Tomi,

I'm sorry you're having such a rough time of things. It is good that kitty came back, though.

As for the TRO, will it be possible for you to file for one again in the future? I went through that with an ex of mine, and I can tell you what the lawyer told me. The courts view a restraining order as taking away some of a person's freedom, so they set the bar pretty high...almost as high as to convict someone of a crime. So the best way to get a TRO on this guy is to make a case that you feel your safety is being threatened by this guy. Every time he says anything remotely threatening, write down the date, and what he said as close to word-for-word as you can. If you frame it as much as possible like you are afraid of this guy, and feel like he is going to harm you physically, you're much more likely to be granted the TRO. I know it's not fair...they should protect you from this harrassment...but sometimes you have to play the game by the court's rules.

As far as the police understanding the rules, they really don't have an understanding of how hard it can be to get a TRO. A little more than a year after my ex had been served with the Protection Order, he called the local police to ask if it was still in effect. Lucky for me, they told him yes, even though it expired after a year. They then called me to let me know he had done this, and said that I should get a new protection order. But, the courts will not grant one unless he has actually threatened me, which he didn't. I know the police really were concerned with my own welfare, but they really don't understand the court system.

Anyway, sorry for my long story...I do hope things look up for you soon.

{{{{{{{{{{Tomi}}}}}}}}}

Jo