration of three years from the date of issuance.
(3)If an action is filed for the purpose of terminating or modifying a protective order prior to the expiration date specified in the order by a party other than the protected party, the party who is protected by the order shall be given notice, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 1005, of the proceeding by personal service or, if the protected party has satisfied the requirements of Chapter 3.1 (commencing with Section 6205) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, by service on the Secretary of State. If the party who is protected by the order cannot be notified prior to the hearing for modification or termination of the protective order, the court shall deny the motion to modify or terminate the order without prejudice or continue the hearing until the party who is protected can be properly noticed and may, upon a showing of good cause, specify another method for service of process that is reasonably designed to afford actual notice to the protected party. The protected party may waive his or her right to notice if he or she is physically present in court and does not challenge the sufficiency of the notice.
(k)This section does not preclude either party from representation by private counsel or from appearing on the partys own behalf.
(l)In a proceeding under this section if there are allegations of unlawful violence or credible threats of violence, a support person may accompany a party in court and, if the party is not represented by an attorney, may sit with the party at the table that is generally reserved for the party and the partys attorney. The support person is present to provide moral and emotional support for a person who alleges he or she is a victim of violence. The support person is not present as a legal adviser and may not provide legal advice. The support person may assist the person who alleges he or she is a victim of violence in feeling more confident that he or she will not be injured or threatened by the other party during the proceedings if the person who alleges he or she is a victim of violence and the other party are required to be present in close proximity. This subdivision does not preclude the court from exercising its discretion to remove the support person from the courtroom if the court believes the support person is prompting, swaying, or influencing the party assisted by the support person.
(m)Upon the filing of a petition for an injunction under this section, the respondent shall be personally served with a copy of the petition, temporary restraining order, if any, and notice of hearing of the petition. Service shall be made at least five days before the hearing. The court may for good cause, on motion of the petitioner or on its own motion, shorten the time for service on the respondent.
(n)A notice of hearing under this section shall notify the respondent that if he or she does not attend the hearing, the court may make orders against him or her that could last up to three years.
(o)(1)The court may, upon the filing of a declaration by the petitioner that the respondent could not be served within the time required by statute, reissue an order previously issued and dissolved by the court for failure to serve the respondent. The reissued order shall remain in effect until the date set for the hearing.
(2)The reissued order shall state on its face the date of expiration of the order.
(p)(1)If a respondent, named in a restraining order issued after a hearing, has not been served personally with the order but has received actual notice of the existence and substance of the order through personal appearance in court to hear the terms of the order from the court, no additional proof of service is required for enforcement of the order.
(2)If the respondent named in a temporary restraining order is personally served with the order and notice of hearing with respect to a restraining order or protective order based on the temporary restraining order, but the respondent does not appear at the hearing, either personally or by an attorney, and the terms and conditions of the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing are identical to the temporary restraining order, except for the duration of the order, then the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing may be served on the respondent by first-class mail sent to the respondent at the most current address for the respondent available to the court.
(3)The Judicial Council form for temporary orders issued pursuant to this subdivision shall contain a statement in substantially the following form:
If you have been personally served with this temporary restraining order and notice of hearing, but you do not appear at the hearing either in person or by a lawyer, and a restraining order that is the same as this temporary restraining order except for the expiration date is issued at the hearing, a copy of the restraining order will be served on you by mail at the following address: ____.
If that address is not correct or you wish to verify that the temporary restraining order was converted to a restraining order at the hearing without substantive change and to find out the duration of that order, contact the clerk of the court.
(q)(1)Information on any temporary restraining order or injunction relating to civil harassment issued by a court pursuant to this section shall be transmitted to the Department of Justice in accordance with either paragraph (2) or (3).
(2)The court shall order the petitioner or the attorney for the petitioner to deliver a copy of an order issued under this section, or reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by the close of the business day on which the order, reissuance, extension, modification, or termination was made, to a law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the residence of the petitioner and to any additional law enforcement agencies within the courts discretion as are requested by the petitioner.
(3)Alternatively, the court or its designee shall transmit, within one business day, to law enforcement personnel all information required under subdivision (b) of Section 6380 of the Family Code regarding any order issued under this section, or a reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by either one of the following methods:
(A)Transmitting a physical copy of the order or proof of service to a local law enforcement agency authorized by the Department of Justice to enter orders into the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS).
(B)With the approval of the Department of Justice, entering the order or proof of service into CLETS directly.
(4)Each appropriate law enforcement agency shall make available information as to the existence and current status of these orders to law enforcement officers responding to the scene of reported harassment.
(5)An order issued under this section shall, on request of the petitioner, be served on the respondent, whether or not the respondent has been taken into custody, by any law enforcement officer who is present at the scene of reported harassment involving the parties to the proceeding. The petitioner shall provide the officer with an endorsed copy of the order and a proof of service that the officer shall complete and send to the issuing court.
(6)Upon receiving information at the scene of an incident of harassment that a protective order has been issued under this section, or that a person who has been taken into custody is the subject of an order, if the protected person cannot produce a certified copy of the order, a law enforcement officer shall immediately attempt to verify the existence of the order.
(7)If the law enforcement officer determines that a protective order has been issued, but not served, the officer shall immediately notify the respondent of the terms of the order and shall at that time also enforce the order. Verbal notice of the terms of the order shall constitute service of the order and is sufficient notice for the purposes of this section and for the purposes of Section 29825 of the Penal Code.
(r)The prevailing party in any action brought under this section may be awarded court costs and attorneys fees, if any.
(s)Any willful disobedience of any temporary restraining order or injunction granted under this section is punishable pursuant to Section 273.6 of the Penal Code.
(t)(1)A person subject to a protective order issued under this section shall not own, possess, purchase, receive, or attempt to purchase or receive a firearm or ammunition while the protective order is in effect.
(2)The court shall order a person subject to a protective order issued under this section to relinquish any firearms he or she owns or possesses pursuant to Section 527.9.
(3)Every person who owns, possesses, purchases, or receives, or attempts to purchase or receive, a firearm or ammunition while the protective order is in effect is punishable pursuant to Section 29825 of the Penal Code.
(u)This section does not apply to any action or proceeding covered by Title 1.6C (commencing with Section 1788) of Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code or by Division 10 (commencing with Section 6200) of the Family Code. This section does not preclude a petitioner from using other existing civil remedies.
(v)(1)The Judicial Council shall develop forms, instructions, and rules relating to matters governed by this section. The petition and response forms shall be simple and concise, and their use by parties in actions brought pursuant to this section shall be mandatory.
(2)A temporary restraining order or injunction relating to civil harassment issued by a court pursuant to this section shall be issued on forms adopted by the Judicial Council of California and that have been approved by the Department of Justice pursuant to subdivision (i) of Section 6380 of the Family Code. However, the fact that an order issued by a court pursuant to this section was not issued on forms adopted by the Judicial Council and approved by the Department of Justice shall not, in and of itself, make the order unenforceable.
(w)There is no filing fee for a petition that alleges that a person has inflicted or threatened violence against the petitioner, or stalked the petitioner, or acted or spoken in any other manner that has placed the petitioner in reasonable fear of violence, and that seeks a protective or restraining order or injunction restraining stalking or future violence or threats of violence, in any action brought pursuant to this section. A fee shall not be paid for a subpoena filed in connection with a petition alleging these acts. A fee shall not be paid for filing a response to a petition alleging these acts.
(x)(1)Subject to paragraph (4) of subdivision (b) of Section 6103.2 of the Government Code, there shall not be a fee for the service of process by a sheriff or marshal of a protective order, restraining order, or injunction to be issued, if either of the following conditions applies:
(A)The protective order, restraining order, or injunction issued pursuant to this section is based upon stalking, as prohibited by Section 646.9 of the Penal Code.
(B)The protective order, restraining order, or injunction issued pursuant to this section is based upon unlawful violence or a credible threat of violence.
(2)The Judicial Council shall prepare and develop forms for persons who wish to avail themselves of the services described in this subdivision.
(y)This section shall become operative on July 1, 2014.
SEC. 2.Section 213.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:213.5.(a)After a petition has been filed pursuant to Section 311 to declare a child a dependent child of the juvenile court, and until the time that the petition is dismissed or dependency is terminated, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure or in the manner provided by Section 6300 of the Family Code, if related to domestic violence, the juvenile court has exclusive jurisdiction to issue ex parte orders (1) enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of the child or any other child in the household; and (2) excluding any person from the dwelling of the person who has care, custody, and control of the child. A court may also issue an ex parte order enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of any parent, legal guardian, or current caretaker of the child, regardless of whether the child resides with that parent, legal guardian, or current caretaker, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure or, if related to domestic violence, in the manner provided by Section 6300 of the Family Code. A court may also issue an ex parte order enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of the childs current or former social worker or court appointed special advocate, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure. On a showing of good cause, in an ex parte order issued pursuant to this subdivision in connection with an animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by a person protected by the restraining order, or residing in the residence or household of a person protected by the restraining order, the court may do either or both of the following:
(1)Grant the applicant exclusive care, possession, or control of an animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by a person protected by the restraining order, or residing in the residence or household of a person protected by the restraining order. the animal.
(2)Order the restrained person to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal.
(b)After a petition has been filed pursuant to Section 601 or 602 to declare a child a ward of the juvenile court, and until the time that the petition is dismissed or wardship is terminated, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure or, if related to domestic violence, in the manner provided by Section 6300 of the Family Code, the juvenile court may issue ex parte orders (1) enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of the child or any other child in the household; (2) excluding any person from the dwelling of the person who has care, custody, and control of the child; or (3) enjoining the child from contacting, threatening, stalking, or disturbing the peace of any person the court finds to be at risk from the conduct of the child, or with whom association would be detrimental to the child. A court may also issue an ex parte order enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of any parent, legal guardian, or current caretaker of the child, regardless of whether the child resides with that parent, legal guardian, or current caretaker, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure or, if related to domestic violence, in the manner provided by Section 6300 of the Family Code. A court may also issue an ex parte order enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of the childs current or former probation officer or court appointed special advocate, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure. On a showing of good cause, in an ex parte order issued pursuant to this subdivision in connection with an animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by a person protected by the restraining order, or residing in the residence or household of a person protected by the restraining order, the court may do either or both of the following:
(1)Grant the applicant exclusive care, possession, or control of an the animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by a person protected by the restraining order, or residing in the residence or household of a person protected by the restraining order.
(2)Order the respondent to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal.
(c)If a temporary restraining order is granted without notice, the matter shall be made returnable on an order requiring cause to be shown why the order should not be granted, on the earliest day that the business of the court will permit, but not later than 21 days or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days from the date the temporary restraining order is granted. The court may, on the motion of the person seeking the restraining order, or on its own motion, shorten the time for service of the order to show cause on the person to be restrained. The court may, upon its own motion or the filing of a declaration by the person seeking the restraining order, find that the person to be restrained could not be served within the time required by law and reissue an order previously issued and dissolved by the court for failure to serve the person to be restrained. The reissued order shall remain in effect until the date set for the hearing. The reissued order shall state on its face the date of expiration of the order. Any hearing pursuant to this section may be held simultaneously with any regularly scheduled hearings held in proceedings to declare a child a dependent child or ward of the juvenile court pursuant to Section 300, 601, or 602, or subsequent hearings regarding the dependent child or ward.
(d)(1)The juvenile court may issue, upon notice and a hearing, any of the orders set forth in subdivisions (a), (b), and (c). Any restraining order granted pursuant to this subdivision shall remain in effect, in the discretion of the court, no more than three years, unless otherwise terminated by the court, extended by mutual consent of all parties to the restraining order, or extended by further order of the court on the motion of any party to the restraining order.
(2)If an action is filed for the purpose of terminating or modifying a protective order prior to the expiration date specified in the order by a party other than the protected party, the party who is protected by the order shall be given notice, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 1005 of the Code of Civil Procedure, of the proceeding by personal service or, if the protected party has satisfied the requirements of Chapter 3.1 (commencing with Section 6205) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, by service on the Secretary of State. If the party who is protected by the order cannot be notified prior to the hearing for modification or termination of the protective order, the juvenile court shall deny the motion to modify or terminate the order without prejudice or continue the hearing until the party who is protected can be properly noticed and may, upon a showing of good cause, specify another method for service of process that is reasonably designed to afford actual notice to the protected party. The protected party may waive his or her right to notice if he or she is physically present and does not challenge the sufficiency of the notice.
(e)(1)The juvenile court may issue an order made pursuant to subdivision (a), (b), or (d) excluding a person from a residence or dwelling. This order may be issued for the time and on the conditions that the court determines, regardless of which party holds legal or equitable title or is the lessee of the residence or dwelling.
(2)The court may issue an order under paragraph (1) only on a showing of all of the following:
(A)Facts sufficient for the court to ascertain that the party who will stay in the dwelling has a right under color of law to possession of the premises.
(B)That the party to be excluded has assaulted or threatens to assault the other party or any other person under the care, custody, and control of the other party, or any minor child of the parties or of the other party.
(C)That physical or emotional harm would otherwise result to the other party, to any person under the care, custody, and control of the other party, or to any minor child of the parties or of the other party.
(f)Any order issued pursuant to subdivision (a), (b), (c), or (d) shall state on its face the date of expiration of the order.
(g)All data with respect to a juvenile court protective order, or extension, modification, or termination thereof, granted pursuant to subdivision (a), (b), (c), or (d), shall be transmitted by the court or its designee, within one business day, to law enforcement personnel by either one of the following methods:
(1)Transmitting a physical copy of the order to a local law enforcement agency authorized by the Department of Justice to enter orders into the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS).
(2)With the approval of the Department of Justice, entering the order into CLETS directly.
(h)Any willful and knowing violation of any order granted pursuant to subdivision (a), (b), (c), or (d) shall be a misdemeanor punishable under Section 273.65 of the Penal Code.
(i)A juvenile court restraining order related to domestic violence issued by a court pursuant to this section shall be issued on forms adopted by the Judicial Council of California and that have been approved by the Department of Justice pursuant to subdivision (i) of Section 6380 of the Family Code. However, the fact that an order issued by a court pursuant to this section was not issued on forms adopted by the Judicial Council and approved by the Department of Justice shall not, in and of itself, make the order unenforceable.
(j)(1)Prior to a hearing on the issuance or denial of an order under this part, a search shall be conducted as described in subdivision (a) of Section 6306 of the Family Code.
(2)Prior to deciding whether to issue an order under this part, the court shall consider the following information obtained pursuant to a search conducted under paragraph (1): any conviction for a violent felony specified in Section 667.5 of the Penal Code or a serious felony specified in Section 1192.7 of the Penal Code; any misdemeanor conviction involving domestic violence, weapons, or other violence; any outstanding warrant; parole or probation status; any prior restraining order; and any violation of a prior restraining order.
(3)(A)If the results of the search conducted pursuant to paragraph (1) indicate that an outstanding warrant exists against the subject of the search, the court shall order the clerk of the court to immediately notify, by the most effective means available, appropriate law enforcement officials of any information obtained through the search that the court determines is appropriate. The law enforcement officials notified shall take all actions necessary to execute any outstanding warrants or any other actions, as appropriate and as soon as practicable.
(B)If the results of the search conducted pursuant to paragraph (1) indicate that the subject of the search is currently on parole or probation, the court shall order the clerk of the court to immediately notify, by the most effective means available, the appropriate parole or probation officer of any information obtained through the search that the court determines is appropriate. The parole or probation officer notified shall take all actions necessary to revoke any parole or probation, or any other actions, with respect to the subject person, as appropriate and as soon as practicable.
(k)Upon making any order for custody or visitation pursuant to this section, the court shall follow the procedures specified in subdivisions (c) and (d) of Section 6323 of the Family Code.
SEC. 3.Section 15657.03 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:15657.03.(a)(1)An elder or dependent adult who has suffered abuse as defined in Section 15610.07 may seek protective orders as provided in this section.
(2)A petition may be brought on behalf of an abused elder or dependent adult by a conservator or a trustee of the elder or dependent adult, an attorney-in-fact of an elder or dependent adult who acts within the authority of the power of attorney, a person appointed as a guardian ad litem for the elder or dependent adult, or other person legally authorized to seek such relief.
(b)For the purposes of this section:
(1)Conservator means the legally appointed conservator of the person or estate of the petitioner, or both.
(2)Petitioner means the elder or dependent adult to be protected by the protective orders and, if the court grants the petition, the protected person.
(3)Protective order means an order that includes any of the following restraining orders, whether issued ex parte, after notice and hearing, or in a judgment:
(A)An order enjoining a party from abusing, intimidating, molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, or coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of, the petitioner, and, in the discretion of the court, on a showing of good cause, of other named family or household members or a conservator, if any, of the petitioner. On a showing of good cause, in an order issued pursuant to this subparagraph in connection with an animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by the petitioner, or residing in the residence or household of the petitioner, the court may do either or both of the following:
(i)Grant the petitioner exclusive care, possession, or control of an animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by the petitioner, or residing in the residence or household of the petitioner. the animal.
(ii)Order the respondent to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal.
(B)An order excluding a party from the petitioners residence or dwelling, except that this order shall not be issued if legal or equitable title to, or lease of, the residence or dwelling is in the sole name of the party to be excluded, or is in the name of the party to be excluded and any other party besides the petitioner.
(C)An order enjoining a party from specified behavior that the court determines is necessary to effectuate orders described in subparagraph (A) or (B).
(4)Respondent means the person against whom the protective orders are sought and, if the petition is granted, the restrained person.
(c)An order may be issued under this section, with or without notice, to restrain any person for the purpose of preventing a recurrence of abuse, if a declaration shows, to the satisfaction of the court, reasonable proof of a past act or acts of abuse of the petitioning elder or dependent adult.
(d)Upon filing a petition for protective orders under this section, the petitioner may obtain a temporary restraining order in accordance with Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure, except to the extent this section provides a rule that is inconsistent. The temporary restraining order may include any of the protective orders described in paragraph (3) of subdivision (b). However, the court may issue an ex parte order excluding a party from the petitioners residence or dwelling only on a showing of all of the following:
(1)Facts sufficient for the court to ascertain that the party who will stay in the dwelling has a right under color of law to possession of the premises.
