Settling a TRO – Be Careful About What You Put Into a Consent Order/Agreement for Civil Restraints – Particularly if You Can’t File it with the Court

For better or worse, many domestic violence Temporary Restraining Orders (TROs) settle without the entry of a Final Restraining Order (FRO), but with the parties entering into a Consent Order or agreement for “Civil Restraints.” These Orders/agreements resemble FROs in many respects in that that can include limitations on contact, distance, communications, restraints on further harassment, etc. Unlike an FRO, a violation is typically not punishable by criminal contempt which would be the case with the violation of a FRO. Why do people do this?