In the Complaint for Relief from Abuse, you are the “plaintiff.” The “defendant” is the person who hurt you or the person you are afraid of. Use the form to explain what your relationship is to the defendant and what you are asking for in the case.

Note: The defendant will get a copy of this document if the judge gives you a temporary order or if the case goes to a hearing.

There are two versions of the Complaint form:

• Is the order for you, or both you and your children? Use the Complaint for Relief from Abuse form.
• Is the order only for a child or children? Use the Complaint for Relief from Abuse On Behalf of a Child form.

On the Complaint, there are many boxes you can choose to check about your relationship to the defendant and the kinds of help you are asking for. Check all that apply to your situation.

Do you believe there is a danger of further abuse to yourself and/or your children? If you do, it’s especially important to tell the court in the “Facts” section of the Complaint. If this box is not checked, the court may decide you are not eligible for an RFA.

In the “Requests for Relief” section, it is important to check the box asking for emergency relief. If this box is not checked, the court may not give you a temporary order while you wait for the final hearing.

In the Affidavit, you tell the court about what happened and why you need the court’s help to deal with the abuse. There are two versions of the Affidavit form:

• Is the order for you, or both you and your children? Use the Affidavit in Support of Relief from Abuse Complaint.
• Is the order only for a child or children? Use the Affidavit in Support of Relief from Abuse Complaint for Child.

There are some very important sections on the Affidavit form. First, you need to list and describe the most recent incident of abuse, as well as other past incidents. Do your best to give dates and details about the following:

• Did your abuser injure you? If they did, how? It’s okay if you never went to the doctor, but if you did go, you should say so on the form.
• Did your abuser threaten or scare you or your children?
• Did they keep you from leaving a room?
• Did they use a weapon to hurt or threaten you?
• Did they hurt your pets or damage your property?
• Were the police called?
• Has your abuser controlled your movements, time, money or who you spend time with?
• Has your abuser stalked or followed you?
• Did your children witness the abuse? And has it changed your children’s behavior in any way?

Next, the form asks you to describe the most serious incident of abuse, whether it happened a long time ago or more recently. Be sure to give as much detail to this incident as you did the others.

Weapons

The form also asks if your abuser has guns or other weapons. List them and their locations. Guns and weapons create a dangerous situation during the RFA process. If you list them on the affidavit, the court can order law enforcement to collect them to help keep you safe.

Note: The defendant will get a copy of this document if the judge gives you a temporary order or if the case goes to a hearing.

The Confidential Notification form tells the court how to reach you with their decision. If it is not safe for you to get paperwork or phone calls about this case at home, you can use another address or phone number. You can talk with an advocate about how to get a safer mailing address. The defendant should not get a copy of this document.

The Protection Order Service Information form tells law enforcement how to find the defendant and “serve” them with (give them) paperwork. The defendant should not get a copy of this document.

• Find your county’s Family Division court. Bring your forms there during business hours: 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday.

• Email the forms as an attachment(s). In the subject line, type “Relief from Abuse Order request.”
  • If it’s between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. during the week, send the email to your courthouse. Find the courthouse email addresses here.
  • If it’s after hours, on the weekend or on a holiday, send the email to this address: relieffromabuseafterhours@vtcourts.gov.
• Please note that when you use email, you will get an automated email reply. You may also get emails from the court regarding your case.
• You must call the courthouse to tell them you sent an email. If you don't follow up with a call, the court may not see your message quickly.
  • If it’s between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. during the week, call the Family Division courthouse in your county. 
  • If it’s after hours, on the weekend or on a holiday, call this number: 1-800-540-9990.

• At this time it may not be worth the effort to e-file your forms. You may wish to file another way.
• Please note that when you e-file, you will get emails from the court regarding your case.
• After you e-file, you may call the court to let them know that you e-filed your RFA forms.
  • If it’s between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. during the week, call the Family Division courthouse in your county. 
  • If it’s after hours, on the weekend or on a holiday, call this number: 1-800-540-9990.

• Do you need help while courts are open but you can’t get to the courthouse? Call your county’s family court. 
• Say you need to start a Relief from Abuse case but can’t get to court. The clerk may be able to write out the RFA forms with you over the phone. 
• The clerk will swear you in over the phone. This is exactly like testifying in court, and you are under penalty of perjury.

• You can start a Relief from Abuse case when the courts are closed, after hours or on a weekend or holiday. Even during these times, you may be able to get a temporary order right away to help keep you safe. 
• Call the Vermont courts’ answering service at 1-800-540-9990. Say that you need help applying for a Relief from Abuse order.
• When you call the courts’ answering service, keep these things in mind:
  • Give them a safe phone number for court staff to call you back.
  • Make sure you unblock your phone to get a call back.
• Don’t have a safe callback number?
  • Let court staff know when you call.
  • Call the answering service back from a safe place when you can and let them know you are ready to receive a call.