(2)That the party to be excluded has assaulted or threatens to assault the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or a conservator of the petitioner.
(3)That physical or emotional harm would otherwise result to the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or a conservator of the petitioner.
(e)A request for the issuance of a temporary restraining order without notice under this section shall be granted or denied on the same day that the petition is submitted to the court, unless the petition is filed too late in the day to permit effective review, in which case the order shall be granted or denied on the next day of judicial business in sufficient time for the order to be filed that day with the clerk of the court.
(f)Within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days, from the date that a request for a temporary restraining order is granted or denied, a hearing shall be held on the petition. If no request for temporary orders is made, the hearing shall be held within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days, from the date that the petition is filed.
(g)The respondent may file a response that explains or denies the alleged abuse.
(h)The court may issue, upon notice and a hearing, any of the orders set forth in paragraph (3) of subdivision (b). The court may issue, after notice and hearing, an order excluding a person from a residence or dwelling if the court finds that physical or emotional harm would otherwise result to the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or conservator of the petitioner.
(i)(1)In the discretion of the court, an order issued after notice and a hearing under this section may have a duration of not more than five years, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. These orders may be renewed upon the request of a party, either for five years or permanently, without a showing of any further abuse since the issuance of the original order, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. The request for renewal may be brought at any time within the three months before the expiration of the order.
(2)The failure to state the expiration date on the face of the form creates an order with a duration of three years from the date of issuance.
(3)If an action is filed for the purpose of terminating or modifying a protective order prior to the expiration date specified in the order by a party other than the protected party, the party who is protected by the order shall be given notice, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 1005 of the Code of Civil Procedure, of the proceeding by personal service or, if the protected party has satisfied the requirements of Chapter 3.1 (commencing with Section 6205) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, by service on the Secretary of State. If the party who is protected by the order cannot be notified prior to the hearing for modification or termination of the protective order, the court shall deny the motion to modify or terminate the order without prejudice or continue the hearing until the party who is protected can be properly noticed and may, upon a showing of good cause, specify another method for service of process that is reasonably designed to afford actual notice to the protected party. The protected party may waive his or her right to notice if he or she is physically present in court and does not challenge the sufficiency of the notice.
(j)In a proceeding under this section, a support person may accompany a party in court and, if the party is not represented by an attorney, may sit with the party at the table that is generally reserved for the party and the partys attorney. The support person is present to provide moral and emotional support for a person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse. The support person is not present as a legal adviser and may not provide legal advice. The support person may assist the person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse in feeling more confident that he or she will not be injured or threatened by the other party during the proceedings if the person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse and the other party are required to be present in close proximity. This subdivision does not preclude the court from exercising its discretion to remove the support person from the courtroom if the court believes the support person is prompting, swaying, or influencing the party assisted by the support person.
(k)Upon the filing of a petition for protective orders under this section, the respondent shall be personally served with a copy of the petition, notice of the hearing or order to show cause, temporary restraining order, if any, and any declarations in support of the petition. Service shall be made at least five days before the hearing. The court may, on motion of the petitioner or on its own motion, shorten the time for service on the respondent.
(l)A notice of hearing under this section shall notify the respondent that if he or she does not attend the hearing, the court may make orders against him or her that could last up to five years.
(m)(1)The court may, upon the filing of a declaration by the petitioner that the respondent could not be served within the time required by statute, reissue an order previously issued and dissolved by the court for failure to serve the respondent. The reissued order shall remain in effect until the date set for the hearing.
(2)The reissued order shall state on its face the date of expiration of the order.
(n)(1)If a respondent, named in an order issued under this section after a hearing, has not been served personally with the order but has received actual notice of the existence and substance of the order through personal appearance in court to hear the terms of the order from the court, no additional proof of service is required for enforcement of the order.
(2)If the respondent named in a temporary restraining order is personally served with the order and notice of hearing with respect to a restraining order or protective order based on the temporary restraining order, but the respondent does not appear at the hearing, either personally or by an attorney, and the terms and conditions of the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing are identical to the temporary restraining order, except for the duration of the order, then the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing may be served on the respondent by first-class mail sent to the respondent at the most current address for the respondent that is available to the court.
(3)The Judicial Council form for temporary orders issued pursuant to this subdivision shall contain a statement in substantially the following form:
If you have been personally served with a temporary restraining order and notice of hearing, but you do not appear at the hearing either in person or by a lawyer, and a restraining order that is the same as this temporary restraining order except for the expiration date is issued at the hearing, a copy of the order will be served on you by mail at the following address: ____.
If that address is not correct or you wish to verify that the temporary restraining order was converted to a restraining order at the hearing without substantive change and to find out the duration of that order, contact the clerk of the court.
(o)(1)Information on any protective order relating to elder or dependent adult abuse issued by a court pursuant to this section shall be transmitted to the Department of Justice in accordance with either paragraph (2) or (3).
(2)The court shall order the petitioner or the attorney for the petitioner to deliver a copy of an order issued under this section, or a reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by the close of the business day on which the order, reissuance, extension, modification, or termination was made, to each law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the residence of the petitioner, and to any additional law enforcement agencies within the courts discretion as are requested by the petitioner.
(3)Alternatively, the court or its designee shall transmit, within one business day, to law enforcement personnel all information required under subdivision (b) of Section 6380 of the Family Code regarding any order issued under this section, or a reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by either one of the following methods:
(A)Transmitting a physical copy of the order or proof of service to a local law enforcement agency authorized by the Department of Justice to enter orders into the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS).
(B)With the approval of the Department of Justice, entering the order or proof of service into CLETS directly.
(4)Each appropriate law enforcement agency shall make available information as to the existence and current status of these orders to law enforcement officers responding to the scene of reported abuse.
(5)An order issued under this section shall, on request of the petitioner, be served on the respondent, whether or not the respondent has been taken into custody, by any law enforcement officer who is present at the scene of reported abuse involving the parties to the proceeding. The petitioner shall provide the officer with an endorsed copy of the order and a proof of service, which the officer shall complete and send to the issuing court.
(6)Upon receiving information at the scene of an incident of abuse that a protective order has been issued under this section, or that a person who has been taken into custody is the respondent to that order, if the protected person cannot produce an endorsed copy of the order, a law enforcement officer shall immediately attempt to verify the existence of the order.
(7)If the law enforcement officer determines that a protective order has been issued, but not served, the officer shall immediately notify the respondent of the terms of the order and where a written copy of the order can be obtained, and the officer shall at that time also enforce the order. The law enforcement officers verbal notice of the terms of the order shall constitute service of the order and is sufficient notice for the purposes of this section and for the purposes of Section 273.6 of the Penal Code.
(p)Nothing in this section shall preclude either party from representation by private counsel or from appearing on the partys own behalf.
(q)There is no filing fee for a petition, response, or paper seeking the reissuance, modification, or enforcement of a protective order filed in a proceeding brought pursuant to this section.
(r)Pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (b) of Section 6103.2 of the Government Code, a petitioner shall not be required to pay a fee for law enforcement to serve an order issued under this section.
(s)The prevailing party in any action brought under this section may be awarded court costs and attorneys fees, if any.
(t)(1)A person subject to a protective order under this section shall not own, possess, purchase, receive, or attempt to receive a firearm or ammunition while the protective order is in effect.
(2)The court shall order a person subject to a protective order issued under this section to relinquish any firearms he or she owns or possesses pursuant to Section 527.9 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
(3)Every person who owns, possesses, purchases, or receives, or attempts to purchase or receive a firearm or ammunition while subject to a protective order issued under this section is punishable pursuant to Section 29825 of the Penal Code.
(4)This subdivision shall not apply in a case in which the protective order issued under this section was made solely on the basis of financial abuse unaccompanied by force, threat, harassment, intimidation, or any other form of abuse.
(u)Any willful disobedience of any temporary restraining order or restraining order after hearing granted under this section is punishable pursuant to Section 273.6 of the Penal Code.
(v)This section does not apply to any action or proceeding governed by Title 1.6C (commencing with Section 1788) of Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code, by Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 525) of Title 7 of Part 2 of the Code of Civil Procedure, or by Division 10 (commencing with Section 6200) of the Family Code. Nothing in this section shall preclude a petitioners right to use other existing civil remedies.
(w)The Judicial Council shall develop forms, instructions, and rules relating to matters governed by this section. The petition and response forms shall be simple and concise, and their use by parties in actions brought pursuant to this section shall be mandatory.
(a)(1)A person who has suffered harassment as defined in subdivision (b) may seek a temporary restraining order and an injunction prohibiting harassment as provided in this section.
(2)A minor, under 12 years of age, accompanied by a duly appointed and acting guardian ad litem, shall be permitted to appear in court without counsel for the limited purpose of requesting or opposing a request for a temporary restraining order or injunction, or both, under this section as provided in Section 374.
(b)For the purposes of this section:
(1)Course of conduct is a pattern of conduct composed of a series of acts over a period of time, however short, evidencing a continuity of purpose, including following or stalking an individual, making harassing telephone calls to an individual, or sending harassing correspondence to an individual by any means, including, but not limited to, the use of public or private mails, interoffice mail, facsimile, or computer email. Constitutionally protected activity is not included within the meaning of course of conduct.
(2)Credible threat of violence is a knowing and willful statement or course of conduct that would place a reasonable person in fear for his or her safety, or the safety of his or her immediate family, and that serves no legitimate purpose.
(3)Harassment is unlawful violence, a credible threat of violence, or a knowing and willful course of conduct directed at a specific person that seriously alarms, annoys, or harasses the person, and that serves no legitimate purpose. The course of conduct must be such as would cause a reasonable person to suffer substantial emotional distress, and must actually cause substantial emotional distress to the petitioner.
(4)Petitioner means the person to be protected by the temporary restraining order and injunction and, if the court grants the petition, the protected person.
(5)Respondent means the person against whom the temporary restraining order and injunction are sought and, if the petition is granted, the restrained person.
(6)Temporary restraining order and injunction mean orders that include any of the following restraining orders, whether issued ex parte or after notice and hearing:
(A)An order enjoining a party from harassing, intimidating, molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, abusing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls, as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, or coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of, the petitioner. On a showing of good cause, in an order issued pursuant to this subparagraph the court may do either or both of the following:
(i)Grant the petitioner exclusive care, possession, or control of an animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by the petitioner, or residing in the residence or household of the petitioner.
(ii)Order the respondent to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal.
(B)An order granting petitioners request for exclusive care, possession, or control of any animal or animals owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by the petitioner or another person residing in the residence or household of the petitioner. The court may order the respondent to stay away from the animal or animals and forbid the respondent from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of that animal or animals.
(C)
(B)An order enjoining a party from specified behavior that the court determines is necessary to effectuate orders described in subparagraph (A) or (B). (A).
(7)Unlawful violence is any assault or battery, or stalking as prohibited in Section 646.9 of the Penal Code, but shall not include lawful acts of self-defense or defense of others.
(c)In the discretion of the court, on a showing of good cause, a temporary restraining order or injunction issued under this section may include other named family or household members.
(d)Upon filing a petition for an injunction under this section, the petitioner may obtain a temporary restraining order in accordance with Section 527, except to the extent this section provides a rule that is inconsistent. The temporary restraining order may include any of the restraining orders described in paragraph (6) of subdivision (b). A temporary restraining order may be issued with or without notice, based on a declaration that, to the satisfaction of the court, shows reasonable proof of harassment of the petitioner by the respondent, and that great or irreparable harm would result to the petitioner.
(e)A request for the issuance of a temporary restraining order without notice under this section shall be granted or denied on the same day that the petition is submitted to the court, unless the petition is filed too late in the day to permit effective review, in which case the order shall be granted or denied on the next day of judicial business in sufficient time for the order to be filed that day with the clerk of the court.
(f)A temporary restraining order issued under this section shall remain in effect, at the courts discretion, for a period not to exceed 21 days, or, if the court extends the time for hearing under subdivision (g), not to exceed 25 days, unless otherwise modified or terminated by the court.
(g)Within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days from the date that a petition for a temporary order is granted or denied, a hearing shall be held on the petition for the injunction. If no request for temporary orders is made, the hearing shall be held within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days, from the date that the petition is filed.
(h)The respondent may file a response that explains, excuses, justifies, or denies the alleged harassment or may file a cross-petition under this section.
(i)At the hearing, the judge shall receive any testimony that is relevant, and may make an independent inquiry. If the judge finds by clear and convincing evidence that unlawful harassment exists, an injunction shall issue prohibiting the harassment.
(j)(1)In the discretion of the court, an order issued after notice and hearing under this section may have a duration of not more than five years, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. The order may be renewed, upon the request of a party, for a duration of not more than five additional years, without a showing of any further harassment since the issuance of the original order, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. A request for renewal may be brought at any time within the three months before the expiration of the order.
(2)The failure to state the expiration date on the face of the form creates an order with a duration of three years from the date of issuance.
(3)If an action is filed for the purpose of terminating or modifying a protective order prior to the expiration date specified in the order by a party other than the protected party, the party who is protected by the order shall be given notice, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 1005, of the proceeding by personal service or, if the protected party has satisfied the requirements of Chapter 3.1 (commencing with Section 6205) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, by service on the Secretary of State. If the party who is protected by the order cannot be notified prior to the hearing for modification or termination of the protective order, the court shall deny the motion to modify or terminate the order without prejudice or continue the hearing until the party who is protected can be properly noticed and may, upon a showing of good cause, specify another method for service of process that is reasonably designed to afford actual notice to the protected party. The protected party may waive his or her right to notice if he or she is physically present in court and does not challenge the sufficiency of the notice.
(k)This section does not preclude either party from representation by private counsel or from appearing on the partys own behalf.
(l)In a proceeding under this section if there are allegations of unlawful violence or credible threats of violence, a support person may accompany a party in court and, if the party is not represented by an attorney, may sit with the party at the table that is generally reserved for the party and the partys attorney. The support person is present to provide moral and emotional support for a person who alleges he or she is a victim of violence. The support person is not present as a legal adviser and may not provide legal advice. The support person may assist the person who alleges he or she is a victim of violence in feeling more confident that he or she will not be injured or threatened by the other party during the proceedings if the person who alleges he or she is a victim of violence and the other party are required to be present in close proximity. This subdivision does not preclude the court from exercising its discretion to remove the support person from the courtroom if the court believes the support person is prompting, swaying, or influencing the party assisted by the support person.
(m)Upon the filing of a petition for an injunction under this section, the respondent shall be personally served with a copy of the petition, temporary restraining order, if any, and notice of hearing of the petition. Service shall be made at least five days before the hearing. The court may for good cause, on motion of the petitioner or on its own motion, shorten the time for service on the respondent.
(n)A notice of hearing under this section shall notify the respondent that if he or she does not attend the hearing, the court may make orders against him or her that could last up to three years.
(o)(1)The court may, upon the filing of a declaration by the petitioner that the respondent could not be served within the time required by statute, reissue an order previously issued and dissolved by the court for failure to serve the respondent. The reissued order shall remain in effect until the date set for the hearing.
(2)The reissued order shall state on its face the date of expiration of the order.
(p)(1)If a respondent, named in a restraining order issued after a hearing, has not been served personally with the order but has received actual notice of the existence and substance of the order through personal appearance in court to hear the terms of the order from the court, no additional proof of service is required for enforcement of the order.
(2)If the respondent named in a temporary restraining order is personally served with the order and notice of hearing with respect to a restraining order or protective order based on the temporary restraining order, but the respondent does not appear at the hearing, either personally or by an attorney, and the terms and conditions of the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing are identical to the temporary restraining order, except for the duration of the order, then the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing may be served on the respondent by first-class mail sent to the respondent at the most current address for the respondent available to the court.
(3)The Judicial Council form for temporary orders issued pursuant to this subdivision shall contain a statement in substantially the following form:
If you have been personally served with this temporary restraining order and notice of hearing, but you do not appear at the hearing either in person or by a lawyer, and a restraining order that is the same as this temporary restraining order except for the expiration date is issued at the hearing, a copy of the restraining order will be served on you by mail at the following address: ____.
If that address is not correct or you wish to verify that the temporary restraining order was converted to a restraining order at the hearing without substantive change and to find out the duration of that order, contact the clerk of the court.
(q)(1)Information on any temporary restraining order or injunction relating to civil harassment issued by a court pursuant to this section shall be transmitted to the Department of Justice in accordance with either paragraph (2) or (3).
(2)The court shall order the petitioner or the attorney for the petitioner to deliver a copy of an order issued under this section, or reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by the close of the business day on which the order, reissuance, extension, modification, or termination was made, to a law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the residence of the petitioner and to any additional law enforcement agencies within the courts discretion as are requested by the petitioner.
(3)Alternatively, the court or its designee shall transmit, within one business day, to law enforcement personnel all information required under subdivision (b) of Section 6380 of the Family Code regarding any order issued under this section, or a reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by either one of the following methods:
(A)Transmitting a physical copy of the order or proof of service to a local law enforcement agency authorized by the Department of Justice to enter orders into the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS).
(B)With the approval of the Department of Justice, entering the order or proof of service into CLETS directly.
(4)Each appropriate law enforcement agency shall make available information as to the existence and current status of these orders to law enforcement officers responding to the scene of reported harassment.
(5)An order issued under this section shall, on request of the petitioner, be served on the respondent, whether or not the respondent has been taken into custody, by any law enforcement officer who is present at the scene of reported harassment involving the parties to the proceeding. The petitioner shall provide the officer with an endorsed copy of the order and a proof of service that the officer shall complete and send to the issuing court.
(6)Upon receiving information at the scene of an incident of harassment that a protective order has been issued under this section, or that a person who has been taken into custody is the subject of an order, if the protected person cannot produce a certified copy of the order, a law enforcement officer shall immediately attempt to verify the existence of the order.
(7)If the law enforcement officer determines that a protective order has been issued, but not served, the officer shall immediately notify the respondent of the terms of the order and shall at that time also enforce the order. Verbal notice of the terms of the order shall constitute service of the order and is sufficient notice for the purposes of this section and for the purposes of Section 29825 of the Penal Code.
