Can you get a 1 way restraining order?

Question

My step daughters therapist thinks that she should have a say in breaking off all contact with her mother (both my husband and agree). This woman is now causing h**l with our lives and causing extreme mental anguish on my step daughter, not my words her therapists. The woman is abusing her child from 3 states away, once again a medical opinion. We can't get a restraining order to keep the crazy woman from contacting her children because her earlier actions tried to keep my husband away from his kids and that only harmed them. She had her children taken away by CPS.we now have custody. Long story there but rape, sexual abuse, neglect, and other things were sited. She has now called the police on several ocasions acussing my husband of murdering her children and being the cause of suicide. The children are both alive and in therapy getting help to deal with their abuse. The therapist saysthat they should be able to confront their mother with the pain she has caused them but can we get

Answer 1

I don't believe you can get a "one way" restraining order. The person is ordered to have no contact with the person seeking the RO, either by phone, letter or physical contact. You cannot have it both ways. If the children contact her it will violate the RO and make it null and void. If her therapist thinks she needs the RO have him write a letter stating that fact to take to court. Record every thing the mother does and note the date and time. Submit this journal to the court when you file for the restraining order. You must have proof. Writing it down is a good way to remember everything. Having the dates and times is also important to the court.

Answer 2

Restraining orders don't have to be forever. Just going on what you have described it seems to me that your daughters should get a restraining order right now to give them some peace while they work things out. They can 'confront' their mother by writing letters to her, or recording tapes but these do not have to be mailed - at least not now. I'm actually surprised that a therapist would advocate confrontation now - why not just get the woman out of their life and stop the damage?