How Do DVRO Hearings Work at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta?
The short answer: If you live in Temecula, Murrieta, Menifee, Lake Elsinore, Wildomar, or Hemet and need a domestic violence restraining order, your case will usually be heard at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta, the Riverside County courthouse that handles family law for the southwest region. You start with form DV-100, a judge decides on temporary orders without the other side present, and a full hearing follows within about three weeks under Family Code section 242. Confirm your courthouse assignment on the Riverside Superior Court website before you file, because assignments change.
Which Courthouse Hears Restraining Order Cases From Temecula, Murrieta, and Hemet?
Southwest Justice Center. Riverside County divides family law among the Riverside Family Law Courthouse, the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta, and the Larson Justice Center in Indio. Cases from Temecula, Murrieta, Menifee, Wildomar, and Lake Elsinore are generally assigned to Southwest. Hemet and San Jacinto cases may be assigned to Southwest or to Riverside depending on the court's current rules, so check the court website or ask the clerk. Our Temecula divorce guide explains how that courthouse operates day to day.
The same law applies statewide. The Domestic Violence Prevention Act, beginning at Family Code section 6200, governs every DVRO in California, so the standards a Murrieta judge applies are the same ones used in Victorville, Riverside, or Los Angeles. Once granted, the order is entered into the statewide CLETS database under Family Code section 6380 and is enforceable by police anywhere in the state. Our restraining order practice page covers the basics for both sides.
Who Can Ask for a DVRO?
Relationship requirement. A DVRO is available only against someone with whom you have a qualifying relationship under Family Code section 6211: a spouse or former spouse, a current or former cohabitant, someone you dated or were engaged to, the other parent of your child, or a close relative. If the person is a neighbor, coworker, or stranger, the correct case is a civil harassment restraining order under Code of Civil Procedure section 527.6, which is filed in the civil division instead.
What counts as abuse. Family Code section 6203 defines abuse to include physical harm, attempts to cause harm, sexual assault, and placing someone in reasonable fear of imminent serious injury. It also includes any behavior that could be enjoined under Family Code section 6320, such as stalking, threats, harassment, and disturbing the peace. Courts read disturbing the peace broadly; in In re Marriage of Nadkarni, accessing and distributing a former spouse's private emails qualified. Physical violence is not required. See our guide on what evidence you need for a restraining order.
Step One: Filing the DV-100 Packet
The forms. The core packet is DV-100 (the request), DV-109 (the notice of hearing), DV-110 (the proposed temporary order), and CLETS-001 (the confidential law enforcement sheet). If you share children, add DV-105 and DV-140 for custody and visitation orders. If you want child or spousal support, add FL-150. There is no filing fee for a DVRO under Family Code section 6222. Many clients handle the filing themselves and hire us only for the hearing through a flat-fee or limited-scope arrangement.
The temporary order decision. A judge reviews your DV-100 without the other side present, usually the same day or the next business day. If the judge grants temporary orders, DV-110 takes effect once served and lasts until the hearing. If the judge denies temporary orders, Family Code section 6320.5 still entitles you to a hearing on the full request, and the judge must state the reasons for the denial in writing. Under Family Code section 242, the hearing is set within 21 days, or 25 days on a showing of good cause.
Step Two: Serving the Restrained Person
Service rules. The restrained person must be personally served with the filed packet by someone over 18 who is not you. The Riverside County Sheriff serves DVRO papers at no charge, and a registered process server or a trusted adult can do it as well. The server completes DV-200 and files it before the hearing. The DV-109 states how many days before the hearing service must be completed; if the deadline is short, the court can shorten it on request. If you are the person who was served, start with our guide on what happens when a restraining order is filed against you.
If service fails. If the other person cannot be found in time, appear at the hearing anyway and ask the judge to continue it. Under Family Code section 245, the court must grant a continuance when the respondent has not been served, and the temporary order is reissued so it stays in force until the new date. Bring a declaration describing every service attempt so the judge can see the effort made.