(r)The prevailing party in any action brought under this section may be awarded court costs and attorneys fees, if any.
(s)Any willful disobedience of any temporary restraining order or injunction granted under this section is punishable pursuant to Section 273.6 of the Penal Code.
(t)(1)A person subject to a protective order issued under this section shall not own, possess, purchase, receive, or attempt to purchase or receive a firearm or ammunition while the protective order is in effect.
(2)The court shall order a person subject to a protective order issued under this section to relinquish any firearms he or she owns or possesses pursuant to Section 527.9.
(3)Every person who owns, possesses, purchases, or receives, or attempts to purchase or receive, a firearm or ammunition while the protective order is in effect is punishable pursuant to Section 29825 of the Penal Code.
(u)This section does not apply to any action or proceeding covered by Title 1.6C (commencing with Section 1788) of Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code or by Division 10 (commencing with Section 6200) of the Family Code. This section does not preclude a petitioner from using other existing civil remedies.
(v)(1)The Judicial Council shall develop forms, instructions, and rules relating to matters governed by this section. The petition and response forms shall be simple and concise, and their use by parties in actions brought pursuant to this section shall be mandatory.
(2)A temporary restraining order or injunction relating to civil harassment issued by a court pursuant to this section shall be issued on forms adopted by the Judicial Council of California and that have been approved by the Department of Justice pursuant to subdivision (i) of Section 6380 of the Family Code. However, the fact that an order issued by a court pursuant to this section was not issued on forms adopted by the Judicial Council and approved by the Department of Justice shall not, in and of itself, make the order unenforceable.
(w)There is no filing fee for a petition that alleges that a person has inflicted or threatened violence against the petitioner, or stalked the petitioner, or acted or spoken in any other manner that has placed the petitioner in reasonable fear of violence, and that seeks a protective or restraining order or injunction restraining stalking or future violence or threats of violence, in any action brought pursuant to this section. No A fee shall not be paid for a subpoena filed in connection with a petition alleging these acts. No A fee shall not be paid for filing a response to a petition alleging these acts.
(x)(1)Subject to paragraph (4) of subdivision (b) of Section 6103.2 of the Government Code, there shall not be no a fee for the service of process by a sheriff or marshal of a protective order, restraining order, or injunction to be issued, if either of the following conditions applies:
(A)The protective order, restraining order, or injunction issued pursuant to this section is based upon stalking, as prohibited by Section 646.9 of the Penal Code.
(B)The protective order, restraining order, or injunction issued pursuant to this section is based upon unlawful violence or a credible threat of violence.
(2)The Judicial Council shall prepare and develop forms for persons who wish to avail themselves of the services described in this subdivision.
(y)This section shall become operative on July 1, 2014.
SEC. 2.Section 213.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:213.5.(a)After a petition has been filed pursuant to Section 311 to declare a child a dependent child of the juvenile court, and until the time that the petition is dismissed or dependency is terminated, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure or in the manner provided by Section 6300 of the Family Code, if related to domestic violence, the juvenile court has exclusive jurisdiction to issue ex parte orders (1) enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of the child or any other child in the household; and (2) excluding any person from the dwelling of the person who has care, custody, and control of the child. A court may also issue an ex parte order enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of any parent, legal guardian, or current caretaker of the child, regardless of whether the child resides with that parent, legal guardian, or current caretaker, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure or, if related to domestic violence, in the manner provided by Section 6300 of the Family Code. A court may also issue an ex parte order enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of the childs current or former social worker or court appointed special advocate, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure. On a showing of good cause, in an ex parte order issued pursuant to this subdivision the court may do either or both of the following:
(1)Grant the applicant exclusive care, possession, or control of an animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by a person protected by the restraining order, or residing in the residence or household of a person protected by the restraining order.
(2)Order the restrained person to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal.
(b)After a petition has been filed pursuant to Section 601 or 602 to declare a child a ward of the juvenile court, and until the time that the petition is dismissed or wardship is terminated, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure or, if related to domestic violence, in the manner provided by Section 6300 of the Family Code, the juvenile court may issue ex parte orders (1) enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of the child or any other child in the household; (2) excluding any person from the dwelling of the person who has care, custody, and control of the child; or (3) enjoining the child from contacting, threatening, stalking, or disturbing the peace of any person the court finds to be at risk from the conduct of the child, or with whom association would be detrimental to the child. A court may also issue an ex parte order enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of any parent, legal guardian, or current caretaker of the child, regardless of whether the child resides with that parent, legal guardian, or current caretaker, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure or, if related to domestic violence, in the manner provided by Section 6300 of the Family Code. A court may also issue an ex parte order enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of the childs current or former probation officer or court appointed special advocate, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure. A court may also issue an ex parte order enjoining any person from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of any animal or animals owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by any person protected in a restraining order issued under this section. A court may also order any person to stay away from and grant a request for exclusive care, possession, or control of that animal or animals. On a showing of good cause, in an ex parte order issued pursuant to this subdivision the court may do either or both of the following:
(1)Grant the applicant exclusive care, possession, or control of an animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by a person protected by the restraining order, or residing in the residence or household of a person protected by the restraining order.
(2)Order the respondent to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal.
(c)If a temporary restraining order is granted without notice, the matter shall be made returnable on an order requiring cause to be shown why the order should not be granted, on the earliest day that the business of the court will permit, but not later than 21 days or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days from the date the temporary restraining order is granted. The court may, on the motion of the person seeking the restraining order, or on its own motion, shorten the time for service of the order to show cause on the person to be restrained. The court may, upon its own motion or the filing of a declaration by the person seeking the restraining order, find that the person to be restrained could not be served within the time required by law and reissue an order previously issued and dissolved by the court for failure to serve the person to be restrained. The reissued order shall remain in effect until the date set for the hearing. The reissued order shall state on its face the date of expiration of the order. Any hearing pursuant to this section may be held simultaneously with any regularly scheduled hearings held in proceedings to declare a child a dependent child or ward of the juvenile court pursuant to Section 300, 601, or 602, or subsequent hearings regarding the dependent child or ward.
(d)(1)The juvenile court may issue, upon notice and a hearing, any of the orders set forth in subdivisions (a), (b), and (c). Any restraining order granted pursuant to this subdivision shall remain in effect, in the discretion of the court, no more than three years, unless otherwise terminated by the court, extended by mutual consent of all parties to the restraining order, or extended by further order of the court on the motion of any party to the restraining order.
(2)If an action is filed for the purpose of terminating or modifying a protective order prior to the expiration date specified in the order by a party other than the protected party, the party who is protected by the order shall be given notice, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 1005 of the Code of Civil Procedure, of the proceeding by personal service or, if the protected party has satisfied the requirements of Chapter 3.1 (commencing with Section 6205) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, by service on the Secretary of State. If the party who is protected by the order cannot be notified prior to the hearing for modification or termination of the protective order, the juvenile court shall deny the motion to modify or terminate the order without prejudice or continue the hearing until the party who is protected can be properly noticed and may, upon a showing of good cause, specify another method for service of process that is reasonably designed to afford actual notice to the protected party. The protected party may waive his or her right to notice if he or she is physically present and does not challenge the sufficiency of the notice.
(e)(1)The juvenile court may issue an order made pursuant to subdivision (a), (b), or (d) excluding a person from a residence or dwelling. This order may be issued for the time and on the conditions that the court determines, regardless of which party holds legal or equitable title or is the lessee of the residence or dwelling.
(2)The court may issue an order under paragraph (1) only on a showing of all of the following:
(A)Facts sufficient for the court to ascertain that the party who will stay in the dwelling has a right under color of law to possession of the premises.
(B)That the party to be excluded has assaulted or threatens to assault the other party or any other person under the care, custody, and control of the other party, or any minor child of the parties or of the other party.
(C)That physical or emotional harm would otherwise result to the other party, to any person under the care, custody, and control of the other party, or to any minor child of the parties or of the other party.
(f)Any order issued pursuant to subdivision (a), (b), (c), or (d) shall state on its face the date of expiration of the order.
(g)All data with respect to a juvenile court protective order, or extension, modification, or termination thereof, granted pursuant to subdivision (a), (b), (c), or (d), shall be transmitted by the court or its designee, within one business day, to law enforcement personnel by either one of the following methods:
(1)Transmitting a physical copy of the order to a local law enforcement agency authorized by the Department of Justice to enter orders into the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS).
(2)With the approval of the Department of Justice, entering the order into CLETS directly.
(h)Any willful and knowing violation of any order granted pursuant to subdivision (a), (b), (c), or (d) shall be a misdemeanor punishable under Section 273.65 of the Penal Code.
(i)A juvenile court restraining order related to domestic violence issued by a court pursuant to this section shall be issued on forms adopted by the Judicial Council of California and that have been approved by the Department of Justice pursuant to subdivision (i) of Section 6380 of the Family Code. However, the fact that an order issued by a court pursuant to this section was not issued on forms adopted by the Judicial Council and approved by the Department of Justice shall not, in and of itself, make the order unenforceable.
(j)(1)Prior to a hearing on the issuance or denial of an order under this part, a search shall be conducted as described in subdivision (a) of Section 6306 of the Family Code.
(2)Prior to deciding whether to issue an order under this part, the court shall consider the following information obtained pursuant to a search conducted under paragraph (1): any conviction for a violent felony specified in Section 667.5 of the Penal Code or a serious felony specified in Section 1192.7 of the Penal Code; any misdemeanor conviction involving domestic violence, weapons, or other violence; any outstanding warrant; parole or probation status; any prior restraining order; and any violation of a prior restraining order.
(3)(A)If the results of the search conducted pursuant to paragraph (1) indicate that an outstanding warrant exists against the subject of the search, the court shall order the clerk of the court to immediately notify, by the most effective means available, appropriate law enforcement officials of any information obtained through the search that the court determines is appropriate. The law enforcement officials notified shall take all actions necessary to execute any outstanding warrants or any other actions, as appropriate and as soon as practicable.
(B)If the results of the search conducted pursuant to paragraph (1) indicate that the subject of the search is currently on parole or probation, the court shall order the clerk of the court to immediately notify, by the most effective means available, the appropriate parole or probation officer of any information obtained through the search that the court determines is appropriate. The parole or probation officer notified shall take all actions necessary to revoke any parole or probation, or any other actions, with respect to the subject person, as appropriate and as soon as practicable.
(k)Upon making any order for custody or visitation pursuant to this section, the court shall follow the procedures specified in subdivisions (c) and (d) of Section 6323 of the Family Code.
SEC. 3.Section 15657.03 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:15657.03.(a)(1)An elder or dependent adult who has suffered abuse as defined in Section 15610.07 may seek protective orders as provided in this section.
(2)A petition may be brought on behalf of an abused elder or dependent adult by a conservator or a trustee of the elder or dependent adult, an attorney-in-fact of an elder or dependent adult who acts within the authority of the power of attorney, a person appointed as a guardian ad litem for the elder or dependent adult, or other person legally authorized to seek such relief.
(b)For the purposes of this section:
(1)Conservator means the legally appointed conservator of the person or estate of the petitioner, or both.
(2)Petitioner means the elder or dependent adult to be protected by the protective orders and, if the court grants the petition, the protected person.
(3)Protective order means an order that includes any of the following restraining orders, whether issued ex parte, after notice and hearing, or in a judgment:
(A)An order enjoining a party from abusing, intimidating, molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, or coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of, the petitioner, and, in the discretion of the court, on a showing of good cause, of other named family or household members or a conservator, if any, of the petitioner. On a showing of good cause, in an order issued pursuant to this subparagraph the court may do either or both of the following:
(i)Grant the petitioner exclusive care, possession, or control of an animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by the petitioner, or residing in the residence or household of the petitioner.
(ii)Order the respondent to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal.
(B)An order granting petitioners request for exclusive care, possession, or control of any animal or animals owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by the petitioner or another person residing in the residence or household of the petitioner. The court may order the respondent to stay away from the animal or animals and forbid the respondent from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of that animal or animals.
(C)
(B)An order excluding a party from the petitioners residence or dwelling, except that this order shall not be issued if legal or equitable title to, or lease of, the residence or dwelling is in the sole name of the party to be excluded, or is in the name of the party to be excluded and any other party besides the petitioner.
(D)
(C)An order enjoining a party from specified behavior that the court determines is necessary to effectuate orders described in subparagraph (A),(B), or (C). (A) or (B).
(4)Respondent means the person against whom the protective orders are sought and, if the petition is granted, the restrained person.
(c)An order may be issued under this section, with or without notice, to restrain any person for the purpose of preventing a recurrence of abuse, if a declaration shows, to the satisfaction of the court, reasonable proof of a past act or acts of abuse of the petitioning elder or dependent adult.
(d)Upon filing a petition for protective orders under this section, the petitioner may obtain a temporary restraining order in accordance with Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure, except to the extent this section provides a rule that is inconsistent. The temporary restraining order may include any of the protective orders described in paragraph (3) of subdivision (b). However, the court may issue an ex parte order excluding a party from the petitioners residence or dwelling only on a showing of all of the following:
(1)Facts sufficient for the court to ascertain that the party who will stay in the dwelling has a right under color of law to possession of the premises.
(2)That the party to be excluded has assaulted or threatens to assault the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or a conservator of the petitioner.
(3)That physical or emotional harm would otherwise result to the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or a conservator of the petitioner.
(e)A request for the issuance of a temporary restraining order without notice under this section shall be granted or denied on the same day that the petition is submitted to the court, unless the petition is filed too late in the day to permit effective review, in which case the order shall be granted or denied on the next day of judicial business in sufficient time for the order to be filed that day with the clerk of the court.
(f)Within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days, from the date that a request for a temporary restraining order is granted or denied, a hearing shall be held on the petition. If no request for temporary orders is made, the hearing shall be held within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days, from the date that the petition is filed.
(g)The respondent may file a response that explains or denies the alleged abuse.
(h)The court may issue, upon notice and a hearing, any of the orders set forth in paragraph (3) of subdivision (b). The court may issue, after notice and hearing, an order excluding a person from a residence or dwelling if the court finds that physical or emotional harm would otherwise result to the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or conservator of the petitioner.
(i)(1)In the discretion of the court, an order issued after notice and a hearing under this section may have a duration of not more than five years, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. These orders may be renewed upon the request of a party, either for five years or permanently, without a showing of any further abuse since the issuance of the original order, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. The request for renewal may be brought at any time within the three months before the expiration of the order.
(2)The failure to state the expiration date on the face of the form creates an order with a duration of three years from the date of issuance.
(3)If an action is filed for the purpose of terminating or modifying a protective order prior to the expiration date specified in the order by a party other than the protected party, the party who is protected by the order shall be given notice, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 1005 of the Code of Civil Procedure, of the proceeding by personal service or, if the protected party has satisfied the requirements of Chapter 3.1 (commencing with Section 6205) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, by service on the Secretary of State. If the party who is protected by the order cannot be notified prior to the hearing for modification or termination of the protective order, the court shall deny the motion to modify or terminate the order without prejudice or continue the hearing until the party who is protected can be properly noticed and may, upon a showing of good cause, specify another method for service of process that is reasonably designed to afford actual notice to the protected party. The protected party may waive his or her right to notice if he or she is physically present in court and does not challenge the sufficiency of the notice.
(j)In a proceeding under this section, a support person may accompany a party in court and, if the party is not represented by an attorney, may sit with the party at the table that is generally reserved for the party and the partys attorney. The support person is present to provide moral and emotional support for a person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse. The support person is not present as a legal adviser and may not provide legal advice. The support person may assist the person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse in feeling more confident that he or she will not be injured or threatened by the other party during the proceedings if the person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse and the other party are required to be present in close proximity. This subdivision does not preclude the court from exercising its discretion to remove the support person from the courtroom if the court believes the support person is prompting, swaying, or influencing the party assisted by the support person.
(k)Upon the filing of a petition for protective orders under this section, the respondent shall be personally served with a copy of the petition, notice of the hearing or order to show cause, temporary restraining order, if any, and any declarations in support of the petition. Service shall be made at least five days before the hearing. The court may, on motion of the petitioner or on its own motion, shorten the time for service on the respondent.
(l)A notice of hearing under this section shall notify the respondent that if he or she does not attend the hearing, the court may make orders against him or her that could last up to five years.
(m)(1)The court may, upon the filing of a declaration by the petitioner that the respondent could not be served within the time required by statute, reissue an order previously issued and dissolved by the court for failure to serve the respondent. The reissued order shall remain in effect until the date set for the hearing.
(2)The reissued order shall state on its face the date of expiration of the order.
(n)(1)If a respondent, named in an order issued under this section after a hearing, has not been served personally with the order but has received actual notice of the existence and substance of the order through personal appearance in court to hear the terms of the order from the court, no additional proof of service is required for enforcement of the order.
(2)If the respondent named in a temporary restraining order is personally served with the order and notice of hearing with respect to a restraining order or protective order based on the temporary restraining order, but the respondent does not appear at the hearing, either personally or by an attorney, and the terms and conditions of the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing are identical to the temporary restraining order, except for the duration of the order, then the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing may be served on the respondent by first-class mail sent to the respondent at the most current address for the respondent that is available to the court.
(3)The Judicial Council form for temporary orders issued pursuant to this subdivision shall contain a statement in substantially the following form:
If you have been personally served with a temporary restraining order and notice of hearing, but you do not appear at the hearing either in person or by a lawyer, and a restraining order that is the same as this temporary restraining order except for the expiration date is issued at the hearing, a copy of the order will be served on you by mail at the following address: ____.
If that address is not correct or you wish to verify that the temporary restraining order was converted to a restraining order at the hearing without substantive change and to find out the duration of that order, contact the clerk of the court.
(o)(1)Information on any protective order relating to elder or dependent adult abuse issued by a court pursuant to this section shall be transmitted to the Department of Justice in accordance with either paragraph (2) or (3).
(2)The court shall order the petitioner or the attorney for the petitioner to deliver a copy of an order issued under this section, or a reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by the close of the business day on which the order, reissuance, extension, modification, or termination was made, to each law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the residence of the petitioner, and to any additional law enforcement agencies within the courts discretion as are requested by the petitioner.
