Your TRO will not take effect until it is granted and filed by the court. In addition, the TRO is not enforceable until it is properly served upon the respondent.  Once the TRO is granted and filed, it is your responsibility to ensure that the documents are provided to the police department for proper service upon the respondent. Please take these steps if the respondent resides on the same island:

1. Go to the police station in the same area where the respondent resides and provide the police department with two copies of the TRO.
2. On Oahu, if you do not wish to drop off the documents to the police department and if the respondent’s address is known, you may request to have your TRO documents emailed to the police department for service upon the respondent.
3. In all cases, provide the police department with as much information as possible as to the addresses where the respondent can be located and the times you would expect the respondent to be at those addresses.
4. Then check with the police department to find out when and if the respondent was served.

• In the event the respondent resides on another island or outside the State of Hawai`i, you will need to contact law enforcement in that locale to personally serve the TRO documents on the respondent. You will then need to make sure that the proof of service document has been filed with the court after the respondent has been served.

 
In the State of Hawai`i there is no charge for this service. Please keep in mind that the TRO does not guarantee your safety. Please take proper precautions.

Keep a copy of your TRO with you at all times, and report violations to the police department immediately by calling 911.