CHAPTER 3. Ex Parte Gun Violence Restraining Order [18150. - 18165.]

Cal. Penal Code - PEN 3.

in effect

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 18150. Section 18150.

(a) (1) Any of the following individuals may file a petition requesting that the court issue an ex parte gun violence restraining order enjoining the subject of the petition from having in their custody or control, owning, purchasing, possessing, or receiving a firearm or ammunition: (A) An immediate family member of the subject of the petition. (B) An employer of the subject of the petition. (C) A coworker of the subject of the petition, if they have had substantial and regular interactions with the subject for at least one year and have obtained the approval of the employer. (D) An employee or teacher of a secondary or postsecondary school that the subject has attended in the last six months, if the employee or teacher has obtained the approval of a school administrator or a school administration staff member with a supervisorial role. (E) A law enforcement officer. (F) A roommate of the subject of the petition. (G) An individual who has a dating relationship with the subject of the petition. (H) An individual who has a child in common with the subject of the petition, if they have had substantial and regular interactions with the subject for at least one year. (2) For purposes of this subdivision, “dating relationship” has the same meaning as in paragraph (10) of subdivision (f) of Section 243. (3) For purposes of this subdivision, “immediate family member” means any spouse, whether by marriage or not, domestic partner, parent, child, any person related by consanguinity or affinity within the second degree, or any person related by consanguinity or affinity within the fourth degree who has had substantial and regular interactions with the subject for at least one year. (4) For purposes of this subdivision, “roommate” means a person who regularly resides in the household, or who, within the prior six months, regularly resided in the household, and who has had substantial and regular interactions with the subject for at least one year. (5) This chapter does not require a person described in paragraph (1) to seek a gun violence restraining order. (b) A court may issue an ex parte gun violence restraining order if the petition, supported by an affidavit made in writing and signed by the petitioner under oath, or an oral statement taken pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 18155, and any additional information provided to the court shows that there is a substantial likelihood that both of the following are true: (1) The subject of the petition poses a significant danger, in the near future, of causing personal injury to the subject of the petition or another by having in their custody or control, owning, purchasing, possessing, or receiving a firearm as determined by considering the factors listed in Section 18155. (2) An ex parte gun violence restraining order is necessary to prevent personal injury to the subject of the petition or another because less restrictive alternatives either have been tried and found to be ineffective, or are inadequate or inappropriate for the circumstances of the subject of the petition. (c) An affidavit supporting a petition for the issuance of an ex parte gun violence restraining order shall set forth the facts tending to establish the grounds of the petition, or the reason for believing that they exist. (d) An ex parte order under this chapter shall be issued or denied on the same day that the petition is submitted to the court, unless the petition is filed too late in the day to permit effective review, in which case the order shall be issued or denied on the next day of judicial business in sufficient time for the order to be filed that day with the clerk of the court. (e) This section shall become operative on September 1, 2020.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 18155. Section 18155.