(3)Alternatively, the court or its designee shall transmit, within one business day, to law enforcement personnel all information required under subdivision (b) of Section 6380 of the Family Code regarding any order issued under this section, or a reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by either one of the following methods:
(A)Transmitting a physical copy of the order or proof of service to a local law enforcement agency authorized by the Department of Justice to enter orders into the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS).
(B)With the approval of the Department of Justice, entering the order or proof of service into CLETS directly.
(4)Each appropriate law enforcement agency shall make available information as to the existence and current status of these orders to law enforcement officers responding to the scene of reported abuse.
(5)An order issued under this section shall, on request of the petitioner, be served on the respondent, whether or not the respondent has been taken into custody, by any law enforcement officer who is present at the scene of reported abuse involving the parties to the proceeding. The petitioner shall provide the officer with an endorsed copy of the order and a proof of service, which the officer shall complete and send to the issuing court.
(6)Upon receiving information at the scene of an incident of abuse that a protective order has been issued under this section, or that a person who has been taken into custody is the respondent to that order, if the protected person cannot produce an endorsed copy of the order, a law enforcement officer shall immediately attempt to verify the existence of the order.
(7)If the law enforcement officer determines that a protective order has been issued, but not served, the officer shall immediately notify the respondent of the terms of the order and where a written copy of the order can be obtained, and the officer shall at that time also enforce the order. The law enforcement officers verbal notice of the terms of the order shall constitute service of the order and is sufficient notice for the purposes of this section and for the purposes of Section 273.6 of the Penal Code.
(p)Nothing in this section shall preclude either party from representation by private counsel or from appearing on the partys own behalf.
(q)There is no filing fee for a petition, response, or paper seeking the reissuance, modification, or enforcement of a protective order filed in a proceeding brought pursuant to this section.
(r)Pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (b) of Section 6103.2 of the Government Code, a petitioner shall not be required to pay a fee for law enforcement to serve an order issued under this section.
(s)The prevailing party in any action brought under this section may be awarded court costs and attorneys fees, if any.
(t)(1)A person subject to a protective order under this section shall not own, possess, purchase, receive, or attempt to receive a firearm or ammunition while the protective order is in effect.
(2)The court shall order a person subject to a protective order issued under this section to relinquish any firearms he or she owns or possesses pursuant to Section 527.9 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
(3)Every person who owns, possesses, purchases, or receives, or attempts to purchase or receive a firearm or ammunition while subject to a protective order issued under this section is punishable pursuant to Section 29825 of the Penal Code.
(4)This subdivision shall not apply in a case in which the protective order issued under this section was made solely on the basis of financial abuse unaccompanied by force, threat, harassment, intimidation, or any other form of abuse.
(u)Any willful disobedience of any temporary restraining order or restraining order after hearing granted under this section is punishable pursuant to Section 273.6 of the Penal Code.
(v)This section does not apply to any action or proceeding governed by Title 1.6C (commencing with Section 1788) of Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code, by Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 525) of Title 7 of Part 2 of the Code of Civil Procedure, or by Division 10 (commencing with Section 6200) of the Family Code. Nothing in this section shall preclude a petitioners right to use other existing civil remedies.
(w)The Judicial Council shall develop forms, instructions, and rules relating to matters governed by this section. The petition and response forms shall be simple and concise, and their use by parties in actions brought pursuant to this section shall be mandatory.
(a)(1)A person who has suffered harassment as defined in subdivision (b) may seek a temporary restraining order and an injunction prohibiting harassment as provided in this section.
(2)A minor, under 12 years of age, accompanied by a duly appointed and acting guardian ad litem, shall be permitted to appear in court without counsel for the limited purpose of requesting or opposing a request for a temporary restraining order or injunction, or both, under this section as provided in Section 374.
(b)For the purposes of this section:
(1)Course of conduct is a pattern of conduct composed of a series of acts over a period of time, however short, evidencing a continuity of purpose, including following or stalking an individual, making harassing telephone calls to an individual, or sending harassing correspondence to an individual by any means, including, but not limited to, the use of public or private mails, interoffice mail, facsimile, or computer email. Constitutionally protected activity is not included within the meaning of course of conduct.
(2)Credible threat of violence is a knowing and willful statement or course of conduct that would place a reasonable person in fear for his or her safety, or the safety of his or her immediate family, and that serves no legitimate purpose.
(3)Harassment is unlawful violence, a credible threat of violence, or a knowing and willful course of conduct directed at a specific person that seriously alarms, annoys, or harasses the person, and that serves no legitimate purpose. The course of conduct must be such as would cause a reasonable person to suffer substantial emotional distress, and must actually cause substantial emotional distress to the petitioner.
(4)Petitioner means the person to be protected by the temporary restraining order and injunction and, if the court grants the petition, the protected person.
(5)Respondent means the person against whom the temporary restraining order and injunction are sought and, if the petition is granted, the restrained person.
(6)Temporary restraining order and injunction mean orders that include any of the following restraining orders, whether issued ex parte or after notice and hearing:
(A)An order enjoining a party from harassing, intimidating, molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, abusing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls, as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, or coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of, the petitioner.
(B)An order granting petitioners request for exclusive care, possession, or control of any animal or animals owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by the petitioner or another person residing in the residence or household of the petitioner. The court may order the respondent to stay away from the animal or animals and forbid the respondent from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of that animal or animals.
(B)
(C)An order enjoining a party from specified behavior that the court determines is necessary to effectuate orders described in subparagraph (A) or (B).
(7)Unlawful violence is any assault or battery, or stalking as prohibited in Section 646.9 of the Penal Code, but shall not include lawful acts of self-defense or defense of others.
(c)In the discretion of the court, on a showing of good cause, a temporary restraining order or injunction issued under this section may include other named family or household members.
(d)Upon filing a petition for an injunction under this section, the petitioner may obtain a temporary restraining order in accordance with Section 527, except to the extent this section provides a rule that is inconsistent. The temporary restraining order may include any of the restraining orders described in paragraph (6) of subdivision (b). A temporary restraining order may be issued with or without notice, based on a declaration that, to the satisfaction of the court, shows reasonable proof of harassment of the petitioner by the respondent, and that great or irreparable harm would result to the petitioner.
(e)A request for the issuance of a temporary restraining order without notice under this section shall be granted or denied on the same day that the petition is submitted to the court, unless the petition is filed too late in the day to permit effective review, in which case the order shall be granted or denied on the next day of judicial business in sufficient time for the order to be filed that day with the clerk of the court.
(f)A temporary restraining order issued under this section shall remain in effect, at the courts discretion, for a period not to exceed 21 days, or, if the court extends the time for hearing under subdivision (g), not to exceed 25 days, unless otherwise modified or terminated by the court.
(g)Within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days from the date that a petition for a temporary order is granted or denied, a hearing shall be held on the petition for the injunction. If no request for temporary orders is made, the hearing shall be held within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days, from the date that the petition is filed.
(h)The respondent may file a response that explains, excuses, justifies, or denies the alleged harassment or may file a cross-petition under this section.
(i)At the hearing, the judge shall receive any testimony that is relevant, and may make an independent inquiry. If the judge finds by clear and convincing evidence that unlawful harassment exists, an injunction shall issue prohibiting the harassment.
(j)(1)In the discretion of the court, an order issued after notice and hearing under this section may have a duration of not more than five years, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. The order may be renewed, upon the request of a party, for a duration of not more than five additional years, without a showing of any further harassment since the issuance of the original order, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. A request for renewal may be brought at any time within the three months before the expiration of the order.
(2)The failure to state the expiration date on the face of the form creates an order with a duration of three years from the date of issuance.
(3)If an action is filed for the purpose of terminating or modifying a protective order prior to the expiration date specified in the order by a party other than the protected party, the party who is protected by the order shall be given notice, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 1005, of the proceeding by personal service or, if the protected party has satisfied the requirements of Chapter 3.1 (commencing with Section 6205) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, by service on the Secretary of State. If the party who is protected by the order cannot be notified prior to the hearing for modification or termination of the protective order, the court shall deny the motion to modify or terminate the order without prejudice or continue the hearing until the party who is protected can be properly noticed and may, upon a showing of good cause, specify another method for service of process that is reasonably designed to afford actual notice to the protected party. The protected party may waive his or her right to notice if he or she is physically present in court and does not challenge the sufficiency of the notice.
(k)This section does not preclude either party from representation by private counsel or from appearing on the partys own behalf.
(l)In a proceeding under this section if there are allegations of unlawful violence or credible threats of violence, a support person may accompany a party in court and, if the party is not represented by an attorney, may sit with the party at the table that is generally reserved for the party and the partys attorney. The support person is present to provide moral and emotional support for a person who alleges he or she is a victim of violence. The support person is not present as a legal adviser and may not provide legal advice. The support person may assist the person who alleges he or she is a victim of violence in feeling more confident that he or she will not be injured or threatened by the other party during the proceedings if the person who alleges he or she is a victim of violence and the other party are required to be present in close proximity. This subdivision does not preclude the court from exercising its discretion to remove the support person from the courtroom if the court believes the support person is prompting, swaying, or influencing the party assisted by the support person.
(m)Upon the filing of a petition for an injunction under this section, the respondent shall be personally served with a copy of the petition, temporary restraining order, if any, and notice of hearing of the petition. Service shall be made at least five days before the hearing. The court may for good cause, on motion of the petitioner or on its own motion, shorten the time for service on the respondent.
(n)A notice of hearing under this section shall notify the respondent that if he or she does not attend the hearing, the court may make orders against him or her that could last up to three years.
(o)(1)The court may, upon the filing of a declaration by the petitioner that the respondent could not be served within the time required by statute, reissue an order previously issued and dissolved by the court for failure to serve the respondent. The reissued order shall remain in effect until the date set for the hearing.
(2)The reissued order shall state on its face the date of expiration of the order.
(p)(1)If a respondent, named in a restraining order issued after a hearing, has not been served personally with the order but has received actual notice of the existence and substance of the order through personal appearance in court to hear the terms of the order from the court, no additional proof of service is required for enforcement of the order.
(2)If the respondent named in a temporary restraining order is personally served with the order and notice of hearing with respect to a restraining order or protective order based on the temporary restraining order, but the respondent does not appear at the hearing, either personally or by an attorney, and the terms and conditions of the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing are identical to the temporary restraining order, except for the duration of the order, then the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing may be served on the respondent by first-class mail sent to the respondent at the most current address for the respondent available to the court.
(3)The Judicial Council form for temporary orders issued pursuant to this subdivision shall contain a statement in substantially the following form:
If you have been personally served with this temporary restraining order and notice of hearing, but you do not appear at the hearing either in person or by a lawyer, and a restraining order that is the same as this temporary restraining order except for the expiration date is issued at the hearing, a copy of the restraining order will be served on you by mail at the following address: ____.
If that address is not correct or you wish to verify that the temporary restraining order was converted to a restraining order at the hearing without substantive change and to find out the duration of that order, contact the clerk of the court.
(q)(1)Information on any temporary restraining order or injunction relating to civil harassment issued by a court pursuant to this section shall be transmitted to the Department of Justice in accordance with either paragraph (2) or (3).
(2)The court shall order the petitioner or the attorney for the petitioner to deliver a copy of an order issued under this section, or reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by the close of the business day on which the order, reissuance, extension, modification, or termination was made, to a law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the residence of the petitioner and to any additional law enforcement agencies within the courts discretion as are requested by the petitioner.
(3)Alternatively, the court or its designee shall transmit, within one business day, to law enforcement personnel all information required under subdivision (b) of Section 6380 of the Family Code regarding any order issued under this section, or a reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by either one of the following methods:
(A)Transmitting a physical copy of the order or proof of service to a local law enforcement agency authorized by the Department of Justice to enter orders into the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS).
(B)With the approval of the Department of Justice, entering the order or proof of service into CLETS directly.
(4)Each appropriate law enforcement agency shall make available information as to the existence and current status of these orders to law enforcement officers responding to the scene of reported harassment.
(5)An order issued under this section shall, on request of the petitioner, be served on the respondent, whether or not the respondent has been taken into custody, by any law enforcement officer who is present at the scene of reported harassment involving the parties to the proceeding. The petitioner shall provide the officer with an endorsed copy of the order and a proof of service that the officer shall complete and send to the issuing court.
(6)Upon receiving information at the scene of an incident of harassment that a protective order has been issued under this section, or that a person who has been taken into custody is the subject of an order, if the protected person cannot produce a certified copy of the order, a law enforcement officer shall immediately attempt to verify the existence of the order.
(7)If the law enforcement officer determines that a protective order has been issued, but not served, the officer shall immediately notify the respondent of the terms of the order and shall at that time also enforce the order. Verbal notice of the terms of the order shall constitute service of the order and is sufficient notice for the purposes of this section and for the purposes of Section 29825 of the Penal Code.
(r)The prevailing party in any action brought under this section may be awarded court costs and attorneys fees, if any.
(s)Any willful disobedience of any temporary restraining order or injunction granted under this section is punishable pursuant to Section 273.6 of the Penal Code.
(t)(1)A person subject to a protective order issued under this section shall not own, possess, purchase, receive, or attempt to purchase or receive a firearm or ammunition while the protective order is in effect.
(2)The court shall order a person subject to a protective order issued under this section to relinquish any firearms he or she owns or possesses pursuant to Section 527.9.
(3)Every person who owns, possesses, purchases, or receives, or attempts to purchase or receive, a firearm or ammunition while the protective order is in effect is punishable pursuant to Section 29825 of the Penal Code.
(u)This section does not apply to any action or proceeding covered by Title 1.6C (commencing with Section 1788) of Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code or by Division 10 (commencing with Section 6200) of the Family Code. This section does not preclude a petitioner from using other existing civil remedies.
(v)(1)The Judicial Council shall develop forms, instructions, and rules relating to matters governed by this section. The petition and response forms shall be simple and concise, and their use by parties in actions brought pursuant to this section shall be mandatory.
(2)A temporary restraining order or injunction relating to civil harassment issued by a court pursuant to this section shall be issued on forms adopted by the Judicial Council of California and that have been approved by the Department of Justice pursuant to subdivision (i) of Section 6380 of the Family Code. However, the fact that an order issued by a court pursuant to this section was not issued on forms adopted by the Judicial Council and approved by the Department of Justice shall not, in and of itself, make the order unenforceable.
(w)There is no filing fee for a petition that alleges that a person has inflicted or threatened violence against the petitioner, or stalked the petitioner, or acted or spoken in any other manner that has placed the petitioner in reasonable fear of violence, and that seeks a protective or restraining order or injunction restraining stalking or future violence or threats of violence, in any action brought pursuant to this section. No fee shall be paid for a subpoena filed in connection with a petition alleging these acts. No fee shall be paid for filing a response to a petition alleging these acts.
(x)(1)Subject to paragraph (4) of subdivision (b) of Section 6103.2 of the Government Code, there shall be no fee for the service of process by a sheriff or marshal of a protective order, restraining order, or injunction to be issued, if either of the following conditions applies:
(A)The protective order, restraining order, or injunction issued pursuant to this section is based upon stalking, as prohibited by Section 646.9 of the Penal Code.
(B)The protective order, restraining order, or injunction issued pursuant to this section is based upon unlawful violence or a credible threat of violence.
(2)The Judicial Council shall prepare and develop forms for persons who wish to avail themselves of the services described in this subdivision.
(y)This section shall become operative on July 1, 2014.
SEC. 2.Section 213.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:213.5.(a)After a petition has been filed pursuant to Section 311 to declare a child a dependent child of the juvenile court, and until the time that the petition is dismissed or dependency is terminated, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure or in the manner provided by Section 6300 of the Family Code, if related to domestic violence, the juvenile court has exclusive jurisdiction to issue ex parte orders (1) enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of the child or any other child in the household; and (2) excluding any person from the dwelling of the person who has care, custody, and control of the child. A court may also issue an ex parte order enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of any parent, legal guardian, or current caretaker of the child, regardless of whether the child resides with that parent, legal guardian, or current caretaker, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure or, if related to domestic violence, in the manner provided by Section 6300 of the Family Code. A court may also issue an ex parte order enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of the childs current or former social worker or court appointed special advocate, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
(b)After a petition has been filed pursuant to Section 601 or 602 to declare a child a ward of the juvenile court, and until the time that the petition is dismissed or wardship is terminated, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure or, if related to domestic violence, in the manner provided by Section 6300 of the Family Code, the juvenile court may issue ex parte orders (1) enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of the child or any other child in the household; (2) excluding any person from the dwelling of the person who has care, custody, and control of the child; or (3) enjoining the child from contacting, threatening, stalking, or disturbing the peace of any person the court finds to be at risk from the conduct of the child, or with whom association would be detrimental to the child. A court may also issue an ex parte order enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of any parent, legal guardian, or current caretaker of the child, regardless of whether the child resides with that parent, legal guardian, or current caretaker, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure or, if related to domestic violence, in the manner provided by Section 6300 of the Family Code. A court may also issue an ex parte order enjoining any person from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying the personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of the childs current or former probation officer or court appointed special advocate, upon application in the manner provided by Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure. A court may also issue an ex parte order enjoining any person from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of any animal or animals owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by any person protected in a restraining order issued under this section. A court may also order any person to stay away from and grant a request for exclusive care, possession, or control of that animal or animals.
(c)If a temporary restraining order is granted without notice, the matter shall be made returnable on an order requiring cause to be shown why the order should not be granted, on the earliest day that the business of the court will permit, but not later than 21 days or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days from the date the temporary restraining order is granted. The court may, on the motion of the person seeking the restraining order, or on its own motion, shorten the time for service of the order to show cause on the person to be restrained. The court may, upon its own motion or the filing of a declaration by the person seeking the restraining order, find that the person to be restrained could not be served within the time required by law and reissue an order previously issued and dissolved by the court for failure to serve the person to be restrained. The reissued order shall remain in effect until the date set for the hearing. The reissued order shall state on its face the date of expiration of the order. Any hearing pursuant to this section may be held simultaneously with any regularly scheduled hearings held in proceedings to declare a child a dependent child or ward of the juvenile court pursuant to Section 300, 601, or 602, or subsequent hearings regarding the dependent child or ward.
