Divorce & Infidelity

Restraining Order (Provisional Disposition) Lawyer

Restraining Order (Provisional Disposition) Lawyer | A step-by-step guide for victims seeking emergency protection

Summary

A restraining order in the Korean legal system is most commonly obtained through a "provisional disposition prohibiting approach/contact" (접근금지 사전처분 또는 가처분), filed as an urgent civil measure ancillary to a divorce case, or separately under domestic violence or stalking-specific statutes. It can bar the other party from coming near your home, workplace, or children's school, and from calling, texting, or messaging you. Because it is designed for urgent situations, courts can issue it relatively quickly compared to a full lawsuit, and violating it can trigger indirect compulsory fines or, under specialized statutes, even criminal penalties.

Divorce & Domestic Violence Related law: Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Domestic Violence Crimes (가정폭력범죄의 처벌 등에 관한 특례법) Related law: Act on Punishment of Stalking Crimes (스토킹범죄의 처벌 등에 관한 법률)

Restraining Order (Provisional Disposition) | Who Can File, and Under Which Law

Depending on your situation, you may have more than one legal route available — and using the right one changes how fast protection arrives.

During a divorce or separation

If you have already filed for divorce, or are preparing to, you can request a 'sajeon cheobun' (사전처분) under the Family Litigation Act, asking the family court to order your spouse not to approach you or the children while the case is pending (가사소송법 제62조). This does not require a separate lawsuit fee because it rides along with your divorce case.

Domestic violence between spouses or family members

If the other party is a spouse, ex-spouse, or family member and there has been violence or threats, you can request an emergency or provisional protective order from the court, which can include prohibition of approach within 100 meters and prohibition of contact by phone or electronic means (가정폭력범죄의 처벌 등에 관한 특례법 제29조, 제55조의2). This can be requested even without filing for divorce first.

Stalking by an ex-partner who is not a current spouse

If the person harassing you is a former boyfriend/girlfriend or ex-spouse and the relationship has already ended, the stalking-specific statute may apply instead of the domestic violence law. Police or the court can issue an emergency measure or a protective order banning approach within 100 meters and contact via phone, text, or SNS (스토킹범죄의 처벌 등에 관한 법률 제4조, 제9조).

Restraining Order (Provisional Disposition) | What Evidence Actually Moves the Court

Because these orders are issued quickly and often without a full hearing, the strength of your written evidence at filing matters more than in an ordinary lawsuit.

Message and call records

Screenshots of threatening or repeated unwanted texts, KakaoTalk messages, and call logs showing frequency and timing are usually the single most persuasive evidence. Save originals rather than edited copies, since courts and later criminal proceedings may scrutinize authenticity.

Medical records and photos of injury

If there was physical violence, a hospital record made close in time to the incident, along with dated photographs of injuries, strengthens both the restraining order request and any related domestic violence report.

Police reports (112 report history)

Even if no arrest was made, a record that you called 112 and police responded is useful supporting evidence, because it shows a contemporaneous, third-party account rather than only your own statement.

Witness statements and CCTV

Statements from neighbors, coworkers, or family who witnessed the harassment, plus building or street CCTV footage showing the other party loitering near your home or workplace, can corroborate a pattern of stalking or intimidation.

Restraining Order (Provisional Disposition) | What Happens If the Order Is Violated

A restraining order is only as strong as its enforcement mechanism — understanding what you can do the moment it is breached matters as much as getting it issued.

Indirect compulsory fine under family litigation

If the order was issued as a sajeon cheobun in a divorce case and the other party violates it, the family court can impose an indirect compulsory payment (간접강제) ordering them to pay a set amount for each violation (가사소송법 제64조, 제67조).

Criminal penalties under domestic violence and stalking statutes

Violating a protective order issued under the domestic violence or stalking statutes is itself a separate criminal offense, punishable by imprisonment or a fine, independent of whatever the underlying violence or stalking charge was (가정폭력범죄의 처벌 등에 관한 특례법 제63조, 스토킹범죄의 처벌 등에 관한 법률 제20조).

Reporting a violation immediately

Call 112 as soon as a violation occurs and keep a record of the exact time and circumstances. A documented pattern of repeated violations is often what pushes a court toward converting a provisional order into a stronger, longer-term measure or supports a separate criminal case.

⚠ Provisional orders can expire or be modified

A sajeon cheobun tied to a divorce case generally stays in effect only until the divorce case concludes or the court modifies it, and some protective orders have fixed terms that require a renewal request before they lapse. Track the expiration date so protection does not quietly disappear while the underlying case is still ongoing.

Restraining Order (Provisional Disposition) | From First Contact to a Court Order

Initial consultation and safety assessment
We review the timeline of incidents, existing evidence, and your immediate safety needs to decide which legal route (family court sajeon cheobun, domestic violence protective order, or stalking protective order) fits your situation.

Evidence organization and petition drafting
We help organize message logs, medical records, and police report history into a petition that clearly shows the urgency and pattern of the other party's conduct.

Filing with the appropriate court or police
Depending on the route chosen, the petition is filed with the family court handling your divorce case, the court with jurisdiction over the domestic violence matter, or through police-initiated emergency measures.

Court review and issuance
Courts can review provisional protective measures without a full adversarial hearing given the urgency involved, though the other party may later be given a chance to respond or object.

