A temporary restraining order (TRO) is a court order requiring the parties to whom it is addressed not to engage in certain activity, or to continue to engage in certain activity, and is usually designed to maintain the current state of things (the status quo) until the court has the opportunity to hear a more complete presentation of the evidence—usually during an application for a temporary injunction that will remain in place while the lawsuit is pending.

In Maryland, a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) is a legal measure used to provide immediate but short-term protection to individuals or entities by ordering another party to refrain from certain actions. It is often used in situations where immediate harm might occur without court intervention, such as in cases of domestic violence, harassment, or where irreparable harm to property or business interests is imminent. The TRO is designed to preserve the status quo until a more formal hearing can be held for a preliminary injunction, which may last for the duration of a lawsuit. To obtain a TRO in Maryland, the requesting party must file a motion along with their complaint, or shortly thereafter, and must typically demonstrate that there is a substantial likelihood of immediate and irreparable harm if the order is not granted. The court may issue a TRO without notice to the opposing party if the situation justifies it, but such orders are generally of very short duration, often 10 days or less, until the court can hold a hearing with both parties present.