You can ask (petition) the court for a Gun Violence Restraining Order if you are an “immediate” family member or household member of the subject of the petition, or if you are a certain teacher, school employee, employer, co-worker, or employee of the subject of the petition. Immediate family members and household members include the subject’s:
- Spouse (by marriage or not) or domestic partner.
- Parents, children, siblings, grandparents, and grandchildren and their spouses, including any stepparent or step-grandparent.
- Spouse’s parents, children (subject’s stepchildren), siblings, grandparents, and grandchildren.
- Any other person who lives in or regularly resides in the household, or who, within the last six months, lived in or regularly resided in the household.
In addition, law enforcement officers may petition for GVROs. If you do not fall into one of the above groups, you can inform law enforcement if a person is at risk of harming themselves or others with a gun, even if the person does not currently have access to guns, and an officer may investigate and file a petition if they find that grounds exist.