(a) (1) A person who has suffered harassment as defined in subdivision (b) may seek a temporary restraining order and an order after hearing prohibiting harassment as provided in this section. (2) An individual need not be a resident of the state to file a petition for an order under this section. A petition for an order as specified in paragraph (1) may be filed in any superior court in this state, consistent with Section 410.10 of the Code of Civil Procedure, which may include, but is not limited to: (A) The county in which the petitioner resides or is temporarily located. (B) The county in which the defendant resides. (C) The county in which the offense occurred. (D) Any other court that may have jurisdiction over the parties or the subject matter of the case. (3) A minor, under 12 years of age, accompanied by a duly appointed and acting guardian ad litem, shall be permitted to appear in court without counsel for the limited purpose of requesting or opposing a request for a temporary restraining order or order after hearing, or both, under this section as provided in Section 374. (b) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings: (1) âCourse of conductâ is a pattern of conduct composed of a series of acts over a period of time, however short, evidencing a continuity of purpose, including following or stalking an individual, making harassing telephone calls to an individual, or sending harassing correspondence to an individual by any means, including, but not limited to, the use of public or private mails, interoffice mail, facsimile, or email. Constitutionally protected activity is not included within the meaning of âcourse of conduct.â (2) âCredible threat of violenceâ is a knowing and willful statement or course of conduct that would place a reasonable person in fear for the personâs safety or the safety of the personâs immediate family, and that serves no legitimate purpose. (3) âHarassmentâ is unlawful violence, a credible threat of violence, or a knowing and willful course of conduct directed at a specific person that seriously alarms, annoys, or harasses the person, and that serves no legitimate purpose. The course of conduct must be that which would cause a reasonable person to suffer substantial emotional distress, and must actually cause substantial emotional distress to the petitioner. (4) âPetitionerâ means the person to be protected by the temporary restraining order and order after hearing and, if the court grants the petition, the protected person. (5) âRespondentâ means the person against whom the temporary restraining order and order after hearing are sought and, if the petition is granted, the restrained person. (6) âTemporary restraining orderâ and âorder after hearingâ mean orders that include any of the following restraining orders, whether issued ex parte or after notice and hearing: (A) An order enjoining a party from harassing, intimidating, molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, abusing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls, as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, or coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of, the petitioner. On a showing of good cause, in an order issued pursuant to this subparagraph in connection with an animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by the petitioner, or residing in the residence or household of the petitioner, the court may do either or both of the following: (i) Grant the petitioner exclusive care, possession, or control of the animal. (ii) Order the respondent to stay away from the animal and refrain from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal. (B) An order enjoining a party from specifie
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