209A restraining orders are – they come generally in two varieties and they require different types of proof. The first, is when a household or family member has attempted to harm, or has actually harmed, another family member. When there’s actual harm, those are relatively easy to prove; when there’s an attempt, it’s harder to prove.

The second variety of 209A restraining orders revolves around the concept of fear. A person has to be in reasonable fear of serious, imminent, physical harm. Those are harder to prove. Judges apply the requirement of fear as an element. It’s not what the person perceives as fear, but what the judge believes is reasonable fear.