In New Jersey, how does a temporary restraining order turn into a permanent order of protection?

If you have a temporary restraining order already in place and you’re wondering how you make that temporary restraining order a permanent order of protection, here’s what happens: Generally, 10 days after the initial issuance of that temporary restraining order, a final hearing takes place, essentially a trial before a judge in the Superior Court. Both parties are present, they’re permitted to bring attorneys, witnesses, even police officers who might have been present during the initial incident, and they present their case. The judge makes a decision about whether or not that temporary restraining order and that initial act and any prior incidents or history of domestic violence, rises to the level of converting that temporary restraining order into a final restraining order.