California Codes

Cal. Family Code § 6320 (2026)

✓ current as of May 2026

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(a)The court may issue an ex parte order enjoining a party from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, credibly impersonating as described in Section 528.5 of the Penal Code, falsely personating as described in Section 529 of the Penal Code, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of the other party, and, in the discretion of the court, on a showing of good cause, of other named family or household members.

(b)On a showing of good cause, the court may include in a protective order a grant to the petitioner of the exclusive care, possession, or control of any animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by either the petitioner or the respondent or a minor child residing in the residence or household of either the petitioner or the respondent. The court may order the respondent to stay away from the animal and forbid the respondent from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal.

(c)As used in subdivision (a), “disturbing the peace of the other party” refers to conduct that, based on the totality of the circumstances, destroys the mental or emotional calm of the other party. This conduct may be committed directly or indirectly, including through the use of a third party, and by any method or through any means including, but not limited to, telephone, online accounts, text messages, internet-connected devices, including connected devices as defined in Section 22948.30 of the Business and Professions Code, or other electronic technologies. This conduct includes, but is not limited to, coercive control, which is a pattern of behavior that in purpose or effect unreasonably interferes with a person’s free will and personal liberty. Examples of coercive control include, but are not limited to, unreasonably engaging in any of the following:

(1)Isolating the other party from friends, relatives, or other sources of support.

(2)Depriving the other party of basic necessities.

(3)Controlling, regulating, or monitoring the other party’s movements, communications, daily behavior, finances, economic resources, or access to services.

(4)Compelling the other party by force, threat of force, or intimidation, including threats based on actual or suspected immigration status, to engage in conduct from which the other party has a right to abstain or to abstain from conduct in which the other party has a right to engage.

(5)Engaging in reproductive coercion, which consists of control over the reproductive autonomy of another through force, threat of force, or intimidation, and may include, but is not limited to, unreasonably pressuring the other party to become pregnant, deliberately interfering with contraception use or access to reproductive health information, or using coercive tactics to control, or attempt to control, pregnancy outcomes.

(d)This section does not limit any remedies available under this act or any other provision of law.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 116 cases (65 in the last 5 years), 1995–2026 · leading case: Alanis-Alvarado v. Holder, 558 F.3d 833 (9th Cir. 2009).

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Alanis-Alvarado v. Holder, 558 F.3d 833 (9th Cir. 2009). · cites it 6× “6, for violating a protective order issued pursuant to California Family Code section 6320, categorically qualifies as violation of a "protection order" under 8 U.”

Perez v. Torres-Hernandez CA1/4, 1 Cal. App. 5th 389 (Cal. Ct. App. 2016). · cites it 2× “” (Fam. Code, §§ 6320, subd. (a), 6345, subd.”

People v. Kovacich, 201 Cal. App. 4th 863 (Cal. Ct. App. 2011). · cites it 3× “’ Family Code section 6320 authorizes the court to enjoin a party from ‘stalking, threatening, .”

Cline v. Reetz-Laiolo, 329 F. Supp. 3d 1000 (N.D. Cal. 2018). · cites it 2× “Code § 6203 ; Cal. Fam. Code § 6320 (a). Reetz-Laiolo counters that Cline has not alleged any act of domestic violence within the three-year limitations period, so her claim cannot be saved by any additional acts of "abuse" within the period.”

S.A. v. Maiden, 229 Cal. App. 4th 27 (Cal. Ct. App. 2014). · cites it 3× “) Family Code section 6320 authorized the initial and subsequent amended temporary restraining orders issued by the trial court in this case.”

Pugliese v. Superior Court, 2007 Cal. Daily Op. Serv. 880 (Cal. Ct. App. 2007). · cites it 2× “) 3 Family Code section 6320 permits a court to enjoin a party from “molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal…”

Szalai v. Holder, 572 F.3d 975 (9th Cir. 2009). · cites it 2× “2d 607 (1990), and 2) that the petitioner's pleas to violating court orders issued pursuant to California Family Code § 6320 fell within section 1227(a)(2)(E)(ii) because section 6320 "is part of a statute that, in its entirety, aims to prevent domestic violence, authorizes a…”

Burquet v. Brumbaugh CA2/5, 223 Cal. App. 4th 1140 (Cal. Ct. App. 2014). “” Family Code section 6320, subdivision (a) provides: “The court may issue an .”

Alanis-Alvarado v. Mukasey, 541 F.3d 966 (9th Cir. 2008). · cites it 4× “6, for violating a protective order issued pursuant to California Family Code section 6320, cate- gorically qualifies as violation of a “protection order” under 8 U.”

People v. Clayburg, 211 Cal. App. 4th 86 (Cal. Ct. App. 2012). “) Family Code section 6320, subdivision (a) provides: “The court may issue an ex parte order enjoining a party from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying…”

Lister v. Bowen CA1/2, 215 Cal. App. 4th 319 (Cal. Ct. App. 2013). “” (Fam. Code, § 6320, subd. (a); see id., § 6203, subd.”

People v. Ogle, 185 Cal. App. 4th 1138 (Cal. Ct. App. 2010). “” Family Code section 6320 authorizes the court to enjoin a party from “stalking, threatening, .”

Show all 116 citing cases →

— Cal. Family Code § 6320(a) — 2 cases

Myrick v. Sekerke CA4/1 (Cal. Ct. App. 2025).

Burquet v. Brumbaugh (Cal. Ct. App. 2014).

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