If you are in immediate danger, call 911.
For free, confidential support 24 hours a day, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (1-800-799-SAFE), or text START to 88788. Help is available in many languages, and your call does not create any court record.
Updated July 2026
Domestic Violence Restraining Orders in Mendocino County, California
How to ask for a domestic violence restraining order in Mendocino County, from the forms you file at the Superior Court of California, County of Mendocino to temporary orders, the hearing, and where to find local help. There is no fee to file, and you do not need a lawyer to start.
If you are in immediate danger, call 911. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-7233.
Mendocino County has a same-day restraining order rule that not every county publishes. Ex parte paperwork generally must get to the Clerk's Office by 10 a.m. on the date you want it heard. You also must notify the other side by 10 a.m. the court day before. The main courthouse is the Superior Court of California, County of Mendocino, 100 North State Street, Ukiah, CA 95482. There is also the Ten Mile Branch, at 700 South Franklin Street in Fort Bragg, CA 95437, so people on the coast may not need to drive inland.
There is no filing cost no matter which courthouse you use, as is true throughout California. The Mendocino Self-Help Center can help with Form DV-100 before you file at either the Ukiah or Fort Bragg location.
After a temporary order is granted, it stays in place until your hearing. That hearing is generally set within about 21 days under Family Code sections 242 and 6320. The Mendocino County Sheriff's Office, 589A Low Gap Road, Ukiah, (707) 463-4086, is the local contact for serving the restraining order paperwork on the other party.
How a domestic violence restraining order works in California
A domestic violence restraining order is for protection from someone you have a close relationship with, such as a spouse or former spouse, a partner you live with or used to live with, someone you dated, a co-parent, or a close family member. If the other person is a neighbor, coworker, or stranger, a different order called a civil harassment restraining order may apply instead. California uses the same statewide forms in every county, including Mendocino County. The basic steps are:
- File a Request for a Domestic Violence Restraining Order (Form DV-100), with the related forms DV-109 and DV-110, at the court. There is no filing fee.
- A judge reviews your request, often the same day or the next court day, and can grant a temporary restraining order that lasts until your hearing.
- The other person is served with the paperwork and can file a response (Form DV-120).
- You attend a court hearing, usually within about three weeks.
- If the judge grants a restraining order after the hearing, it can last up to five years and can be renewed.
A domestic violence restraining order can do more than order someone to stay away. It can set temporary child custody and visitation, order child or spousal support, require the other person to move out, and require them to turn in any firearms. Local domestic violence advocates and the court's self-help center can help you fill out the forms, often at no cost.
Where to file in Mendocino County
Restraining order requests in Mendocino County are filed with the Superior Court of California, County of Mendocino. Because courthouse locations, hours, and local domestic violence resources change over time, confirm current details using the official California Courts court finder:
Find the Mendocino County Superior Court (official California Courts finder)
Local notes for Mendocino County
Mendocino's advocacy resources follow the same inland and coastal split as the courts. Project Sanctuary has an Inland Office at 564 South Dora Street in Ukiah, (707) 462-9196, and a Coastal Office at 461 North Franklin Street in Fort Bragg, (707) 961-9507. Residents of Ukiah, Willits, or Fort Bragg can contact the closer office.
If you were served with a request and need to respond, ask the Self-Help Center about Form DV-120 and your deadline to respond. Also confirm if you should file at the Ukiah courthouse or the Fort Bragg branch.
The current phone number for the Ukiah courthouse, current clerk hours, and remote hearing options are not confirmed for this page. Call the Self-Help Center or Project Sanctuary for current details before your filing date, especially because of the 10 a.m. ex parte deadline.
An order here can include more than a stay-away term. It can also set temporary custody, order child or spousal support, require a move-out from a shared home, and require firearm surrender. Tell the Self-Help Center about anything that applies to your case when it reviews your DV-100 paperwork, whether you file in Ukiah or Fort Bragg.
Official restraining order resources in Mendocino County
Superior Court of California, County of Mendocino handles restraining-orders filings, located at 100 North State Street, Ukiah 95482. Ten Mile Branch (Fort Bragg) at 700 South Franklin Street handles certain matters.
The filing fee is $0 (no fee for DV-100 restraining order requests). Confirm current e-filing availability with the clerk's office.
Mendocino Self-Help Center (https://www.mendocino.courts.ca.gov/self-help) can help with procedure and paperwork.
- Superior Court of California, County of Mendocino
- Mendocino County domestic violence restraining order info
- Mendocino Self-Help Center
- Form DV-100 (Request for Domestic Violence Restraining Order)
- California Courts Self-Help: Domestic Violence Restraining Order
Local details reviewed August 2026. Offices and locations can change, so confirm with the official sites above before you file.
Step-by-step guides for the Mendocino County forms
Mendocino County Restraining Order FAQs
Where do I file for a domestic violence restraining order in Mendocino County?
File at the main courthouse, 100 North State Street, Ukiah, CA 95482, or at the Ten Mile Branch, 700 South Franklin Street, Fort Bragg, CA 95437. Both locations accept DV-100 restraining order paperwork. Coastal residents do not have to drive inland to Ukiah to start their case.
What is the deadline to file an emergency request in Mendocino County?
Ex parte paperwork generally must get to the Clerk's Office by 10 a.m. on the date you want it heard. You also must notify the other side by 10 a.m. the court day before. Confirm these steps with the Self-Help Center, since missing the notice deadline can delay your hearing.
Is there a fee to file in Mendocino County?
No fee applies to a DV-100 restraining order request in Mendocino County or anywhere else in the state. A separate custody or support request in the same filing is billed on its own. Form FW-001 lets the court waive that charge for petitioners who cannot afford it.
Who serves the restraining order paperwork in Mendocino County?
In Mendocino, service of a signed order goes through the Sheriff's Office at 589A Low Gap Road in Ukiah, (707) 463-4086. Because the county has both an inland and a coastal courthouse, confirm with the sheriff's office how they coordinate service if the restrained person lives near Fort Bragg.
What local domestic violence support is available in Mendocino County?
Project Sanctuary has an Inland Office in Ukiah, 564 South Dora Street, (707) 462-9196, and a Coastal Office in Fort Bragg, 461 North Franklin Street, (707) 961-9507. Either office can help with safety planning and advocacy for residents of Ukiah, Willits, or Fort Bragg.
How soon can I get a temporary order in Mendocino County?
Mendocino publishes one timing rule that other counties may not: ex parte paperwork is due by 10 a.m. the day you want it heard. After that, the general statewide pattern applies. You may get a same-day temporary order, with a hearing set roughly 21 days out under Family Code sections 242 and 6320.
This page is general information about California domestic violence restraining order procedure in Mendocino County, not legal advice for your situation, and it is not a substitute for help in an emergency. If you are in danger, call 911, or reach the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233. Court locations, forms, and resources change; always confirm current details with the Superior Court of California, County of Mendocino, a local domestic violence advocate, or the official California self-help center resources. Virdix is not a law firm and is not a substitute for an attorney.
Restraining order guides for nearby counties
Preparing family court paperwork in Mendocino County
If your situation also involves divorce, custody, or support, Virdix can help you prepare the related Judicial Council forms so your paperwork is complete and consistent. For the restraining orderitself, the court and local advocates provide the forms at no cost.
If the court clerk rejects a document we prepared, we fix it for free until it's accepted. See how the guarantee works