Step Three: The Hearing at the Southwest Justice Center
What to bring. Organize your evidence before the hearing: text messages and screenshots with dates visible, photographs of injuries or property damage, police reports or incident numbers, medical records, and any voicemails. Bring three copies of each exhibit. Witnesses who saw the abuse should attend in person, because Family Code section 217 gives both sides the right to present live testimony. Timing at other courthouses is similar; see our San Bernardino County DVRO timeline guide for comparison.
How the hearing goes. Check in with the courtroom clerk when the doors open. DVRO cases are not sent to mediation; the judge hears them directly. The person asking for the order usually testifies first, then the restrained person responds, and the judge may ask questions of both. The standard is a preponderance of the evidence, and Family Code section 6300 allows the court to rely on the written declarations as well as testimony. Many hearings take under thirty minutes, but contested cases with witnesses can be continued to a longer setting.
Custody and support at the hearing. If you share children, Family Code section 6323 lets the judge make custody and visitation orders as part of the DVRO, typically on DV-140. A finding of abuse triggers the presumption under Family Code section 3044 against awarding custody to the abusive parent, which can shape the case for years, and the judge may order supervised visitation. Our child custody practice page explains how DVRO findings carry into the custody case.
What Happens After the Order Is Granted or Denied?
If the order is granted. The judge signs DV-130, the restraining order after hearing, which can last up to five years under Family Code section 6345 and can later be renewed. The restrained person must surrender firearms under Family Code section 6389, and any violation is a crime under Penal Code section 273.6. For duration and renewal details, read how long a restraining order lasts in California.
If the order is denied. A denial means the judge did not find abuse by a preponderance of the evidence; it is not a finding that you lied. You can file a new request if new incidents occur, and custody or visitation disputes can still be addressed through a regular request for order on FL-300. If you were denied because the relationship did not qualify, a civil harassment petition under Code of Civil Procedure section 527.6 may be the right path. Our guide to limited scope representation explains how to get help with just the hearing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to get a restraining order at the Southwest Justice Center?
Temporary orders are usually decided within one business day, and the hearing follows within 21 to 25 days. Family Code section 242 sets that window. If the other person is not served in time or asks for a continuance under Family Code section 245, the hearing moves out, but the temporary order stays in effect until the new date. Check the Riverside Superior Court website for current filing cutoffs.
Do I have to face the other person in court?
Yes, both sides attend the same hearing, but the court has safeguards. You can ask for a separate waiting area, a support person may sit with you under Family Code section 6303, and the judge controls all questioning. Remote appearance may be available for some hearings; confirm current options with the court before your date.
Can I get a restraining order if we were never married?
Yes. Family Code section 6211 covers people who are dating or formerly dated, cohabitants and former cohabitants, and parents who share a child, regardless of marriage. If none of those relationships applies, a civil harassment restraining order under Code of Civil Procedure section 527.6 is the alternative.
What if I live in Hemet but the abuse happened in Temecula?
You can generally file in the county where you live or where the abuse occurred, and both are Riverside County. The court assigns the case to a courthouse based on its own rules, so a Hemet resident may be sent to Southwest in Murrieta or to Riverside. Ask the clerk or check the court website so you file at the correct location the first time.
Talk to a Riverside County Restraining Order Attorney
Gramling Law Group can help on either side of a DVRO. Daniel Gramling, Esq. represents petitioners and respondents at the Southwest Justice Center, the Riverside Family Law Courthouse, and courthouses across Southern California, with flat-fee and limited-scope options for hearings and filings. Call (909) 654-4575 or contact us through this website. We serve the Inland Empire, the High Desert, Los Angeles County, Orange County, and Southern California.
Disclaimer. This article is educational and is not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. It addresses California law only.
Related Guides From Gramling Law Group
Learn more about our domestic violence restraining order practice serving the Inland Empire, Los Angeles County, and Southern California.
We represent restraining order clients throughout southwest Riverside County, including Temecula, Murrieta, and Hemet, as well as the High Desert from Victorville to Barstow.
Gramling Law Group
3600 Lime St, Bldg 2, Riverside, CA 92501
Phone: (909) 654-4575
Serving the Inland Empire, Los Angeles County, Orange County, and all of Southern California except San Diego in family law and criminal defense.
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