Serving a restraining order
How to serve a restraining order or other legal documents on a confined offender:
- Documents are sent to the Attention of the Litigation Coordinator where the Offender is housed. Identify the offender by name and CDCR prison number. If possible, include parole date and phone number so if questions arise, the institution can contact you.
- Documents can be faxed or sent by overnight mail to the Litigation Coordinator.
- A Proof of Service and Self Addressed Stamped Envelope must accompany the restraining order or other legal documents which are to be served to the inmate. If you faxed the documents, you still need to send a Self Addressed Stamped Envelope for the return of the Proof of Service.
- The Litigation Coordinator logs in the documents: Gives them to the offender’s Correctional Counselor who serves the inmate and fills out the proof of service.
- The proof of service is returned to the victim in the self addressed stamped envelope
- The victim MUST FILE the proof of service with the court.
YOUR ENVELOPE SHOULD BE ADDRESSED:
{Inmate’s location – institution name}
ATTENTION: LITIGATION COORDINATOR
Institution’s address
To find an inmate’s location visit the CDCR Inmate Locator site:
https://inmatelocator.cdcr.ca.gov
If you have any questions regarding how to serve a restraining order or other legal documents on a confined offender, please contact the Office of Victim and Survivor Rights and Services.
We are available to assist with any victim related questions Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Staff can be reached at (916) 322-6676 or toll free at 1 (877) 256-6877.
For a list of prison address and phone numbers visit the CDCR website:
List of Adult Institutions – Division of Adult Institutions (DAI) (ca.gov)
Office of Victim and Survivor Rights and Services
P.O. Box 942883
Sacramento, CA 94823
1-877-256-6877
Email: victimservices@cdcr.ca.gov