CHAPTER 4. Gun Violence Restraining Order Issued After Notice and Hearing [18170. - 18197.]

Cal. Penal Code - PEN 4.

in effect

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 18170. Section 18170.

(a) (1) Any of the following individuals may request that a court, after notice and a hearing, issue a 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 for a period of time between one to five years: (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) This chapter does not require a person described in paragraph (1) to seek a gun violence restraining order. (b) For purposes of this subdivision, “dating relationship” has the same meaning as in paragraph (10) of subdivision (f) of Section 243. (c) For purposes of this section, “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. (d) 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. (e) This section shall become operative on September 1, 2020.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 18175. Section 18175.

(a) In determining whether to issue a gun violence restraining order under this chapter, the court shall consider evidence of the facts identified in paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 18155 and may consider any other evidence of an increased risk for violence, including, but not limited to, evidence of the facts identified in paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 18155. (b) At the hearing, the petitioner has the burden of proving, by clear and convincing evidence, that both of the following are true: (1) The subject of the petition, or a person subject to a temporary emergency gun violence restraining order or an ex parte gun violence restraining order, as applicable, poses a significant danger of causing personal injury to themselves or another by having in the subject’s or person’s custody or control, owning, purchasing, possessing, or receiving a firearm, ammunition, or magazine. (2) A gun violence restraining order is necessary to prevent personal injury to the subject of the petition, or the person subject to an ex parte gun violence restraining order, as applicable, 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, or the person subject to an ex parte gun violence restraining order, as applicable. (c) (1) If the court finds that there is clear and convincing evidence to issue a gun violence restraining order, the court shall issue a gun violence restraining order that prohibits the subject of the petition from having in the subject’s custody or control, owning, purchasing, possessing, or receiving, or attempting to purchase or receive, a firearm, ammunition, or magazine. (2) If the court finds that there is not clear and convincing evidence to support the issuance of a gun violence restraining order, the court shall dissolve a temporary emergency or ex parte gun violence restraining order then in effect. (d) (1) The subject of the petition may file a form with the court relinquishing the subject’s firearm rights for the duration specified on the petition or, if not stated in the petition, for one year from the date of the proposed hearing, and stating that the subject is not contesting the petition. (2) If the subject of the petition files a form pursuant to paragraph (1), the court shall issue, without any hearing, the gun violence restraining order at least five court days before the scheduled hearing. If the subject files the form within five court days before the scheduled hearing, the court shall issue, without any hearing, the gun violence restraining order as soon as possible. The court shall provide notice of the order to all parties. (3) If the subject of the petition files a form pursuant to paragraph (1) and has not already surrendered all firearms, ammunition, and magazines in the subject’s custody or control or those that the subject possesses or owns, the subject shall follow the procedures in Section 18120 but shall surrender the firearms, ammunition, and magazines within 48 hours of filing the form relinquishing firearm rights. (e) (1) The court shall issue a gun violence restraining order under this chapter for a period of time of one to five years, subject to termination by further order of the court at a hearing held pursuant to Section 18185 and renewal by further order of the court pursuant to Section 18190. (2) In determining the duration of the gun violence restraining order pursuant to paragraph (1), the court shall consider the length of time that the circumstances set forth in subdivision (b) are likely to continue, and shall issue the order based on that determination. (f) This section shall become operative on September 1, 2020.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 18180. Section 18180.

(a) A gun violence restraining order issued pursuant to 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 for the county in which the restrained party resides. (4) The following statement: “To the restrained person: This order will last until the date and time noted above. If you have not done so already, you must surrender all firearms, ammunition, and magazines that you own or possess in accordance with Section 18120 of the Penal Code. You may not have in your custody or control, own, purchase, possess, or receive, or attempt to purchase or receive a firearm, ammunition, or magazine, while this order is in effect. Pursuant to Section 18185, you have the right to request a hearing on an annual basis to terminate this order during its effective period. You may seek the advice of an attorney as to any matter connected with the order.” (b) If the court issues a gun violence restraining order under this chapter, the court shall inform the restrained person that the person is entitled to a hearing on an annual basis to request a termination of the order, pursuant to Section 18185, and shall provide the restrained person with a form to request a hearing. (c) This section shall become operative on September 1, 2020.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 18185. Section 18185.

(a) A person subject to a gun violence restraining order issued under this chapter may submit one written request per year during the effective period of the order for a hearing to terminate the order. (b) If the court finds after the hearing that there is no longer clear and convincing evidence to believe that paragraphs (1) and (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 18175 are true, the court shall terminate the order. (c) This section shall become operative on September 1, 2020.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 18190. Section 18190.

(a) (1) Any of the following people may request a renewal of a gun violence restraining order at any time within the three months before the expiration of a gun violence restraining order: (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, after notice and a hearing, renew a gun violence restraining order issued under this chapter if the petitioner proves, by clear and convincing evidence, that paragraphs (1) and (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 18175 continue to be true. (c) In determining whether to renew a gun violence restraining order issued under this chapter, the court shall consider evidence of the facts identified in paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 18155 and any other evidence of an increased risk for violence, including, but not limited to, evidence of any of the facts identified in paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 18155. (d) At the hearing, the petitioner shall have the burden of proving, by clear and convincing evidence, that paragraphs (1) and (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 18175 are true. (e) If the renewal petition is supported by clear and convincing evidence, the court shall renew the gun violence restraining order issued under this chapter. (f) (1) The renewal of a gun violence restraining order issued pursuant to this section shall have a duration of between one to five years, subject to termination by further order of the court at a hearing held pursuant to Section 18185 and further renewal by further order of the court pursuant to this section. (2) In determining the duration of the gun violence restraining order pursuant to paragraph (1), the court shall consider the length of time that the circumstances set forth in subdivision (b) of Section 18175 are likely to continue, and shall issue the order based on that determination. (g) A gun violence restraining order renewed pursuant to this section shall include the information identified in subdivision (a) of Section 18180. (h) This section shall become operative on September 1, 2020.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 18195. Section 18195.

Any hearing held pursuant to this chapter may be continued upon a showing of good cause. Any existing order issued pursuant to this division shall remain in full force and effect during the period of continuance.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 18197. Section 18197.

(a) If a person subject to a gun violence restraining order issued or renewed pursuant to this chapter was not present in court at the time the order was issued or renewed, the 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. (b) This section shall become operative on September 1, 2020.

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