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Harassment Prevention Orders

The harassment prevention law, commonly called Chapter 258E , is there to protect you against someone who is harassing, stalking or sexually assaulting you, no matter what your relationship with them might be.

The harassment prevention law can be used to protect you against anyone. The law allows you to seek a court order, which is sometimes called a 258E order, harassment prevention order, restraining order, or protective order. In court, the plaintiff is the person who asks the court to issue the order. The defendant is the person the order is issued against.

Get help with harassment prevention orders

Getting a harassment prevention order

Find out who can get an order, how to get one, and what happens if the defendant violates the order.

Request a harassment prevention order  What qualifies as harassment?  How harassment prevention orders work  Harassment prevention order court forms  What happens if someone violates a harassment prevention order? 

Resources if you’re being harassed

Resources available regarding abuse or harassment  Court resources for safety & support  Massachusetts law about harassment  Harassment prevention orders based on sexual violence or stalking  Chat or text with a law librarian 

Locations

A list of court locations where you can get a harassment prevention order

Find court locations

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