(d)(1)The juvenile court may issue, upon notice and a hearing, any of the orders set forth in subdivisions (a), (b), and (c). Any restraining order granted pursuant to this subdivision shall remain in effect, in the discretion of the court, no more than three years, unless otherwise terminated by the court, extended by mutual consent of all parties to the restraining order, or extended by further order of the court on the motion of any party to the restraining order.
(2)If an action is filed for the purpose of terminating or modifying a protective order prior to the expiration date specified in the order by a party other than the protected party, the party who is protected by the order shall be given notice, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 1005 of the Code of Civil Procedure, of the proceeding by personal service or, if the protected party has satisfied the requirements of Chapter 3.1 (commencing with Section 6205) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, by service on the Secretary of State. If the party who is protected by the order cannot be notified prior to the hearing for modification or termination of the protective order, the juvenile court shall deny the motion to modify or terminate the order without prejudice or continue the hearing until the party who is protected can be properly noticed and may, upon a showing of good cause, specify another method for service of process that is reasonably designed to afford actual notice to the protected party. The protected party may waive his or her right to notice if he or she is physically present and does not challenge the sufficiency of the notice.
(e)(1)The juvenile court may issue an order made pursuant to subdivision (a), (b), or (d) excluding a person from a residence or dwelling. This order may be issued for the time and on the conditions that the court determines, regardless of which party holds legal or equitable title or is the lessee of the residence or dwelling.
(2)The court may issue an order under paragraph (1) only on a showing of all of the following:
(A)Facts sufficient for the court to ascertain that the party who will stay in the dwelling has a right under color of law to possession of the premises.
(B)That the party to be excluded has assaulted or threatens to assault the other party or any other person under the care, custody, and control of the other party, or any minor child of the parties or of the other party.
(C)That physical or emotional harm would otherwise result to the other party, to any person under the care, custody, and control of the other party, or to any minor child of the parties or of the other party.
(f)Any order issued pursuant to subdivision (a), (b), (c), or (d) shall state on its face the date of expiration of the order.
(g)All data with respect to a juvenile court protective order, or extension, modification, or termination thereof, granted pursuant to subdivision (a), (b), (c), or (d), shall be transmitted by the court or its designee, within one business day, to law enforcement personnel by either one of the following methods:
(1)Transmitting a physical copy of the order to a local law enforcement agency authorized by the Department of Justice to enter orders into the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS).
(2)With the approval of the Department of Justice, entering the order into CLETS directly.
(h)Any willful and knowing violation of any order granted pursuant to subdivision (a), (b), (c), or (d) shall be a misdemeanor punishable under Section 273.65 of the Penal Code.
(i)A juvenile court restraining order related to domestic violence issued by a court pursuant to this section shall be issued on forms adopted by the Judicial Council of California and that have been approved by the Department of Justice pursuant to subdivision (i) of Section 6380 of the Family Code. However, the fact that an order issued by a court pursuant to this section was not issued on forms adopted by the Judicial Council and approved by the Department of Justice shall not, in and of itself, make the order unenforceable.
(j)(1)Prior to a hearing on the issuance or denial of an order under this part, a search shall be conducted as described in subdivision (a) of Section 6306 of the Family Code.
(2)Prior to deciding whether to issue an order under this part, the court shall consider the following information obtained pursuant to a search conducted under paragraph (1): any conviction for a violent felony specified in Section 667.5 of the Penal Code or a serious felony specified in Section 1192.7 of the Penal Code; any misdemeanor conviction involving domestic violence, weapons, or other violence; any outstanding warrant; parole or probation status; any prior restraining order; and any violation of a prior restraining order.
(3)(A)If the results of the search conducted pursuant to paragraph (1) indicate that an outstanding warrant exists against the subject of the search, the court shall order the clerk of the court to immediately notify, by the most effective means available, appropriate law enforcement officials of any information obtained through the search that the court determines is appropriate. The law enforcement officials notified shall take all actions necessary to execute any outstanding warrants or any other actions, as appropriate and as soon as practicable.
(B)If the results of the search conducted pursuant to paragraph (1) indicate that the subject of the search is currently on parole or probation, the court shall order the clerk of the court to immediately notify, by the most effective means available, the appropriate parole or probation officer of any information obtained through the search that the court determines is appropriate. The parole or probation officer notified shall take all actions necessary to revoke any parole or probation, or any other actions, with respect to the subject person, as appropriate and as soon as practicable.
(k)Upon making any order for custody or visitation pursuant to this section, the court shall follow the procedures specified in subdivisions (c) and (d) of Section 6323 of the Family Code.
SEC. 3.Section 15657.03 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:15657.03.(a)(1)An elder or dependent adult who has suffered abuse as defined in Section 15610.07 may seek protective orders as provided in this section.
(2)A petition may be brought on behalf of an abused elder or dependent adult by a conservator or a trustee of the elder or dependent adult, an attorney-in-fact of an elder or dependent adult who acts within the authority of the power of attorney, a person appointed as a guardian ad litem for the elder or dependent adult, or other person legally authorized to seek such relief.
(b)For the purposes of this section:
(1)Conservator means the legally appointed conservator of the person or estate of the petitioner, or both.
(2)Petitioner means the elder or dependent adult to be protected by the protective orders and, if the court grants the petition, the protected person.
(3)Protective order means an order that includes any of the following restraining orders, whether issued ex parte, after notice and hearing, or in a judgment:
(A)An order enjoining a party from abusing, intimidating, molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, or coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of, the petitioner, and, in the discretion of the court, on a showing of good cause, of other named family or household members or a conservator, if any, of the petitioner.
(B)An order granting petitioners request for exclusive care, possession, or control of any animal or animals owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by the petitioner or another person residing in the residence or household of the petitioner. The court may order the respondent to stay away from the animal or animals and forbid the respondent from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of that animal or animals.
(B)
(C)An order excluding a party from the petitioners residence or dwelling, except that this order shall not be issued if legal or equitable title to, or lease of, the residence or dwelling is in the sole name of the party to be excluded, or is in the name of the party to be excluded and any other party besides the petitioner.
(C)
(D)An order enjoining a party from specified behavior that the court determines is necessary to effectuate orders described in subparagraph (A) or ,(B), or (C).
(4)Respondent means the person against whom the protective orders are sought and, if the petition is granted, the restrained person.
(c)An order may be issued under this section, with or without notice, to restrain any person for the purpose of preventing a recurrence of abuse, if a declaration shows, to the satisfaction of the court, reasonable proof of a past act or acts of abuse of the petitioning elder or dependent adult.
(d)Upon filing a petition for protective orders under this section, the petitioner may obtain a temporary restraining order in accordance with Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure, except to the extent this section provides a rule that is inconsistent. The temporary restraining order may include any of the protective orders described in paragraph (3) of subdivision (b). However, the court may issue an ex parte order excluding a party from the petitioners residence or dwelling only on a showing of all of the following:
(1)Facts sufficient for the court to ascertain that the party who will stay in the dwelling has a right under color of law to possession of the premises.
(2)That the party to be excluded has assaulted or threatens to assault the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or a conservator of the petitioner.
(3)That physical or emotional harm would otherwise result to the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or a conservator of the petitioner.
(e)A request for the issuance of a temporary restraining order without notice under this section shall be granted or denied on the same day that the petition is submitted to the court, unless the petition is filed too late in the day to permit effective review, in which case the order shall be granted or denied on the next day of judicial business in sufficient time for the order to be filed that day with the clerk of the court.
(f)Within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days, from the date that a request for a temporary restraining order is granted or denied, a hearing shall be held on the petition. If no request for temporary orders is made, the hearing shall be held within 21 days, or, if good cause appears to the court, 25 days, from the date that the petition is filed.
(g)The respondent may file a response that explains or denies the alleged abuse.
(h)The court may issue, upon notice and a hearing, any of the orders set forth in paragraph (3) of subdivision (b). The court may issue, after notice and hearing, an order excluding a person from a residence or dwelling if the court finds that physical or emotional harm would otherwise result to the petitioner, other named family or household member of the petitioner, or conservator of the petitioner.
(i)(1)In the discretion of the court, an order issued after notice and a hearing under this section may have a duration of not more than five years, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. These orders may be renewed upon the request of a party, either for five years or permanently, without a showing of any further abuse since the issuance of the original order, subject to termination or modification by further order of the court either on written stipulation filed with the court or on the motion of a party. The request for renewal may be brought at any time within the three months before the expiration of the order.
(2)The failure to state the expiration date on the face of the form creates an order with a duration of three years from the date of issuance.
(3)If an action is filed for the purpose of terminating or modifying a protective order prior to the expiration date specified in the order by a party other than the protected party, the party who is protected by the order shall be given notice, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 1005 of the Code of Civil Procedure, of the proceeding by personal service or, if the protected party has satisfied the requirements of Chapter 3.1 (commencing with Section 6205) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, by service on the Secretary of State. If the party who is protected by the order cannot be notified prior to the hearing for modification or termination of the protective order, the court shall deny the motion to modify or terminate the order without prejudice or continue the hearing until the party who is protected can be properly noticed and may, upon a showing of good cause, specify another method for service of process that is reasonably designed to afford actual notice to the protected party. The protected party may waive his or her right to notice if he or she is physically present in court and does not challenge the sufficiency of the notice.
(j)In a proceeding under this section, a support person may accompany a party in court and, if the party is not represented by an attorney, may sit with the party at the table that is generally reserved for the party and the partys attorney. The support person is present to provide moral and emotional support for a person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse. The support person is not present as a legal adviser and may not provide legal advice. The support person may assist the person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse in feeling more confident that he or she will not be injured or threatened by the other party during the proceedings if the person who alleges he or she is a victim of abuse and the other party are required to be present in close proximity. This subdivision does not preclude the court from exercising its discretion to remove the support person from the courtroom if the court believes the support person is prompting, swaying, or influencing the party assisted by the support person.
(k)Upon the filing of a petition for protective orders under this section, the respondent shall be personally served with a copy of the petition, notice of the hearing or order to show cause, temporary restraining order, if any, and any declarations in support of the petition. Service shall be made at least five days before the hearing. The court may, on motion of the petitioner or on its own motion, shorten the time for service on the respondent.
(l)A notice of hearing under this section shall notify the respondent that if he or she does not attend the hearing, the court may make orders against him or her that could last up to five years.
(m)(1)The court may, upon the filing of a declaration by the petitioner that the respondent could not be served within the time required by statute, reissue an order previously issued and dissolved by the court for failure to serve the respondent. The reissued order shall remain in effect until the date set for the hearing.
(2)The reissued order shall state on its face the date of expiration of the order.
(n)(1)If a respondent, named in an order issued under this section after a hearing, has not been served personally with the order but has received actual notice of the existence and substance of the order through personal appearance in court to hear the terms of the order from the court, no additional proof of service is required for enforcement of the order.
(2)If the respondent named in a temporary restraining order is personally served with the order and notice of hearing with respect to a restraining order or protective order based on the temporary restraining order, but the respondent does not appear at the hearing, either personally or by an attorney, and the terms and conditions of the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing are identical to the temporary restraining order, except for the duration of the order, then the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing may be served on the respondent by first-class mail sent to the respondent at the most current address for the respondent that is available to the court.
(3)The Judicial Council form for temporary orders issued pursuant to this subdivision shall contain a statement in substantially the following form:
If you have been personally served with a temporary restraining order and notice of hearing, but you do not appear at the hearing either in person or by a lawyer, and a restraining order that is the same as this temporary restraining order except for the expiration date is issued at the hearing, a copy of the order will be served on you by mail at the following address: ____.
If that address is not correct or you wish to verify that the temporary restraining order was converted to a restraining order at the hearing without substantive change and to find out the duration of that order, contact the clerk of the court.
(o)(1)Information on any protective order relating to elder or dependent adult abuse issued by a court pursuant to this section shall be transmitted to the Department of Justice in accordance with either paragraph (2) or (3).
(2)The court shall order the petitioner or the attorney for the petitioner to deliver a copy of an order issued under this section, or a reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by the close of the business day on which the order, reissuance, extension, modification, or termination was made, to each law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the residence of the petitioner, and to any additional law enforcement agencies within the courts discretion as are requested by the petitioner.
(3)Alternatively, the court or its designee shall transmit, within one business day, to law enforcement personnel all information required under subdivision (b) of Section 6380 of the Family Code regarding any order issued under this section, or a reissuance, extension, modification, or termination of the order, and any subsequent proof of service, by either one of the following methods:
(A)Transmitting a physical copy of the order or proof of service to a local law enforcement agency authorized by the Department of Justice to enter orders into the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS).
(B)With the approval of the Department of Justice, entering the order or proof of service into CLETS directly.
(4)Each appropriate law enforcement agency shall make available information as to the existence and current status of these orders to law enforcement officers responding to the scene of reported abuse.
(5)An order issued under this section shall, on request of the petitioner, be served on the respondent, whether or not the respondent has been taken into custody, by any law enforcement officer who is present at the scene of reported abuse involving the parties to the proceeding. The petitioner shall provide the officer with an endorsed copy of the order and a proof of service, which the officer shall complete and send to the issuing court.
(6)Upon receiving information at the scene of an incident of abuse that a protective order has been issued under this section, or that a person who has been taken into custody is the respondent to that order, if the protected person cannot produce an endorsed copy of the order, a law enforcement officer shall immediately attempt to verify the existence of the order.
(7)If the law enforcement officer determines that a protective order has been issued, but not served, the officer shall immediately notify the respondent of the terms of the order and where a written copy of the order can be obtained, and the officer shall at that time also enforce the order. The law enforcement officers verbal notice of the terms of the order shall constitute service of the order and is sufficient notice for the purposes of this section and for the purposes of Section 273.6 of the Penal Code.
(p)Nothing in this section shall preclude either party from representation by private counsel or from appearing on the partys own behalf.
(q)There is no filing fee for a petition, response, or paper seeking the reissuance, modification, or enforcement of a protective order filed in a proceeding brought pursuant to this section.
(r)Pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (b) of Section 6103.2 of the Government Code, a petitioner shall not be required to pay a fee for law enforcement to serve an order issued under this section.
(s)The prevailing party in any action brought under this section may be awarded court costs and attorneys fees, if any.
(t)(1)A person subject to a protective order under this section shall not own, possess, purchase, receive, or attempt to receive a firearm or ammunition while the protective order is in effect.
(2)The court shall order a person subject to a protective order issued under this section to relinquish any firearms he or she owns or possesses pursuant to Section 527.9 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
(3)Every person who owns, possesses, purchases, or receives, or attempts to purchase or receive a firearm or ammunition while subject to a protective order issued under this section is punishable pursuant to Section 29825 of the Penal Code.
(4)This subdivision shall not apply in a case in which the protective order issued under this section was made solely on the basis of financial abuse unaccompanied by force, threat, harassment, intimidation, or any other form of abuse.
(u)Any willful disobedience of any temporary restraining order or restraining order after hearing granted under this section is punishable pursuant to Section 273.6 of the Penal Code.
(v)This section does not apply to any action or proceeding governed by Title 1.6C (commencing with Section 1788) of Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code, by Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 525) of Title 7 of Part 2 of the Code of Civil Procedure, or by Division 10 (commencing with Section 6200) of the Family Code. Nothing in this section shall preclude a petitioners right to use other existing civil remedies.
(w)The Judicial Council shall develop forms, instructions, and rules relating to matters governed by this section. The petition and response forms shall be simple and concise, and their use by parties in actions brought pursuant to this section shall be mandatory.
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Date
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Status
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|---|---|
| Jun 15, 2015 | From Consent Calendar. |
| Oct 1, 2015 | Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 401, Statutes of 2015. |
| Oct 1, 2015 | Approved by the Governor. |
| Sep 14, 2015 | Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m. |
| Sep 2, 2015 | Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 79. Noes 0.). |
| Sep 2, 2015 | Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 2809.). |
| Sep 2, 2015 | Assembly Rule 77 suspended. (Page 2795.) |
| Sep 2, 2015 | Assembly Rule 77 suspended. |
| Sep 1, 2015 | Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 38. Noes 0. Page 2330.). |
| Sep 1, 2015 | Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. |
| Sep 1, 2015 | In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending. May be considered on or after September 3 pursuant to Assembly Rule 77. |
| Aug 18, 2015 | Read second time. Ordered to third reading. |
| Aug 17, 2015 | Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading. |
| Jun 15, 2015 | Ordered to third reading. |
| Feb 23, 2015 | Read first time. To print. |
| Jun 11, 2015 | Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar. |
| Jun 10, 2015 | From committee: Do pass. To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (June 9). |
| May 18, 2015 | From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on JUD. |
| May 7, 2015 | Referred to Com. on JUD. |
| Apr 16, 2015 | Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 972.) |
| Apr 16, 2015 | Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. |
| Apr 16, 2015 | In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. |
| Apr 14, 2015 | Read second time. Ordered to third reading. |
| Apr 13, 2015 | Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading. |
| Apr 9, 2015 | From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (April 7). |
| Mar 5, 2015 | Referred to Com. on JUD. |
| Feb 24, 2015 | From printer. May be heard in committee March 26. |
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Date
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Description
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Location
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Votes
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2, 2015 | AB 494 MAIENSCHEIN Concurrence in Senate Amendments | Assembly Floor |
Passed |
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| Sep 1, 2015 | Assembly 3rd Reading AB494 Maienschein By Jackson | Senate Floor |
Passed |
|
| Jun 9, 2015 | Do pass and be ordered to the Consent Calendar | Senate Standing Committee on Judiciary |
Passed |
|
| Apr 16, 2015 | AB 494 MAIENSCHEIN Assembly Third Reading | Assembly Floor |
Passed |
|
| Apr 7, 2015 | Do pass as amended. | Assembly Standing Committee on Judiciary |
Passed |
This list shows positions taken on this bill by organizations on the date displayed, which is linked to the original source.
Positions by individuals are not included.