(a) (1) The court, before issuing an ex parte gun violence restraining order, shall examine on oath, the petitioner and any witness the petitioner may produce. (2) In lieu of examining the petitioner and any witness the petitioner may produce, the court may require the petitioner and any witness to submit a written affidavit signed under oath. (b) (1) In determining whether grounds for a gun violence restraining order exist, the court shall consider all evidence of the following: (A) A recent threat of violence or act of violence by the subject of the petition directed toward another individual, group, or location. (B) A recent threat of violence or act of violence by the subject of the petition directed toward themselves. (C) A violation of an emergency protective order issued pursuant to Section 646.91 or Part 3 (commencing with Section 6240) of Division 10 of the Family Code that is in effect at the time the court is considering the petition. (D) A recent violation of an unexpired protective order issued pursuant to Part 4 (commencing with Section 6300) of Division 10 of the Family Code, Section 136.2, 527.6, 527.8, or 527.85 of the Code of Civil Procedure, or Section 213.5 or 15657.03 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, or comparable firearm-prohibiting protective orders, including extreme risk protection orders, issued by out-of-state courts. (E) A conviction for any offense listed in Section 29805. (F) A pattern of violent acts or violent threats within the past 12 months, including, but not limited to, threats of violence or acts of violence by the subject of the petition directed toward themselves or another individual, group, or location. (2) In determining whether grounds for a gun violence restraining order exist, the court may consider any other evidence of an increased risk for violence, including, but not limited to, evidence of any of the following: (A) The unlawful and reckless use, display, or brandishing of a firearm indicating an increased risk for violence or actual threat of violence by the subject of the petition, including, but not limited to, acts using electronic means of communication, including social media postings or messages, text messages, or email. (B) The history of use, attempted use, or threatened use of physical force by the subject of the petition against another person. (C) A prior arrest of the subject of the petition for a felony offense. (D) A history of a violation by the subject of the petition of an emergency protective order issued pursuant to Section 646.91 or Part 3 (commencing with Section 6240) of Division 10 of the Family Code. (E) A history of a violation by the subject of the petition of a protective order issued pursuant to Part 4 (commencing with Section 6300) of Division 10 of the Family Code, Section 136.2, 527.6, 527.8, or 527.85 of the Code of Civil Procedure, or Section 213.5 or 15657.03 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, or comparable firearm-prohibiting protective orders, including extreme risk protection orders, issued by out-of-state courts. (F) Documentary evidence, including, but not limited to, police reports and records of convictions, of either recent criminal offenses by the subject of the petition that involve controlled substances or alcohol or ongoing abuse of controlled substances or alcohol by the subject of the petition. (G) Evidence of recent acquisition or attempted acquisition of firearms, ammunition, or other deadly weapons. While evidence of recent acquisitions is a factor the court may consider, the court may still issue a gun violence restraining order to temporarily prevent legal access to firearms even if the respondent does not own firearms, ammunition, or other deadly weapons at the time that the court is considering issuing a gun violence restraining order. (H) Evidence of acquisition of body armor, as defined in Section 16288. (I) Evidence of stalking, as defined in Section 646.9. (J) Evidence of cruelty to animals, as defined in Section 597. (K) Evidence of the respondent’s oral or written threats of violence toward any person or group because of their actual or perceived race or ethnicity, nationality, religion, disability, gender, or sexual orientation, including, but not limited to, threats using electronic means of communication, including social media postings or messages, text messages, or email. For the purposes of this subparagraph, “race or ethnicity,” “nationality,” “religion,” “disability,” “gender,” and “sexual orientation” are defined as in Section 422.56. (L) Evidence of the respondent’s knowing and intentional defacement, damage, or destruction of the real or personal property of any other person for the purpose of intimidating or interfering with the free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured to the other person by the Constitution or laws of this state or the Constitution or laws of the United States, in whole or in part because of a person’s actual or perceived race or ethnicity, nationality, religion, disability, gender, or sexual orientation, in violation of subdivision (b) of Section 422.6. “Race or ethnicity,” “nationality,” “religion,” “disability,” “gender,” and “sexual orientation” mean the same as defined in Section 422.56. (M) Evidence of the respondent’s threats of violence to advance a political objective or threats of violence intended to interfere with any other person’s free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured to them by the Constitution or laws of this state or the United States, including, but not limited to, threats using electronic means of communication, including social media postings or messages, text messages, or email. (3) For the purposes of this subdivision, “recent” means within the six months prior to the date the petition was filed. (c) If the court determines that the grounds to issue an ex parte gun violence restraining order exist, it shall issue an ex parte gun violence restraining order that prohibits the subject of the petition from having in their custody or control, owning, purchasing, possessing, or receiving, or attempting to purchase or receive a firearm or ammunition, and expires no later than 21 days from the date of the order.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 18160. Section 18160.

(a) An ex parte gun violence restraining order issued under this chapter shall include all of the following: (1) A statement of the grounds supporting the issuance of the order. (2) The date and time the order expires. (3) The address of the superior court in which a responsive pleading should be filed. (4) The date and time of the scheduled hearing. (5) The following statement: “To the restrained person: This order is valid until the expiration date and time noted above. You are required to surrender all firearms, ammunition, and magazines that you own or possess in accordance with Section 18120 of the Penal Code and you may not have in your custody or control, own, purchase, possess, or receive, or attempt to purchase or receive any firearm, ammunition, or magazine while this order is in effect. A hearing will be held on the date and at the time noted above to determine if a more permanent gun violence restraining order should be issued. Failure to appear at that hearing may result in a court making an order against you that is valid for a period of time between one to five years. You may seek the advice of an attorney as to any matter connected with the order. The attorney should be consulted promptly so that the attorney may assist you in any matter connected with the order.” (b) (1) An ex parte gun violence restraining order shall be personally served on the restrained person by a law enforcement officer, or by a person as provided in Section 414.10 of the Code of Civil Procedure, if the restrained person can reasonably be located. (2) When serving a gun violence restraining order, a law enforcement officer shall inform the restrained person of the hearing scheduled pursuant to Section 18165. (3) When serving a gun violence restraining order, a law enforcement officer shall verbally ask the restrained person if the person has a firearm, ammunition, or magazine in the person’s possession or under the person’s custody or control. (c) This section shall become operative on September 1, 2020.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 18165. Section 18165.

Within 21 days after the date on the order, before the court that issued the order or another court in the same jurisdiction, the court shall hold a hearing pursuant to Section 18175 to determine if a gun violence restraining order should be issued under Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 18170).

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026