In every County in California, the person that was determined to be the “initial aggressor” will be arrested. The person determined to be the “victim” is allowed to get an emergency protective order from the police, and is always offered one, which is valid for five days. The victim has a right to decline to receive the protective order. When the case reaches the court, the judge will impose a criminal protective order which is another word for a restraining order. This is mandatory under the law. The severity of the incident could affect the requirements of the order, which could include a complete stay-away order from the victim and the location of the incident, which in most cases is also the defendant’s home. A complete stay-away order requires the defendant to move out, have no contact by telephone, computer, or otherwise, not even through a friend, and stay 100 yards away from that person or the children, their place of work, or their car. Contact is possible through the defendant’s attorney of record though, and the typical public defender will not be very responsive to such contacts, so it is another valid reason to get a good lawyer of your own.