Civil procedure
Temporary Restraining Order
A temporary restraining order, or TRO, is a short emergency order freezing the situation until the court can hold a real hearing.
A TRO can issue within hours and, in narrow circumstances, without notifying the other side, which is why it expires quickly. Federal TROs granted without notice last no more than fourteen days unless extended for good cause or by consent.
The applicant must show likely success on the merits, irreparable harm that money cannot fix, a balance of hardships in its favor, and that the public interest is not harmed. Courts often require a bond in case the order turns out to be wrong.
For docket readers, a TRO is a signal to look immediately. It means the parties were in front of a judge within days of filing, and the papers supporting it usually lay out the entire dispute in compressed form.
How it appears on a docket
TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER granted. Defendant is enjoined from transferring the disputed funds. Preliminary injunction hearing set for 6/20/2025. Bond set at $25,000.
Governing rule
Fed. R. Civ. P. 65(b)
Related terms
- Preliminary Injunction — A preliminary injunction is a court order requiring a party to do or stop doing something while the lawsuit is pending.
- Ex Parte — Ex parte means a request made to the judge by one side without the other side present or notified.
More on civil procedure
See this term in a real case
Search federal court records and read the filings where temporary restraining order actually shows up. New to federal dockets? Start with how to find a federal case.