pro·tec·tive or·der • n. a court order instructing a person to desist from abusing or harassing the petitioner (usu. a related person) for a fixed period: a protective order against the man accused of setting his wife on fire.

PROTECTIVE ORDER

A court order, direction, decree, or command to protect a person from further harassment, service of process, or discovery.

A protective order can limit the time and place where a deposition can be taken, restrict the inspection of documents in the possession of a party, or regulate or modify the enforcement of a judgment.