Monitoring and responding to violations
Once issued, we help you document any violation immediately and pursue the applicable enforcement mechanism, whether that is an indirect compulsory fine or a criminal complaint.

Restraining Order (Provisional Disposition) | How Cost Is Structured

Filing fee and stamp costs
Court filing fees for a provisional disposition are modest and set by statute based on the type of petition; this is separate from attorney fees and is paid directly to the court.

Attorney's retainer
The retainer generally reflects the urgency of the filing, the complexity of organizing evidence, and whether it is filed alongside an existing divorce or domestic violence case versus as a standalone petition.

Success fee
Where used, a success fee is typically tied to whether the order is actually issued, and is agreed upon separately from the retainer at the time of engagement.

Costs for follow-up enforcement
If the order is later violated and you need to pursue an indirect compulsory fine or file a related criminal complaint, this is usually treated as a separate matter with its own fee discussion.

※ Costs vary depending on case complexity and specific circumstances; exact fees will be provided during consultation. No specific outcome is guaranteed.

Restraining Order (Provisional Disposition) | Self-Check Before You File

1️⃣ Confirm Which Route Fits Your Situation

Are you currently married to, or divorcing, the person harassing you?
Has there been physical violence, or only threats and unwanted contact so far?
Has the relationship already ended (ex-partner, not current spouse)?
Do you know whether a police report has already been filed about any incident?

2️⃣ Evidence You Should Gather Before Filing

Do you have saved screenshots of threatening or repeated messages with visible dates?
Do you have a call log showing frequency of unwanted calls?
Do you have medical records or photos of any injury, dated close to the incident?
Do you have a record of any 112 call or police visit, even without an arrest?
Do you have names of any witnesses willing to give a statement?

3️⃣ Immediate Safety Steps

Have you told at least one trusted person (family, coworker, building security) about the situation?
Have you considered changing your commute route or entry code if the person knows your address?
Do you know the nearest police station and its emergency contact?

4️⃣ After the Order Is Issued

Do you know the exact boundaries of the order (distance, phone, messaging apps covered)?
Do you know when the order expires, and whether it needs to be renewed?
Have you saved the court's order document somewhere accessible in an emergency?

5️⃣ If the Order Is Violated

Did you call 112 immediately and note the exact time of the violation?
Did you save any new evidence of contact (new number, new account, message)?
Have you asked your attorney whether to pursue an indirect compulsory fine or a criminal complaint?

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. How fast can I actually get a restraining order in Korea?

A. Because these are provisional measures meant for urgent situations, courts can move faster than in an ordinary lawsuit, sometimes within days if the evidence of urgency is clear. The exact timeline depends on the court's caseload and whether the other party is given a chance to respond first.

Q. Do I need to already be filing for divorce to get one?

A. No. If your situation involves domestic violence or stalking, you can request a protective order under the relevant statute without filing for divorce first (가정폭력범죄의 처벌 등에 관한 특례법 제29조, 스토킹범죄의 처벌 등에 관한 법률 제4조). The sajeon cheobun route specifically requires an underlying family court case such as divorce.

Q. What is the difference between a restraining order and reporting domestic violence to the police?

A. A police report can lead to an emergency on-the-spot measure, but a court-issued protective order under the domestic violence statute is a separate, more durable step that can include longer-term prohibition of approach and contact (가정폭력범죄의 처벌 등에 관한 특례법 제55조의2). Many victims pursue both in sequence.

Q. Can the order cover my children as well as me?

A. Yes. Both the family court sajeon cheobun and domestic violence protective orders can extend the prohibition of approach and contact to children living with you, which is particularly relevant if you are worried about pickup at school or daycare.

Q. What if my ex keeps contacting me through a new phone number or fake account?

A. Document every new number or account used to contact you, since courts and police consider the pattern of circumvention as evidence of a continuing violation. This documentation can support both an enforcement request and a broader-worded amended order.

Q. Will the other party know I filed this?

A. In most cases, the other party will eventually be notified of the order once issued, since it needs to be served on them to be enforceable. However, the initial filing and evidence review by the court can occur without your immediate physical presence in the same room as the other party.

Q. Does a restraining order affect custody or divorce proceedings?

A. A pattern of violence or stalking documented through a restraining order petition can become relevant evidence in later custody and divorce determinations, though the restraining order itself is a separate procedural step, not automatically a ruling on fault or custody. If you are also pursuing a divorce, consulting a restraining order lawyer in Seoul alongside your divorce counsel can help keep the two matters coordinated.

Q. What happens after the divorce case ends — does the order just disappear?

A. A sajeon cheobun tied to a divorce case generally stays in effect only while that case is pending, so once the divorce is finalized you may need a separate protective order if concerns about safety continue. This is why tracking the expiration and transition point matters.

Q. Can I get this order against a stranger, or only someone I know?

A. Restraining orders in the divorce and domestic violence context are designed for spouses, ex-spouses, and family members; if the person is a stranger or a non-family stalker, the stalking-specific statute is the applicable route instead (스토킹범죄의 처벌 등에 관한 법률).

Q. What should I do right now if I feel unsafe today?

A. Call 112 immediately if you are in immediate danger, and separately begin saving any threatening messages, call logs, and dates of past incidents, since this contemporaneous documentation is exactly what a later petition will rely on.

Official References

개인정보처리방침

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