Red flag laws are also known as Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs). When enacted into law, they serve as a legal tool that allow either local law enforcement or family members to petition a court to order the removal of guns from someone who is deemed to be at high risk of committing violence toward others or themselves.
In order for the ERPO to go through, the petitioner(s) must submit sufficient evidence that the person is at risk to themselves or others. Then a judge can rule that the individual should be temporarily denied the right to own or purchase guns. Although the details of each ERPO vary by state, generally, the orders are short-term and last for 10-14 days (though the ban can be extended).