Restraining orders and no-contact orders are related but distinct orders issued for the protection of an alleged victim. A restraining order is a civil order issued by a court in response to a domestic violence complaint filed by an alleged victim of domestic violence. Conversely, a no-contact order is an order issued by a criminal court following an arrest; the order prohibits the defendant from having contact with the alleged victim as a condition of the defendant’s pretrial release. Violating either type of order has consequences; violating a restraining order may itself constitute a criminal offense while violating a no-contact order will void your pre-trial release and immediately put you in jail until your trial.