Differences Between Domestic Violence Restraining Order (“DVRO”) and Civil Harassment Restraining Order (“CHRO”) Trials in California
Dec 2, 2025
In California, both Domestic Violence Restraining Orders (DVROs) and Civil Harassment Restraining Orders (CHROs) can lead to a court trial or “evidentiary hearing,” where each side presents their evidence and tells their side of the story. Although the process may look similar on the surface, the two types of hearings differ in important ways—mainly in the laws that apply, the level of proof required, and the kinds of evidence that matter most. A DVRO hearing is governed by the Family
