Here is the text we could read:
CH-160-INFO
Privacy Protection for a Minor (Person Under 18 Years Old)
Civil Harassment Prevention
Can I keep information about a
minor confidential?
Yes. In a civil harassment restraining order case, you can
ask a judge to make information about a minor
confidential. Confidential means that the public is
unable to see the information, because the information
is kept private. This is important because most papers
in your court case are available for the public to see.
This means anyone can view information on your
papers, including information about a minor. If the
judge grants your request, the public will not be able to
see the minor's information on your paperwork.
Who can make this request?
Several people can make this request,
including a minor's parent or legal guardian.
Any minor protected by a restraining order can make
this request, as well. Also, any person, including a
minor, who is the accused person in a case may make
this request.
A minor can make this request without the help of an
adult. This depends on the minor's age, though. If the
minor is 12 years old or younger, the judge may want
an adult to help the minor make this request.
For more information on who can make this request,
contact your local self-help center or a lawyer.
What information can I ask the judge
to make confidential?
A judge can make any information about a minor
confidential. That means that you can ask to make
confidential the minor's name, address, and any
statements about what the minor experienced or
witnessed.
If you want to protect the minor's address only, you do
not have to make this request. Instead, you can use a
different address on your restraining order request,
such as a mailing address that is not where the minor
lives, a P.O. box, or someone else's address. If you use
someone else's address, be sure to get their permission
first.
Whatever address you use, make sure you will get your
mail regularly. This is important, because the address
you use is the address the court and other party will use
to send you papers for your case.
Does this request cost money?
That depends on the type of harassment. If the person
you want to restrain used or threatened to use violence
against you or stalked you, you do not have to pay a
filing fee. Otherwise, you must pay a filing fee.
If you cannot afford to pay the filing fee, ask the court
clerk how to apply for a fee waiver. You will need to fill
out form FW-001.
If the protective order is based on prior acts of violence,
a credible threat of violence, or stalking, the sheriff or
marshal must serve your order for free. Also, if you are
eligible for a fee waiver, you can ask the sheriff or
marshal to serve the order for free. If you are not eligible
for free service, you must pay the sheriff or marshal to
serve the order.
I need an interpreter. How can I get help?
You may use form INT-300 to request an
interpreter. Ask court staff for information.
I have a disability. How can I get help?
You may use form MC-410 to request assistance.
Contact the disability/ADA coordinator at your local
court for more information.
Do I need a lawyer to make this request?
No, but this type of request can be hard to get through
on your own. Free help may be available at your local
court's self-help center. (See below.)
Where can I find a self-help center?
Find your local court's self-help center at www.courts.
ca.gov/selfhelp. Self-help center staff will not act as
your lawyer but may be able to give you information to
help you decide what to do in your case.
Judicial Council of California, www.courts.ca.gov
Rev. September 1, 2020, Optional Form
Code of Civil Procedure, § 527.6(v)
Privacy Protection for a Minor
(Person Under 18 Years Old)
(Civil Harassment Prevention)
CH-160-INFO, Page 1 of 4
→
CH-160-INFO
Privacy Protection for a Minor (Person Under 18 Years Old)
Civil Harassment Prevention
Where can I find other help?
For safety tips or other help, call or visit the following hotlines online:
National Human Trafficking Hotline, 1-888-373-788; TTY: 711; www.humantraffickinghotline.org
National Sexual Assault Hotline, 1-800-656-4673, www.rainn.org
Stalking Hotline, 1-855-484-2846, www.victimconnect.org/statistics/stalking/
What do I have to do to make information
about a minor confidential?
Step 1: Complete the forms.
You will need to complete these
forms to make your request:
You can use
these steps as
a checklist.
Form CH-160
Form CH-165 (complete items 1 and 2 only)
You can find these forms online at www.courts.ca.
gov/forms.
▶ See tips to complete the forms.
To request a restraining order, you need to complete
different forms. See form CH-100-INFO for a list
of forms you need to complete to request a
restraining order.
q
Step 2: Take the forms to your court clerk to file.
Find out which courthouse to take your forms to by
calling your local court or searching online at
www.courts.ca.gov/find-my-court.htm.
q
q
Step 3: Understand the judge's order.
The judge will write your orders on form CH-165.
The judge will grant or deny your request.
▶ See page 3 for what this means.
Step 4: Give court papers to other parties.
In some cases, you will need to have your server
give court papers to the other parties in your
case. This process is called service.
▶ See page 4 for tips to complete service.
uTips for Step 1: Complete the forms.
I only want to protect the minor's address. If you
only want to protect the minor's address, you do not
have to make this request. See "What information can
I ask the judge to make confidential?" on page 1 for
more information.
I want to protect more than one minor. Only an adult
who is the minors' parent or legal guardian may make a
request to protect more than one minor's information.
I want to give the minor's school or others copies of
court orders from this case. If the court grants your
request to make information regarding a minor
confidential, you may want to ask the court for
permission to give other people copies of certain
documents in your case. You can make this request at
item 9 on form CH-160.
My right to cancel my restraining order request:
You have the right to cancel your request for a
restraining order if the judge does not grant your request
to make information confidential. This right only applies
if you are asking for a restraining order at the same time
as your request to make information confidential. To
cancel your request for a restraining order, check the
box on form CH-160, item 7a, and item 8d(1), if it
applies.
