Quick answer
Step-by-step guide to filing a domestic violence restraining order in Santa Clara County: where to file, the forms, fees, and local help. Domestic violence restraining-order requests in Santa Clara County are filed with Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara. The court’s own website is the source for current filing location, hours, and local steps.
Filing in Santa Clara County
How to File a Domestic Violence Restraining Order in Santa Clara County, California
Step-by-step guide to filing a domestic violence restraining order in Santa Clara County: where to file, the forms, fees, and local help.
Direct answer
Where: Domestic violence restraining-order papers in Santa Clara County are filed with Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara. The court's published filing location includes Family Justice Center Courthouse, 201 N. The court describes online form help on its website. Hours: Published hours or filing windows include Family service hours: Monday to Thursday 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Friday 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Fee: There is no statewide filing fee for the initial DVRO request (Fam. Code § 6222). Confirm every detail on the court’s own page before you travel.
For the full California process with official citations, see How to file a domestic violence restraining order in California.
Where to file in Santa Clara County
Domestic violence restraining-order requests in Santa Clara County are filed with Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara. The court’s own website is the source for current filing location, hours, and local steps.
The court describes The court points to Odyssey Guide & File, which it says can help you complete forms from any computer and e-file directly with the court (e-filing is not available for some issues). (https://santaclara.courts.ca.gov/self-help/complete-forms-home/electronic-form-programs).
- Family Justice Center Courthouse, 201 N. First Street, San Jose, CA 95113
- The Restraining Order Help Center is in the Family Justice Center Courthouse, 201 N. First Street, San Jose, CA 95113. Staff give out forms and sample books and review forms, with or without the forms filled out. The help and forms are free.
- To reach the Restraining Order Help Center by phone, call (408) 534-5600 and listen for the Restraining Order Help Center option.
- The court’s page states domestic violence filings are free, but a fee applies when the filing comes with a parentage, divorce or legal separation filing (a fee waiver can be requested).
- The court’s e-filing FAQ says self-represented people may e-file but do not have to.
The forms you'll need
- DV-100: the request for the restraining order itself; describes what happened and what protection you need.
- DV-109: notice of the court hearing date.
- DV-110: the temporary restraining order a judge can grant before the hearing.
- CLETS-001: confidential information for law enforcement (kept private from the other party).
- FM-1013: Santa Clara County's local Declaration in Support of Ex Parte Application for Orders form; the court's own step-by-step DVRO instructions list this local form among the required forms.
- DV-120: the form the other party uses to respond (worth knowing about so the paperwork looks familiar).
What it costs
Domestic violence filings are free in Santa Clara County; there is no fee to file a DVRO, per the court's own Restraining Order Help Center page. (A fee can apply only if the DV filing is combined with a parentage, divorce, or legal separation filing.) If a fee does come up and you can't afford it, file FW-001 to ask the court to waive it. Don't let money be the reason you wait: ask the clerk or the self-help center for help.
What happens after you file
Under Fam. Code § 6326, a judge issues or denies an ex parte request the same court day it is submitted, or the next court day if filed too late for review that day. If a temporary order is granted or denied, the hearing date is on the stamped DV-109 (Fam. Code § 242). The other party must be legally served with the papers. Bring your forms and any evidence (photos, messages, police reports) to the hearing.
Local help in Santa Clara County
Phone: (408) 534-5711 (family) Hours: Family service hours: Monday to Thursday 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Friday 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Self-help page: https://santaclara.courts.ca.gov/self-help
Questions people ask next
How long does the process take?
Under Fam. Code § 6326, a judge issues or denies an ex parte request the same court day or the next court day if filed too late for review that day. A temporary order may be granted right away, with a full hearing scheduled within about 21 days. The hearing date is on the stamped DV-109.
Do I need a lawyer?
No: many people file on their own. The Restraining Order Help Center exists specifically to guide self-represented filers.
What if I can't afford the fee?
Domestic violence restraining order filings are free in this county: there's no fee to waive. For any other court fees, file FW-001, the fee waiver request.
What if I'm in danger right now?
Call 911. You can also reach the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 any time, day or night; it's free and confidential.
Can I file in Spanish?
Yes. DVRO forms are available in Spanish, and the self-help center assists people in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and other languages.
Official sources
Open the current source before acting. Court forms and county procedures can change.
- Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara (official website)
- Santa Clara County: domestic violence restraining orders (court page)
- Santa Clara County: self-help center
- Santa Clara County: e-filing / online filing
- California Courts: Restraining orders (self-help)
- California Family Code § 6222 (no filing fee for initial DVRO request)
Ready for the document step?
Use the guide to understand the process, then review every field before a packet leaves your hands.