Family Violence Appellate Project

Giving survivors a second chance at justice

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FVAP Legal Victory! Court of Appeal Establishes What is “Good Cause” to Include Family and Household Members on Protective Orders

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Tanguilig v. Valdez (2019) ____ Cal.App. ______ was just published, and it is a big win for survivors asking to include family and household members as protected persons on their restraining order. In this case, the Court of Appeal held that “good cause” as it pertains to adding family and household members to a protective order, “includes reasons that are fair, honest, in good faith, not trivial, arbitrary, capricious, or pretextual, and reasonably related to legitimate needs, goals, and purposes.” Although this case involved an elder abuse restraining order, this ruling can still be helpful to survivors who want to protect their family and household members as part of their restraining order because the laws are very similar so it is appropriate to ask a judge to look at an elder abuse case when making a decision about a domestic violence restraining order. FVAP obtained publication of this case.