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Organization
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Position
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Date
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|---|---|---|
| American Society For The Prevention Of Cruelty To Animals | ** Support | Sep 1, 2015 |
| California Animal Control Directors Association | ** Support | Sep 1, 2015 |
| California District Attorneys Association | ** Support | Sep 1, 2015 |
| California Partnership To End Domestic Violence | ** Support | Sep 1, 2015 |
| City and County of San Francisco | ** Support | Sep 1, 2015 |
| Humane Society Of The United States, The | ** Support | Sep 1, 2015 |
| One individual | ** Support | Sep 1, 2015 |
| State Humane Association of California | ** Support | Sep 1, 2015 |
AB 494
Page 3
CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB 494
(Maienschein)
As Amended August 17, 2015
Majority vote
ASSEMBLY: |
79-0 |
(April 16, 2015) |
SENATE: |
38-0 |
(September 1, 2015) |
Original Committee Reference: JUD.
SUMMARY: Enables courts to include protections for companion animals in restraining orders sought by persons who fear for the safety of themselves and their animals and apply for civil harassment and other types of protective orders. Specifically, with respect to restraining orders in certain civil harassment cases, juvenile dependency cases, and elder abuse cases, this bill allows a court, upon a showing of good cause, to include in the restraining order one or both of the following:
An order for exclusive care, possession, or control of any animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by the petitioner, or residing in the residence or household of the person protected by the restraining order.
An order to the respondent or person being restrained to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal.
The Senate amendments establish chaptering-out language to avoid potential conflict with AB 1081 (Quirk) of the current legislative session and SB 196 (Hancock) of the current legislative session.
FISCAL EFFECT: None
COMMENTS: In 2007, the Legislature enacted legislation authorizing courts to include protections for companion animals of persons who are protected by domestic violence restraining orders (AB 353 (Kuehl), Chapter 205, Statutes of 2007). AB 353 amended the Domestic Violence Prevention Act, to specifically authorize the court, upon a showing of good cause, to include in a domestic violence prevention order an order to grant the petitioner exclusive care or possession of the companion animal and to order the respondent to stay away from the companion animal and refrain from taking or harming the animal. AB 353 did not, however, enable the animal protection provisions to be applied in other types of restraining orders.
This bill, sponsored by the Family Law Section of the State Bar (Flexcom), seeks to extend the protections established by AB 353 to restraining orders that may be sought in civil harassment cases, juvenile dependency cases, and elder abuse cases. According to the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, "The threat, or actual use, of violence against family pets is part of the dynamic of family violence – a dynamic that includes not only the spouse and the batterer, but also the children, elderly relatives, and the family pet(s). Animals are often used by the abuser to punish or manipulate, as well as to take revenge against, the victim." (Ramsey, Randour, and Gupta, "Protecting Domestic Violence Victims by Protecting Their Pets." Juvenile and Family Justice Today, National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, Volume 19, part 2 (Spring 2010).) Multiple studies have found that as many as 71% of battered women reported that their pets had been threatened, harmed, or killed by their partners. (See, e.g. Ascione, Weber, and Wood, "The Abuse Of Animals And Domestic Violence: A National Survey Of Shelters For Women Who Are Battered." Society and Animals, Volume 5(3), 1997.)
In support of this bill, the author states:
As animal abuse is often correlated with family violence, many people who abuse their family members and intimate partners also threaten, injure or kill their victims’ pets, as an effective way to intensify the effects of their abusive behavior. AB 494 seeks to bring other sections of state law up to par with the Domestic Violence Prevention Act by allowing judicial officers in all types of restraining orders to protect companion animals. AB 494 will help abused elders, abused children and stalking victims to ensure the safety and the wellbeing of their pets after a restraining order has been granted.
Background on Protective Orders and the Effect of Including Animals Within Those Orders. Depending on the type of order applied for, domestic violence protective orders may last days, weeks, years, or even permanently. Emergency protective orders, issued by a judicial officer upon specific assertions by a law enforcement officer, expire on the earliest of the fifth court day, or the seventh calendar day following issuance. In contrast, requests for temporary restraining orders (TROs) are filed with the court and become effective upon receiving a judge's signature and being served on the batterer. TROs may be granted ex parte, without formal notice to, or presence of, the batterer and are issued or denied on the date of application, unless the application is filed too late to permit effective review. TROs are generally effective for 21 days or until a hearing on the matter. After proper notice and hearing, a restraining order may be granted for up to five years, subject to future modification. At that hearing, the petitioner must make a showing of past acts of abuse and the likelihood of continuing abusive conduct on the respondent's part. Upon request, that order may be renewed for another five years, or permanently.
Showing of Good Cause Required. Recent amendments clarify that a showing of good cause is necessary for the court to include protections for an animal in an ex parte restraining order covered by this bill. Ex parte orders, such as civil harassment protection orders, are temporary orders pending a formal hearing and generally only are ordered if quick action, often without notice to the other party, is required. Because ex parte orders are generally granted at the request of one party, without the other parties to the action present, and are an exception to the basic rule of court procedure that both parties must be present at any argument before the court, there are often due process concerns about the rights of the party not present. In order to mitigate these concerns, this bill provides that, for each type of ex parte order covered by this bill, a petitioner cannot gain custody of the animal or compel the respondent to stay away from the animal without a showing of good cause. This bill is consistent with existing law, Family Code Section 6320, which already requires good cause to be shown before the court may incorporate animal protection measures into a domestic violence restraining order.
In short, the court must find good cause before issuing an ex parte TRO that includes protections for the animal. At the subsequent noticed motion and hearing, held within 21 days, the respondent would still have the opportunity to dispute the initial ex parte order for exclusive care, possession, or control of the animal, or an order to stay away.
Animal Protections Are Available Only When Included in an Underlying Restraining Order. With respect to domestic violence restraining orders under Family Code Section 6320, the court "may include in a protective order" a grant of possession or control of an animal, or an order to the respondent to stay away from the animal or refrain from harming it. Proponents agree that this existing section of law does not allow the petitioner to seek a stand-alone order protecting only the companion animal, but only allows a court to include protections for the animal in the underlying protective order already at issue. According to the author, this bill is not intended to allow a stand-alone order for custody of an animal or to stay away from the animal, unless there is an underlying restraining order protecting the petitioner or other protected party. Accordingly, recent amendments clarify that this bill authorizes protections for animals only when they are included in an underlying restraining order, specifically those issued in cases involving civil harassment, juvenile wards and dependents, or elder abuse.
Specific Provisions to Protect Animals May Ease the Process for Self-Represented Parties. Because American and Californian jurisprudence generally views animals as personal property, it is arguable that existing law already allows a petitioner to seek protections for an animal when petitioning for a civil harassment protective order. (See Scharer v. San Luis Rey Equine Hosp., Inc., (2012) 204 Cal.App.4th 421, 427 ("animals are a form of personal property under California law. ") In a civil harassment dispute, for example, a court may issue an order "enjoining a party from harassing, intimidating, or … destroying personal property" (Code of Civil Procedure Section 527.6(b)(6)(A)) that arguably could be wielded by a sophisticated party to protect an animal. The Assembly Judiciary Committee notes that by specifically allowing courts to include protection for animals in the underlying restraining order, this bill could have the benefit of easing the process for self-represented parties. The Judicial Council forms used by self-represented parties to seek various restraining orders could easily be updated to include a check box or blank space where the party could easily indicate his or her intent to seek protection for an animal as provided by this bill.
The Bill's Protections Are Not Necessarily Limited Only to Traditional Companion Animals. Similar to AB 353, the term "animal" is not specifically defined. Accordingly, "animal" would encompass virtually any possible animal belonging to the petitioner or respondent that may be threatened by the abuse. In defining "animal," American Jurisprudence, Second Edition, states generally "in the language of the law, the word ‘animal’ is used to mean all animal life other than humans." Thus, the term "animal" not only covers domestic dogs or cats, but potentially would encompass even a dairy cow or prized racehorse. From a public policy standpoint, this broad definition appropriate covers the wide range of animals that may be exploited by an abuser to try to control his or her victims. While the definition could also include a valuable leased animal, such as a show dog or racehorse, the requirement of court approval upon a showing of good cause provides as a layer of protection to prevent the use of the provisions to gain control over valuable animals absent sufficient justification.
Many Other States Specifically Authorize Protections of Animals to be Included in Temporary Restraining Orders. According to the Humane Society of the United States, this bill would cause California to join over two dozen other states that have expanded their laws to allow animals to be included in some type of protective order. These states include: Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia.
Analysis Prepared by: Anthony Lew / JUD. / (916) 319-2334 FN: 0001387
AB 494
Page 5
|
Office of Senate Floor Analyses (916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) 327-4478 |
THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 494
Amended: 8/17/15 in Senate
SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: 7-0, 6/9/15
AYES: Jackson, Moorlach, Anderson, Hertzberg, Leno, Monning, Wieckowski
ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 79-0, 4/16/15 - See last page for vote
SUBJECT: Restraining orders: protection of animals
DIGEST: This bill authorizes the court, on a showing of good cause, to include in a civil protective or restraining order, as specified, an order: (1) granting the petitioner exclusive care, possession, or control of an animal that is held by a person protected by a restraining order, or that resides in the same residence as a person protected by a restraining order; and (2) instructing the respondent or restrained person to stay away from the animal, and refrain from taking or harming the animal, as specified.
Senate Floor Amendments of 8/17/15 replace the term “injunction” with “order after hearing,” thereby reflecting the current terminology employed by the courts. The amendments also add language to avoid chaptering out issues in the event that both this bill and AB 1081 (Quirk) and SB 196 (Hancock) are enacted.
Existing law:
Establishes the Domestic Violence Prevention Act, and authorizes a court to issue an ex parte domestic violence protective order enjoining a party from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, destroying personal property, and other specified behaviors. (Fam. Code Sec. 6200 et seq.)
Provides that a domestic violence protective order may include, among other things, orders excluding a party from a residence, enjoining a party from specific behavior, determining temporary custody and visitation rights, determining the temporary use of property, and restraining a party from specific acts to the parties’ community, separate and quasi-community property. (Fam. Code Secs. 6321-25.)
Authorizes a court to issue protective orders ex parte and/or after a noticed motion and a hearing. (Fam. Code Secs. 6320, 6340.)
Authorizes a court, upon a showing of good cause, to include in a domestic violence prevention order, a grant to the petitioner of the exclusive care, possession, or control of any animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by either the petitioner, respondent, household, or minor child in the residence. Existing law further allows the court to order the respondent to stay away from the animal and forbid the respondent from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal. (Fam. Code Sec. 6320(b).)
Permits a person who has suffered civil harassment to seek a temporary restraining order or an injunction prohibiting the civil harassment. (Code Civ. Proc. Sec. 527.6 (a).)
Defines “harassment” as unlawful violence, a credible threat of violence, or a knowing and willful course of conduct directed at a specific person that seriously alarms, annoys, or harasses the person and serves no legitimate purpose. (Code Civ. Proc. Sec. 527.6 (b)(3).)
Defines “temporary restraining order” and “injunction” to mean orders that include any restraining order enjoining a party from harassing, intimidating, molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, abusing, telephoning, including but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls, destroying personal property, contacting either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, or coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of, the petitioner, or any order enjoining a party from specified behavior that is necessary to effectuate such restraint. (Code Civ. Proc. Sec. 527.6 (b)(6).)
Allows a juvenile court to issue a protective order on behalf of a dependent child or a ward of the state for a duration of up to three years. (Welf. & Inst. Code Sec. 213.5.)
Allows a court to issue a protective order on behalf of an elder or dependent adult for a duration of up to three years. (Welf. & Inst. Code Sec. 15657.03.)
This bill allows a court, on a showing of good cause, to include in a protective order on behalf of a dependent adult, elder, juvenile dependent or ward, or a protective order prohibiting harassment, the following:
an order for exclusive care, possession, or control of any animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by the petitioner, or residing in the residence or household of the person protected by the restraining order; and/or
an order to the respondent or person being restrained to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal.
Background
In response to news articles describing the use of pets by abusers to control their victims, such as threatening to hurt an animal if a victim were to leave an abusive situation, the Legislature enacted AB 353 (Kuehl, Chapter 205, Statutes of 2007) which authorized courts to include protections for animals in domestic violence restraining orders. Domestic violence refers to abuse perpetrated against a spouse, former spouse, cohabitant or former cohabitant, or a person with whom the alleged abuser is having or has had a dating relationship, or a child of the alleged abuser. (Fam. Code Sec. 6211)
However, there are many relationships outside a “domestic” situation where individuals may seek a protective order from the court. Stalking, for example, is a crime of power and control. Stalking is defined as “a course of conduct directed at a specific person that involves repeated visual or physical proximity, nonconsensual communication, or verbal, written, or implied threats, or a combination thereof, that would cause a reasonable person fear.” (Tjaden, Patricia and Nancy Thoennes. Stalking in America: Findings From the National Violence Against Women Survey. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice, 1998, NCJ 169592.U.S.) Stalking may also include leaving or sending the victim unwanted items or presents, following or lying in wait for the victim, damaging or threatening to damage the victim’s property, or otherwise harassing the victim. Elders and dependent adults are also vulnerable to abuse, both physical and financial, from caretakers, family, and others who wish to abuse and/or extort a vulnerable adult. Finally, juvenile dependents and wards, many who have been removed from their homes because of abuse or neglect, often require protection from the court.
This bill, seeking to protect individuals outside of domestic violence situations who may seek protective orders, expressly authorizes the court to include animals in those restraining orders.
FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: No Local: No
Executive Committee of the Family Law Section of the State Bar (source) American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
California District Attorneys Association
California Animal Control Directors Association
California Partnership to End Domestic Violence
City and County of San Francisco
Humane Society of the United States
OPPOSITION: (Verified 8/17/15)
None received
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT: The Executive Committee of the Family Law Section of the State Bar, sponsor of this bill, writes:
There are currently several other types of restraining orders issued to protect children or adults who are abused or stalked that do not allow for the protection of pets. Civil harassment orders are often used to protect victims of stalking or sexual assault when the person stalking them is not an intimate partner. Restraining orders in juvenile dependency cases are used to protect children or parents who are abused by the other parent. Elder and dependent abuse restraining orders can be used to protect elders and dependent adults from abuse by a caretaker or non-family member. The pets of protected parties in those cases are as much at risk as pets in Domestic Violence Prevention Act cases.
This bill will extend protections to companion animals of protected parties in restraining orders issued in juvenile dependency and delinquency cases (Welfare & Institutions Code Section 213.5), civil harassment cases (Civil Procedure Section 527.6(b)(6)), and Elder Abuse cases (Welfare & Institutions Code Section 15657.03). This bill will bring all types of restraining orders in alignment with the protections provided pursuant to the Domestic Violence Prevention Act. Both pets and their abused guardians will be safer if pet protections can be expanded to these other categories of restraining orders.
ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 79-0, 4/16/15
AYES: Achadjian, Alejo, Travis Allen, Baker, Bigelow, Bloom, Bonilla, Bonta, Brough, Brown, Burke, Calderon, Campos, Chang, Chau, Chávez, Chiu, Chu, Cooley, Cooper, Dababneh, Dahle, Daly, Dodd, Eggman, Frazier, Beth Gaines, Gallagher, Cristina Garcia, Eduardo Garcia, Gatto, Gipson, Gomez, Gonzalez, Gordon, Gray, Grove, Hadley, Harper, Roger Hernández, Holden, Irwin, Jones, Jones-Sawyer, Kim, Lackey, Levine, Linder, Lopez, Low, Maienschein, Mathis, Mayes, McCarty, Medina, Melendez, Mullin, Nazarian, Obernolte, O'Donnell, Olsen, Patterson, Perea, Rendon, Ridley-Thomas, Rodriguez, Salas, Santiago, Steinorth, Mark Stone, Thurmond, Ting, Wagner, Waldron, Weber, Wilk, Williams, Wood, Atkins
NO VOTE RECORDED: Quirk
Prepared by: Nichole Rapier / JUD. / (916) 651-4113
8/20/15 14:16:33
**** END ****
AB 494
Page 5
|
Office of Senate Floor Analyses (916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) 327-4478 |
THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 494
Author: Maienschein (R), et al.
Amended: 5/18/15 in Senate
SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: 7-0, 6/09/15
AYES: Jackson, Moorlach, Anderson, Hertzberg, Leno, Monning, Wieckowski
ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 79-0, 4/16/15 - See last page for vote
SUBJECT: Restraining orders: protection of animals
SOURCE: Executive Committee of the Family Law Section of the State Bar
DIGEST: This bill authorizes the court, on a showing of good cause, to include in a civil protective or restraining order, as specified, an order 1) granting the petitioner exclusive care, possession, or control of an animal that is held by a person protected by a restraining order, or that resides in the same residence as a person protected by a restraining order; and 2) instructing the respondent or restrained person to stay away from the animal, and refrain from taking or harming the animal, as specified.
Existing law:
Establishes the Domestic Violence Prevention Act, and authorizes a court to issue an ex parte domestic violence protective order enjoining a party from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, destroying personal property, and other specified behaviors. (Fam. Code Sec. 6200 et seq.)
Provides that a domestic violence protective order may include, among other things, orders excluding a party from a residence, enjoining a party from specific behavior, determining temporary custody and visitation rights, determining the temporary use of property, and restraining a party from specific acts to the parties’ community, separate and quasi-community property. (Fam. Code Secs. 6321-25.)
Authorizes a court to issue protective orders ex parte and/or after a noticed motion and a hearing. (Fam. Code Secs. 6320, 6340.)
Authorizes a court, upon a showing of good cause, to include in a domestic violence prevention order, a grant to the petitioner of the exclusive care, possession, or control of any animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by either the petitioner, respondent, household, or minor child in the residence. Existing law further allows the court to order the respondent to stay away from the animal and forbid the respondent from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal. (Fam. Code Sec. 6320(b).)
Permits a person who has suffered civil harassment to seek a temporary restraining order or an injunction prohibiting the civil harassment. (Code Civ. Proc. Sec. 527.6 (a).)
Defines “harassment” as unlawful violence, a credible threat of violence, or a knowing and willful course of conduct directed at a specific person that seriously alarms, annoys, or harasses the person and serves no legitimate purpose. (Code Civ. Proc. Sec. 527.6 (b)(3).)