If you cancel your restraining order request,
you will not receive a civil harassment
restraining order at this time.
If, after canceling your request for a restraining order,
you want to ask for a restraining order based on the
same facts, you must start the process over. See
form CH-100-INFO for more information.
Rev. September 1, 2020
Privacy Protection for a Minor
(Person Under 18 Years Old)
(Civil Harassment Prevention)
CH-160-INFO, Page 2 of 4
→
CH-160-INFO
Privacy Protection for a Minor (Person Under 18 Years Old)
Civil Harassment Prevention
uTips for Step 3:
Understand the judge's order.
Look at form CH-165 to see what the judge decided.
What if the judge granted my request?
Look closely at form CH-165, items 7 and 8,
to see what information the judge made
confidential in your case. If the judge granted your
request to keep information confidential, the information
the judge decided to keep confidential will not be
available to the public. The information will be available
only to the parties in the case.
At times, the judge may make information confidential
from the other party in your case. If this happens, the
judge will complete item 8 on form CH-165.
Now, take a close look at item 10 on form CH-165.
This tells you who is responsible for redacting the
information on your paperwork and the deadline for
filing it with the court.
Redacting means to hide (blacken or whiten out)
information so it cannot be seen. If the judge
makes you responsible for redacting the information,
your local self-help center may be able to help you.
q
w What if I file documents with the court
in the future?
If you file documents with the court in the
future, be sure to use form CH-175 as a cover
sheet and follow the instructions at the top of
the form.
What if the judge did not grant
(denied) my request?
This means that if you move forward
with your case, the minor's information will not be
confidential. This is important because anyone can go to
your local courthouse and
ask to see the documents you filed in this case.
If the judge does not grant your request, you may have
other legal options available to you. Visit your local
court's self-help center or talk with a lawyer.
w What if I asked to cancel my restraining
order request?
If you checked box 7a or 8d(1) on form CH-160 and
the judge denied your request, the paperwork you
turned in with this request will not be available to
the public, except for page 1 of form CH-165. This
includes form CH-100 and any proposed
order forms. The court will either return these
forms to you, destroy them, or delete them from its
records unless you give the court permission
to file the forms.
q
q
Is there a penalty for disclosing confidential
information?
Misusing or giving out confidential information can result
in the court ordering you to pay up to $1,000 or other
court penalties. You will not be penalized if you:
• Give information to police to help them enforce
the judge's orders; or
• If you are the minor who has claimed harassment,
violence, or threats of violence.
Rev. September 1, 2020
Privacy Protection for a Minor
(Person Under 18 Years Old)
(Civil Harassment Prevention)
CH-160-INFO, Page 3 of 4
→
CH-160-INFO
Privacy Protection for a Minor (Person Under 18 Years Old)
Civil Harassment Prevention
uTips for Step 4: Give court papers
to all parties in your case.
In some cases, the judge will order you to
serve your court papers. Look at form CH-165
to see what the judge decided.
What did the judge decide in your case?
q
The judge denied (did not grant) my request to
keep some information confidential. I canceled my
request for a restraining order and there is no other
issue in this case for a judge to decide on.
Your papers do not need to be served.
You may stop here.
Step 1: Find out which papers you need to serve.
The judge will check which papers you need to serve to
the other parties in your case on form CH-165, item 13.
Step 2: Find out whether you need to serve the
other parties personally or by mail.
The judge will check how you need to serve your
court papers to the other parties in your case on
form CH-165, item 13.
If the judge checks item 13a, you will need to have your
server personally serve (give) your court papers
to the other parties in your case.
If the judge checks item 13b, you will need to have your
server mail your court papers.
Step 3: Choose a server.
The person who serves your papers is called a server.
Your server must be at least 18 years old, not protected
by the restraining order, and not involved in your case.
You are not allowed to serve your own court papers.
Some situations may be dangerous. Think
about people's safety when deciding who you
choose to serve your court papers.
Rev. September 1, 2020
The judge granted my request to keep some of the
minor's information confidential.
p
Your papers must be served.
Follow steps 1–5 below.
u
The judge denied (did not grant) my request to keep
some information confidential. I did not cancel my
request for a restraining order. The case is still open.
If this is your situation, forms CH-160 and
CH-165 must be served by mail or in
person.
Follow steps 3–5 below.
A sheriff or marshal will serve your court papers for
free. Another option is a process server.
A process server is a business you pay to deliver court
papers. To hire a process server, look for "process
server" on the internet or in the yellow pages.
Step 4: Have your server give your court papers
to all parties
For personal service, give your server your court papers
as well as form CH-200.
For service by mail, give your server your court papers
as well as form PS-030.
Step 5: File proof with the court.
The court needs proof that your papers were served.
After your server completes form CH-200 or form
POS-030, take it to the court to file in your case.
If the sheriff or marshal served your papers, they may
use another form for proof instead of form CH-200.
Make sure a copy is filed with the court and that
you get a copy.
For more information, read form CH-200-INFO or
ask your local court's self-help center for help.
Privacy Protection for a Minor
(Person Under 18 Years Old)
(Civil Harassment Prevention)
CH-160-INFO, Page 4 of 4
→
