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For Minnesota’s temporary HRO procedure, a respondent’s hearing request must be made within 20 days of completed service of the petition. Service and the exact paperwork matter. Requesting a hearing does not itself suspend an issued order, and the OFP hearing-request rules are different.
What starts the HRO hearing-request period?
Section 609.748, subdivision 4(f) uses completed service of the petition for the temporary-order hearing request. Subdivision 3(d) also sets a 20-day request period for hearings under that subdivision. Preserve the documents showing when and how service occurred.
Do not calculate the deadline from a social media rumor, an assumed filing date, or a date borrowed from an OFP article. Follow the court’s instructions and obtain prompt advice about computation, especially if service is disputed or a weekend or holiday is involved.
How do you request an HRO hearing?
Use the court’s current hearing-request form and file it with the court handling the case. The Minnesota Judicial Branch HRO help page links to the respondent forms and explains the written request process. Confirm filing requirements and retain proof that the request was received.
Telling the petitioner you disagree, calling a witness, or preparing exhibits is not the same as filing the required request. If a hearing is already scheduled, carefully follow that notice as well.
What is short-form notification?
Subdivision 5a permits a peace officer to serve a short-form notification instead of personally serving the full HRO. It contains identifying information and the restrictions, and warns that the order is enforceable. The form directs the respondent to obtain a copy from a sheriff’s office or court.
Do not assume that receiving only a short form makes the restrictions optional. Obtain the complete petition and order promptly and ask counsel how the service record affects the hearing deadline in the particular case.
Can an HRO be served in another way?
The statute provides specified alternatives in particular circumstances, including publication when statutory requirements are met. Subdivision 5(c) also addresses electronic or first-class-mail service of an order when a respondent appears remotely and receives the required notice from the judicial officer.
These are conditional procedures, not permission for a party to invent a service method. Avoiding service is not a sound response strategy. Disputes about proper service should be raised through the court process.
Can the petitioner ask to be notified when service occurs?
Yes. 2026 Minnesota Laws, chapter 97, article 6, section 4 added subdivision 5d. On the petitioner’s request, the sheriff, law-enforcement officer, or designee must make reasonable efforts to provide notice before or immediately after service. The provision identifies methods such as text, call, or email when contact information is available.
Make the request and provide a safe contact method. The requirement is reasonable efforts, not a guarantee of advance notice. A safety plan should account for that limitation.
What happens while you wait for the hearing?
Follow all active restrictions. A request for a hearing is not a cancellation or a license to contact the protected person. Save relevant evidence, confirm exhibit and witness procedures, and check the court’s hearing notice for the location or remote-access instructions.
If the 20-day period may have passed, get advice immediately about the service history and any remaining procedural options. Do not assume the order expired because no hearing has yet occurred.
Discuss your Minnesota HRO case with Martine Law
Bring the petition, all signed orders, service paperwork, and any hearing notice to your consultation. Contact Martine Law to discuss the facts, deadlines, and representation options in your case. Phones and chat are answered 24/7, with AI covering when no staff is free.
Learn more about Minnesota harassment restraining orders and steps after being served with an OFP or HRO.
Legal information checked October 14, 2026. This article provides general Minnesota information, not advice for a particular case. The signed order, applicable law, and procedural history matter.