Defines “temporary restraining order” and “injunction” to mean orders that include any restraining order enjoining a party from harassing, intimidating, molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, abusing, telephoning, including but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls, destroying personal property, contacting either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, or coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of, the petitioner, or any order enjoining a party from specified behavior that is necessary to effectuate such restraint. (Code Civ. Proc. Sec. 527.6 (b)(6).)
Allows a juvenile court to issue a protective order on behalf of a dependent child or a ward of the state for a duration of up to three years. (Welf. & Inst. Code Sec. 213.5.)
Allows a court to issue a protective order on behalf of an elder or dependent adult for a duration of up to three years. (Welf. & Inst. Code Sec. 15657.03.)
This bill allows a court, on a showing of good cause, to include in a protective order on behalf of a dependent adult, elder, juvenile dependent or ward, or a protective order prohibiting harassment, the following:
an order for exclusive care, possession, or control of any animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by the petitioner, or residing in the residence or household of the person protected by the restraining order; and/or
an order to the respondent or person being restrained to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal.
Background
In response to news articles describing the use of pets by abusers to control their victims, such as threatening to hurt an animal if a victim were to leave an abusive situation, the Legislature enacted AB 353 (Kuehl, Chapter 205, Statutes of 2007) which authorized courts to include protections for animals in domestic violence restraining orders. Domestic violence refers to abuse perpetrated against a spouse, former spouse, cohabitant or former cohabitant, or a person with whom the alleged abuser is having or has had a dating relationship, or a child of the alleged abuser. (Fam. Code Sec. 6211.)
However, there are many relationships outside a “domestic” situation where individuals may seek a protective order from the court. Stalking, for example, is a crime of power and control. Stalking is defined as “a course of conduct directed at a specific person that involves repeated visual or physical proximity, nonconsensual communication, or verbal, written, or implied threats, or a combination thereof, that would cause a reasonable person fear.” (Tjaden, Patricia and Nancy Thoennes. Stalking in America: Findings From the National Violence Against Women Survey. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice, 1998, NCJ 169592.U.S.) Stalking may also include leaving or sending the victim unwanted items or presents, following or lying in wait for the victim, damaging or threatening to damage the victim’s property, or otherwise harassing the victim. Elders and dependent adults are also vulnerable to abuse, both physical and financial, from caretakers, family, and others who wish to abuse and/or extort a vulnerable adult. Finally, juvenile dependents and wards, many who have been removed from their homes because of abuse or neglect, often require protection from the court.
This bill, seeking to protect individuals outside of domestic violence situations who may seek protective orders, expressly authorizes the court to include animals in those restraining orders.
FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: No Local: No
Executive Committee of the Family Law Section of the State Bar (source)
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
California Animal Control Directors Association
California District Attorneys Association
California Partnership to End Domestic Violence
City and County of San Francisco
Humane Society of the United States
State Humane Association of California
One individual
OPPOSITION: (Verified 6/11/15)
None received
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT: According to the author:
In
2007, the Domestic Violence Prevention Act was amended to enable
courts to add protection for companion animals in domestic violence
restraining orders. However, the companion animal section of the Act
does not apply to all forms of restraining orders. AB 494 will extend
protections to companion animals of protected parties in restraining
orders issued in juvenile dependency cases, civil harassment cases,
and Elder Abuse cases. Civil harassment orders are often utilized by
persons who are being stalked or were sexually assaulted by a
non-intimate partner, or by persons who are being harassed by a
neighbor. These individuals may have pets that also need protection
from the person to be restrained.
ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 79-0, 4/16/15
AYES: Achadjian, Alejo, Travis Allen, Baker, Bigelow, Bloom, Bonilla, Bonta, Brough, Brown, Burke, Calderon, Campos, Chang, Chau, Chávez, Chiu, Chu, Cooley, Cooper, Dababneh, Dahle, Daly, Dodd, Eggman, Frazier, Beth Gaines, Gallagher, Cristina Garcia, Eduardo Garcia, Gatto, Gipson, Gomez, Gonzalez, Gordon, Gray, Grove, Hadley, Harper, Roger Hernández, Holden, Irwin, Jones, Jones-Sawyer, Kim, Lackey, Levine, Linder, Lopez, Low, Maienschein, Mathis, Mayes, McCarty, Medina, Melendez, Mullin, Nazarian, Obernolte, O'Donnell, Olsen, Patterson, Perea, Rendon, Ridley-Thomas, Rodriguez, Salas, Santiago, Steinorth, Mark Stone, Thurmond, Ting, Wagner, Waldron, Weber, Wilk, Williams, Wood, Atkins
NO VOTE RECORDED: Quirk
Prepared by: Nichole Rapier / JUD. / (916) 651-4113
6/22/15 10:55:50
**** END ****
AB 494 (Maienschein)
Page 7 of 7
Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson, Chair
2015-2016 Regular Session
AB 494 (Maienschein)
Version: May 18, 2015
Hearing Date: June 9, 2015
Fiscal: No
Urgency: No
NR
SUBJECT
Restraining orders: protection of animals
DESCRIPTION
This bill would authorize the court, on a showing of good cause, to include in a civil protective or restraining order, as specified, an order:
granting the petitioner exclusive care, possession, or control of an animal that is held by a person protected by a restraining order, or that resides in the same residence as a person protected by a restraining order; and
instructing the respondent or restrained person to stay away from the animal, and refrain from taking or harming the animal, as specified.
BACKGROUND
In response to news articles describing the use of pets by abusers to control their victims, such as threatening to hurt an animal if a victim were to leave an abusive situation, the Legislature enacted AB 353 (Kuehl, Chapter 205, Statutes of 2007) which authorized courts to include protections for animals in domestic violence restraining orders. Domestic violence refers to abuse perpetrated against a spouse, former spouse, cohabitant or former cohabitant, or a person with whom the alleged abuser is having or has had a dating relationship, or a child of the alleged abuser. (Fam. Code Sec. 6211)
However, there are many relationships outside a “domestic” situation where individuals may seek a protective order from the court. Stalking, for example, is a crime of power and control. Stalking is defined as “a course of conduct directed at a specific person that involves repeated visual or physical proximity, nonconsensual communication, or verbal, written, or implied threats, or a combination thereof, that would cause a reasonable person fear.” (Tjaden, Patricia and Nancy Thoennes. Stalking in America: Findings From the National Violence Against Women Survey. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice, 1998, NCJ 169592.U.S.) Stalking may also include leaving or sending the victim unwanted items or presents, following or lying in wait for the victim, damaging or threatening to damage the victim’s property, or otherwise harassing the victim. Elders and dependent adults are also vulnerable to abuse, both physical and financial, from caretakers, family, and others who wish to abuse and/or extort a vulnerable adult. Finally, juvenile dependents and wards, many who have been removed from their homes because of abuse or neglect, often require protection from the court.
This bill, seeking to protect individuals outside of domestic violence situations who may seek protective orders, would expressly authorize the court to include animals in those restraining orders.
CHANGES TO EXISTING LAW
Existing law establishes the Domestic Violence Prevention Act, and authorizes a court to issue an ex parte domestic violence protective order enjoining a party from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, destroying personal property, and other specified behaviors. (Fam. Code Sec. 6200 et seq.)
Existing law provides that a domestic violence protective order may include, among other things, orders excluding a party from a residence, enjoining a party from specific behavior, determining temporary custody and visitation rights, determining the temporary use of property, and restraining a party from specific acts to the parties’ community, separate and quasi-community property. (Fam. Code Secs. 6321-25.)
Existing law authorizes a court to issue protective orders ex parte and/or after a noticed motion and a hearing. (Fam. Code Secs. 6320, 6340.)
Existing law authorizes a court, upon a showing of good cause, to include in a domestic violence prevention order, a grant to the petitioner of the exclusive care, possession, or control of any animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by either the petitioner, respondent, household, or minor child in the residence. Existing law further allows the court to order the respondent to stay away from the animal and forbid the respondent from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal. (Fam. Code Sec. 6320(b).)
Existing law permits a person who has suffered civil harassment to seek a temporary restraining order or an injunction prohibiting the civil harassment. (Code Civ. Proc. Sec. 527.6 (a).)
Existing law defines “harassment” as unlawful violence, a credible threat of violence, or a knowing and willful course of conduct directed at a specific person that seriously alarms, annoys, or harasses the person and serves no legitimate purpose. (Code Civ. Proc. Sec. 527.6 (b)(3).)
Existing law defines “temporary restraining order” and “injunction” to mean orders that include any restraining order enjoining a party from harassing, intimidating, molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, abusing, telephoning, including but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls, destroying personal property, contacting either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, or coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of, the petitioner, or any order enjoining a party from specified behavior that is necessary to effectuate such restraint. (Code Civ. Proc. Sec. 527.6 (b)(6).)
Existing law allows a juvenile court to issue a protective order on behalf of a dependent child or a ward of the state for a duration of up to three years. (Welf. & Inst. Code Sec. 213.5.)
Existing law allows a court to issue a protective order on behalf of an elder or dependent adult for a duration of up to three years. (Welf. & Inst. Code Sec. 15657.03.)
This bill would allow a court, on a showing of good cause, to include in a protective order on behalf of a dependent adult, elder, juvenile dependent or ward, or a protective order prohibiting harassment, the following:
an order for exclusive care, possession, or control of any animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by the petitioner, or residing in the residence or household of the person protected by the restraining order; and/or
an order to the respondent or person being restrained to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal.
COMMENT
Stated need for the bill
According to the author:
In 2007, the Domestic Violence Prevention Act was amended to enable courts to add protection for companion animals in domestic violence restraining orders. However, the companion animal section of the Act does not apply to all forms of restraining orders. AB 494 will extend protections to companion animals of protected parties in restraining orders issued in juvenile dependency cases, civil harassment cases, and Elder Abuse cases. Civil harassment orders are often utilized by persons who are being stalked or were sexually assaulted by a non-intimate partner, or by persons who are being harassed by a neighbor. These individuals may have pets that also need protection from the person to be restrained.
Would protect persons vulnerable to abuse from threats of violence against their animals
Existing law includes express authorization to protect animals in domestic violence protective orders issued under the Family Code. Domestic violence protective orders generally cover individuals who are, or were, living together as a family or are otherwise in a romantic relationship. Persons who would not be able to petition for a domestic violence protective order could include an elder who is seeking protection from a caretaker or neighbor, a foster child who is seeking protection from the romantic partner of his parent with whom the child never resided, or a young woman seeking protection from a stalker with whom she has never had a romantic relationship. This bill would expressly provide that animals may be included in civil protective orders for harassment, or civil protective orders issued for the protection of juvenile dependents, wards, or elders.
By extending this authorization to other types of protective orders, this bill would ensure that victims of harassment, stalking, and elder abuse could protect their animals from persons who would otherwise injure or take an animal to control the victim. FLEXCOM, sponsor of this bill, writes:
There are currently several other types of restraining orders issued to protect children or adults who are abused or stalked that do not allow for the protection of pets. Civil harassment orders are often used to protect victims of stalking or sexual assault when the person stalking them is not an intimate partner. Restraining orders in juvenile dependency cases are used to protect children or parents who are abused by the other parent. Elder and dependent abuse restraining orders can be used to protect elders and dependent adults from abuse by a caretaker or non-family member. The pets of protected parties in those cases are as much at risk as pets in Domestic Violence Prevention Act cases.
This bill will extend protections to companion animals of protected parties in restraining orders issued in juvenile dependency and delinquency cases (Welfare & Institutions Code Section 213.5), civil harassment cases (Civil Procedure Section 527.6(b)(6)), and Elder Abuse cases (Welfare & Institutions Code Section 15657.03). This bill will bring all types of restraining orders in alignment with the protections provided pursuant to the Domestic Violence Prevention Act. Both pets and their abused guardians will be safer if pet protections can be expanded to these other categories of restraining orders.
Staff notes that current law allows the court to prohibit a respondent from interfering with a victim’s “property” in a protective order, and under California law animals are considered property. Thus, the ability to include animals in protective orders arguably exists within the current system. However, creating an express authorization to include pets in all civil protective orders will arguably aid self-represented litigants who may be unaware that pets are treated as property under California law.
All “animals” to be included
As noted above, this bill would allow animals to be included within the scope of a civil harassment restraining order, in juvenile ward and dependency protective orders, and in elder and dependent adult protective orders. As the term is not specifically defined in the bill, “animal” would encompass virtually any possible pet that may be threatened by an abuser. In defining “animal,” American Jurisprudence, Second Edition, states that generally “. . . in the language of the law, the word ‘animal’ is used to mean all animal life other than humans . . .” and Section 16302 of the Food and Agricultural Code Section includes “any domestic bovine animal, horse, mule, burro, sheep, goat, or swine . . .” within the definition of animal.
Thus, that term would cover not only household dogs or cats, but even a dairy cow or prized racehorse. From a public policy standpoint, that broad definition appears appropriate due to the various animals that may be used by an abuser to control his or her victims. While the definition could also include a valuable leased animal, such as a show dog or racehorse, the requirement of court approval upon a showing of good cause provides a layer of protection to prevent the use of the provisions to gain control over valuable animals absent sufficient justification.
Types, and duration of domestic violence protective orders and the effects of including family pets within those orders
Depending on type, domestic violence protective orders may last days, weeks, years, or even permanently. Emergency protective orders, issued by a judicial officer upon specific assertions by a law enforcement officer, expire on the earliest of the fifth court day, or seventh calendar day following issuance. In contrast, requests for temporary restraining orders (TROs) are filed with the court and become effective upon receiving a judge’s signature and being served on the batterer. TROs may be granted ex parte, without formal notice to, or presence of the batter, and are issued or denied on the date of application, unless the application is filed too late to permit effective review. (Fam. Code Sec. 6326.) TROs are generally effective for 21 days or until a hearing on the matter. After proper notice and hearing, a restraining order may be granted for up to five years, subject to future modification. At that hearing, the petitioner must make a showing of past acts of abuse and the likelihood of continuing abusive conduct on the respondent’s part. Upon request, that order may be renewed for another five years, or permanently. (Fam. Code Sec. 6345.)
In addition to ordering the respondent to stay away from the animal in question, this bill would allow a court to include a grant of care, custody or control over that animal. Due to the requirement of showing good cause, initial grants of care and orders to stay away from an animal would likely be placed within ex-parte TROs. While supporters maintain that the emotional connection between a victim and her pet is used by abusers to control their victims, an alleged abuser may also feel strongly connected to a jointly owned pet. Although somewhat mitigated by the requirement of showing good cause, there remains a potential for ex parte orders to be abused by a party to unjustly remove a beloved pet from a victim. In that case, a party would be highly motivated to contest the ex parte order depriving them of custody of that animal. At the subsequent noticed motion and hearing, held within 21 days, the parties would have full opportunity to dispute the initial ex-parte order for exclusive care, custody, or control of the family pet.
Finally, while the duration of protective orders relating to personal conduct, stay-away, and residence exclusion are subject to the provisions allowing for a duration of five years, and in some cases, indefinitely, provisions of an order are also governed by the law relating to that specific provision. (See Fam. Code Sec. 6345(b).) Thus, the duration of any order granting exclusive care or control of an animal would arguably be governed by the laws relating to disposition of property, which would serve to protect interests in valuable animals, such as leased racehorses.
Support: American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA); California District Attorneys Association; California Animal Control Directors Association; California Partnership to End Domestic Violence; City and County of San Francisco; Humane Society of the United States; one individual
Opposition: None Known
HISTORY
Source: Executive Committee of the Family Law Section of the State Bar
Related Pending Legislation: None Known
Prior Legislation: AB 353 (Kuehl, Chapter 205, Statutes of 2007) See Background.
Prior Vote:
Assembly Floor (Ayes 79, Noes 0)
Assembly Judiciary Committee (Ayes 10, Noes 0)
**************
AB 494
Page 3
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB 494
(Maienschein)
As Amended April 13, 2015
Majority vote
Committee |
Votes |
Ayes |
Noes |
Judiciary |
10-0 |
Mark Stone, Wagner, Alejo, Chau, Chiu, Gallagher, Cristina Garcia, Holden, Maienschein, O'Donnell |
|
SUMMARY: Enables courts to include protections for companion animals in restraining orders sought by persons who fear for the safety of themselves and their animals and apply for civil harassment and other types of protective orders. Specifically, with respect to restraining orders in certain civil harassment cases, juvenile dependency cases, and elder abuse cases, this bill allows a court, upon a showing of good cause, to include in the restraining order one or both of the following:
An order for exclusive care, possession, or control of any animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by the petitioner, or residing in the residence or household of the person protected by the restraining order.
An order to the respondent or person being restrained to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal.
FISCAL EFFECT: None
COMMENTS: In 2007, the Legislature enacted legislation authorizing courts to include protections for companion animals of persons who are protected by domestic violence restraining orders (AB 353 (Kuehl), Chapter 205, Statutes of 2007). AB 353 amended the Domestic Violence Prevention Act, to specifically authorize the court, upon a showing of good cause, to include in a domestic violence prevention order an order to grant the petitioner exclusive care or possession of the companion animal and to order the respondent to stay away from the companion animal and refrain from taking or harming the animal. AB 353 did not, however, enable the animal protection provisions to be applied in other types of restraining orders.
This bill, sponsored by the Family Law Section of the State Bar (Flexcom), seeks to extend the protections established by AB 353 to restraining orders that may be sought in civil harassment cases, juvenile dependency cases, and elder abuse cases. According to the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, "The threat, or actual use, of violence against family pets is part of the dynamic of family violence - a dynamic that includes not only the spouse and the batterer, but also the children, elderly relatives, and the family pet(s). Animals are often used by the abuser to punish or manipulate, as well as to take revenge against, the victim." (Ramsey, Randour, and Gupta, "Protecting Domestic Violence Victims by Protecting Their Pets." Juvenile and Family Justice Today, National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, Volume 19, part 2 (Spring 2010).) Multiple studies have found that as many as 71% of battered women reported that their pets had been threatened, harmed, or killed by their partners. (See, e.g. Ascione, Weber, and Wood, "The Abuse Of Animals And Domestic Violence: A National Survey Of Shelters For Women Who Are Battered." Society and Animals, Volume 5(3), 1997.)
In support of this bill, the author states:
As animal abuse is often correlated with family violence, many people who abuse their family members and intimate partners also threaten, injure or kill their victims’ pets, as an effective way to intensify the effects of their abusive behavior. AB 494 seeks to bring other sections of state law up to par with the Domestic Violence Prevention Act by allowing judicial officers in all types of restraining orders to protect companion animals. AB 494 will help abused elders, abused children and stalking victims to ensure the safety and the wellbeing of their pets after a restraining order has been granted.
Background on Protective Orders and the Effect of Including Animals Within Those Orders. Depending on the type of order applied for, domestic violence protective orders may last days, weeks, years, or even permanently. Emergency protective orders, issued by a judicial officer upon specific assertions by a law enforcement officer, expire on the earliest of the fifth court day, or the seventh calendar day following issuance. In contrast, requests for temporary restraining orders (TROs) are filed with the court and become effective upon receiving a judge's signature and being served on the batterer. TROs may be granted ex parte, without formal notice to, or presence of, the batterer and are issued or denied on the date of application, unless the application is filed too late to permit effective review. TROs are generally effective for 21 days or until a hearing on the matter. After proper notice and hearing, a restraining order may be granted for up to five years, subject to future modification. At that hearing, the petitioner must make a showing of past acts of abuse and the likelihood of continuing abusive conduct on the respondent's part. Upon request, that order may be renewed for another five years, or permanently.
Showing of Good Cause Required. Recent amendments clarify that a showing of good cause is necessary for the court to include protections for an animal in an ex parte restraining order covered by this bill. Ex parte orders, such as civil harassment protection orders, are temporary orders pending a formal hearing and generally only are ordered if quick action, often without notice to the other party, is required. Because ex parte orders are generally granted at the request of one party, without the other parties to the action present, and are an exception to the basic rule of court procedure that both parties must be present at any argument before the court, there are often due process concerns about the rights of the party not present. In order to mitigate these concerns, this bill provides that, for each type of ex parte order covered by this bill, a petitioner cannot gain custody of the animal or compel the respondent to stay away from the animal without a showing of good cause. This bill is consistent with existing law, Family Code Section 6320, which already requires good cause to be shown before the court may incorporate animal protection measures into a domestic violence restraining order.
In short, the court must find good cause before issuing an ex parte TRO that includes protections for the animal. At the subsequent noticed motion and hearing, held within 21 days, the respondent would still have the opportunity to dispute the initial ex parte order for exclusive care, possession, or control of the animal, or an order to stay away.
Animal Protections Are Available Only When Included in an Underlying Restraining Order. With respect to domestic violence restraining orders under Family Code Section 6320, the court "may include in a protective order" a grant of possession or control of an animal, or an order to the respondent to stay away from the animal or refrain from harming it. Proponents agree that this existing section of law does not allow the petitioner to seek a stand-alone order protecting only the companion animal, but only allows a court to include protections for the animal in the underlying protective order already at issue. According to the author, the bill is not intended to allow a stand-alone order for custody of an animal or to stay away from the animal, unless there is an underlying restraining order protecting the petitioner or other protected party. Accordingly, recent amendments clarify that the bill authorizes protections for animals only when they are included in an underlying restraining order, specifically those issued in cases involving civil harassment, juvenile wards and dependents, or elder abuse.
Specific Provisions to Protect Animals May Ease the Process for Self-Represented Parties. Because American and Californian jurisprudence generally views animals as personal property, it is arguable that existing law already allows a petitioner to seek protections for an animal when petitioning for a civil harassment protective order. (See Scharer v. San Luis Rey Equine Hosp., Inc., (2012) 204 Cal.App.4th 421, 427 ("animals are a form of personal property under California law. ") In a civil harassment dispute, for example, a court may issue an order "enjoining a party from harassing, intimidating, or … destroying personal property" (Code of Civil Procedure Section 527.6(b)(6)(A)) that arguably could be wielded by a sophisticated party to protect an animal. The Assembly Judiciary Committee notes that by specifically allowing courts to include protection for animals in the underlying restraining order, this bill could have the benefit of easing the process for self-represented parties. The Judicial Council forms used by self-represented parties to seek various restraining orders could easily be updated to include a check box or blank space where the party could easily indicate his or her intent to seek protection for an animal as provided by this bill.
The Bill's Protections Are Not Necessarily Limited Only to Traditional Companion Animals. Similar to AB 353, the term "animal" is not specifically defined. Accordingly, "animal" would encompass virtually any possible animal belonging to the petitioner or respondent that may be threatened by the abuse. In defining "animal," American Jurisprudence, Second Edition, states generally "in the language of the law, the word ‘animal’ is used to mean all animal life other than humans." Thus, the term "animal" not only covers domestic dogs or cats, but potentially would encompass even a dairy cow or prized racehorse. From a public policy standpoint, this broad definition appropriate covers the wide range of animals that may be exploited by an abuser to try to control his or her victims. While the definition could also include a valuable leased animal, such as a show dog or racehorse, the requirement of court approval upon a showing of good cause provides as a layer of protection to prevent the use of the provisions to gain control over valuable animals absent sufficient justification.
Many Other States Specifically Authorize Protections of Animals to be Included in Temporary Restraining Orders. According to the Humane Society of the United States, this bill would cause California to join over two dozen other states that have expanded their laws to allow animals to be included in some type of protective order. These states include: Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia.
Analysis Prepared by: Anthony Lew / JUD. / (916) 319-2334 FN: 0000125
AB 494
Page 6
Date of Hearing: April 7, 2015
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY
Mark Stone, Chair
AB 494
(Maienschein) – As Introduced February 23, 2015
As Proposed to be Amended
SUBJECT: RESTRAINING ORDERS: PROTECTION OF ANIMALS
KEY ISSUE: SHOULD EXISTING LAW ENABLING COMPANION ANIMALS TO BE PROTECTED BY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RESTRAINING ORDERS BE EXTENDED TO ENSURE THAT ANIMALS BELONGING TO PARTIES PROTECTED BY RESTRAINING ORDERS IN CIVIL HARASSMENT CASES, JUVENILE WARD AND DEPENDENCY CASES, AND ELDER ABUSE CASES ARE SIMILARLY PROTECTED?
SYNOPSIS
In 2007, the Legislature enacted AB 353 (Kuehl) Ch. 205, Stats. 2007, to authorize protection for companion animals belonging to persons who are protected by domestic violence restraining orders. Specifically, AB 353 authorized a court, upon a showing of good cause, to include the following in a domestic violence prevention order: (1) an order to grant the petitioner exclusive care or possession of the companion animal, and (2) an order requiring the respondent to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking or harming the animal. The new law did not, however, enable the animal protection provisions to be applied in other types of proceedings for obtaining a temporary restraining order (TRO). Accordingly, this bill, sponsored by the Family Law Section of the State Bar, seeks to extend the protections established by AB 353 so they apply to restraining orders sought in civil harassment cases, juvenile ward and dependency cases, and elder abuse cases. In order to maintain consistency with existing law enacted by AB 353, proposed amendments to the bill clarify that (1) a showing of good cause is necessary for the court to include protections for an animal in a TRO, and (2) animal protections are available only when included in an underlying restraining order, and not as a stand-alone order. In addition, proposed amendments correct a drafting oversight and authorize these protections to be included in TROs in juvenile dependency cases, in addition to juvenile ward cases. The bill is supported by the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence and animal advocates, who contend that the bill is needed to enable all persons to exit a violent or abusive situation without fear that their companion animals will be harmed or taken from them as a result. There is no known opposition to this bill.
SUMMARY: Enables courts to include protections for companion animals in restraining orders sought by persons who fear for the safety of themselves and their animals and apply for civil harassment and other types of protective orders. Specifically, with respect to restraining orders in certain civil harassment cases, juvenile dependency cases, and elder abuse cases, this bill allows a court, upon a showing of good cause, to include in the restraining order one or both of the following:
An order for exclusive care, possession, or control of any animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by the petitioner, or residing in the residence or household of the person protected by the restraining order.
An order to the respondent or person being restrained to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal.
EXISTING LAW:
Authorizes a court to issue an ex parte order (hereafter "domestic violence prevention order”) enjoining a party from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, credibly impersonating, harassing, telephoning, making annoying telephone calls, destroying personal property, contacting by mail, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of the other party. Further allows the court, upon a showing of good cause, to extend the order to enjoin a party from disturbing the peace of other named family or household members. (Family Code Section 6320(a).)
Authorizes a court, upon a showing of good cause, to include in a domestic violence prevention order, a grant to the petitioner of the exclusive care, possession, or control of any animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by either the petitioner, respondent, household, or minor child in the residence. Further allows the court to order the respondent to stay away from the animal and forbid the respondent from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal. (Family Code Section 6320(b).)
Permits a person who has suffered civil harassment to seek a temporary restraining order or an injunction prohibiting the civil harassment. (Code of Civil Procedure Section 527.6 (a).)
Defines "harassment" as unlawful violence, a credible threat of violence, or a knowing and willful course of conduct directed at a specific person that seriously alarms, annoys, or harasses the person and serves no legitimate purpose. The course of conduct must be such that it would cause a reasonable person to suffer substantial emotional distress, and must actually cause substantial emotional distress to the petitioner. (Code of Civil Procedure Section 527.6 (b)(3).)
Defines “temporary restraining order” and “injunction” to mean orders that include any restraining order enjoining a party from harassing, intimidating, molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, abusing, telephoning, including but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls, destroying personal property, contacting either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, or coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of, the petitioner; or any order enjoining a party from specified behavior that is necessary to effectuate such restraint. (Code of Civil Procedure Section 527.6 (b)(6).)
Allows a juvenile court to issue a protective order on behalf of a dependent child or a ward of the state for a duration of up to three years. (Welfare & Institutions Code Section 213.5.)
Allows a court to issue a protective order on behalf of an elder or dependent adult for a duration of up to three years. (Welfare & Institutions Code Section 15657.03.)
FISCAL EFFECT: As currently in print this bill is keyed non-fiscal.
COMMENTS: In 2007, the Legislature enacted legislation authorizing courts to include protections for companion animals of persons who are protected by domestic violence restraining orders (AB 353 (Kuehl) Ch. 205, Stats. 2007.). AB 353 amended the Domestic Violence Prevention Act, to specifically authorize the court, upon a showing of good cause, to include in a domestic violence prevention order an order to grant the petitioner exclusive care or possession of the companion animal and to order the respondent to stay away from the companion animal and refrain from taking or harming the animal. The new law did not, however, enable the animal protection provisions to be applied in other types of restraining orders.
Need For The Bill. This bill, sponsored by the Family Law Section of the State Bar (Flexcom), seeks to extend the protections established by AB 353 to restraining orders that may be sought in civil harassment cases, juvenile dependency cases, and elder abuse cases. According to the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, “The threat, or actual use, of violence against family pets is part of the dynamic of family violence—a dynamic that includes not only the spouse and the batterer, but also the children, elderly relatives, and the family pet(s). Animals are often used by the abuser to punish or manipulate, as well as to take revenge against, the victim." (Ramsey, Randour, and Gupta, "Protecting Domestic Violence Victims by Protecting Their Pets." Juvenile and Family Justice Today, National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, Vol. 19, p. 2 (Spring 2010).) Multiple studies have found that as many as 71% of battered women reported that their pets had been threatened, harmed, or killed by their partners. (see, e.g. Ascione, Weber, and Wood, "The Abuse Of Animals And Domestic Violence: A National Survey Of Shelters For Women Who Are Battered." Society and Animals, Vol. 5(3), 1997.)
In support of the bill, the author states:
As animal abuse is often correlated with family violence, many people who abuse their family members and intimate partners also threaten, injure or kill their victims’ pets, as an effective way to intensify the effects of their abusive behavior. AB 494 seeks to bring other sections of state law up to par with the Domestic Violence Prevention Act by allowing judicial officers in all types of restraining orders to protect companion animals. AB 494 will help abused elders, abused children and stalking victims to ensure the safety and the wellbeing of their pets after a restraining order has been granted.
Background On Protective Orders And The Effect Of Including Animals Within Those Orders. Depending on the type of order applied for, domestic violence protective orders may last days, weeks, years, or even permanently. Emergency protective orders, issued by a judicial officer upon specific assertions by a law enforcement officer, expire on the earliest of the fifth court day, or seventh calendar day following issuance. In contrast, requests for temporary restraining orders (TROs) are filed with the court and become effective upon receiving a judge's signature and being served on the batterer. TROs may be granted ex parte, without formal notice to, or presence of, the batterer and are issued or denied on the date of application, unless the application is filed too late to permit effective review. TROs are generally effective for 21 days or until a hearing on the matter. After proper notice and hearing, a restraining order may be granted for up to five years, subject to future modification. At that hearing, the petitioner must make a showing of past acts of abuse and the likelihood of continuing abusive conduct on the respondent's part. Upon request, that order may be renewed for another five years, or permanently.
Proposed Amendments To Clarify Application Of Good Cause Standard. As proposed to be amended, the bill clarifies that a showing of good cause is necessary for the court to include protections for an animal in an ex parte restraining order covered by this bill. Ex parte orders, such as civil harassment protection orders, are temporary orders pending a formal hearing and generally only are ordered if quick action, often without notice to the other party, is required. Because ex parte orders are generally granted at the request of one party, without the other parties to the action present, and are an exception to the basic rule of court procedure that both parties must be present at any argument before the court, there are often due process concerns about the rights of the party not present. In order to mitigate these concerns, the author proposes to amend the bill to clarify that, for each type of ex parte order covered by the bill, a petitioner cannot gain custody of the animal or compel the respondent to stay away from the animal without a showing of good cause. The proposed amendments align the bill with existing law, Family Code section 6320, which already requires good cause to be shown before the court may incorporate animal protection measures into a domestic violence restraining order.
In short, the court must find good cause before issuing an ex parte TRO that includes protections for the animal. At the subsequent noticed motion and hearing, held within 21 days, the respondent would still have the opportunity to dispute the initial ex parte order for exclusive care, possession, or control of the animal, or an order to stay away.
Proposed Amendment Clarifying That Animal Protections Are Available Only When Included In An Underlying Restraining Order. With respect to domestic violence restraining orders under section 6320 of the Family Code, the court "may include in a protective order" a grant of possession or control of an animal, or an order to the respondent to stay away from the animal or refrain from harming it. Proponents agree that this existing section of law does not allow the petitioner to seek a stand-alone order protecting only the companion animal, but only allows a court to include protections for the animal in the underlying protective order already at issue.
As proposed to be amended, the bill clarifies that it is similarly intended to authorize protections for animals to be included in underlying restraining orders, specifically those issued in cases involving civil harassment, juvenile wards and dependents, or elder abuse. According to the author, the proposed amendments clarify that the bill is not intended to allow a stand-alone order for custody of an animal or to stay away from the animal, unless there is an underlying restraining order protecting the petitioner or other protected party.
Specific Provisions To Protect Animals May Ease The Process For Self-Represented Parties. Because American and California jurisprudence generally views animals as personal property, it is arguable that existing law already allows a petitioner to seek protections for an animal when petitioning for a civil harassment protective order. (See Scharer v. San Luis Rey Equine Hosp., Inc., (2012) 204 Cal.App.4th 421, 427 (“animals are a form of personal property under California law.”) In a civil harassment dispute, for example, a court may issue an order “enjoining a party from harassing, intimidating, or … destroying personal property” (Code of Civil Procedure Section 527.6(b)(6)(A)) that arguably could be wielded by a sophisticated party to protect an animal. The Committee notes that by specifically allowing courts to include protection for animals in the underlying restraining order, this bill could have the benefit of easing the process for self-represented parties. The Judicial Council forms used by self-represented parties to seek various restraining orders could easily be updated to include a check box or blank space where the party could easily indicate his or her intent to seek protection for an animal as provided by this bill should it become law.
The Bill's Protections Are Not Necessarily Limited Only To Traditional Companion Animals. Similar to AB 353, the term “animal” is not specifically defined. Accordingly, “animal” would encompass virtually any possible animal belonging to the petitioner or respondent that may be threatened by the abuse. In defining “animal,” American Jurisprudence, Second Edition, states generally “in the language of the law, the word ‘animal’ is used to mean all animal life other than humans.” Thus, the term "animal" not only covers domestic dogs or cats, but potentially would encompass even a dairy cow or prized racehorse. From a public policy standpoint, this broad definition appropriate covers the wide range of animals that may be exploited by an abuser to try to control his or her victims. While the definition could also include a valuable leased animal, such as a show dog or racehorse, the requirement of court approval upon a showing of good cause provides as a layer of protection to prevent the use of the provisions to gain control over valuable animals absent sufficient justification.
Many Other States Specifically Authorize Protections Of Animals To Be Included In Temporary Restraining Orders. According to the Humane Society of the United States, this bill would cause California to join over two dozen other states that have expanded their laws to allow animals to be included in some type of protective order. These states include Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia.
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT: The Humane Society of the United States writes in support:
This bill will extend protections to animals of these parties in protective orders issued in juvenile dependency cases, civil harassment cases, and elder abuse cases. These protections are important for the same reasons as in Domestic Violence Prevention Act cases. In juvenile cases, for example, one state study found that animal abuse occurred in 88% of families that were under state supervision for the physical abuse of their children. Often, child victims of abuse can be controlled by an abuser who may use a beloved animal to manipulate a child. Likewise, in elder abuse cases, an abuser may neglect or abuse an elder's beloved animal as a form of control or retaliation, often out of frustration over their caretaking responsibilities, or as a way to extract financial assets. In addition, any older adults are particularly attached to their animals. Accordingly, these elder victims are vulnerable in these abusive situations and need to be able to protect their animals as part of a protection order. In the same way this type of law has helped domestic violence victims and their animals, AB 494 will extend that protection to all vulnerable victims and their animals.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:
Support
Executive Committee of the Family Law Section of the State Bar (Flexcom) (sponsor)
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA)
California District Attorneys Association
Humane Society of the United States
Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by: Anthony Lew / JUD. / (916) 319-2334
Discussed in Hearing
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Bill Co-Author(s):