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 Missouri, 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 cease or continue certain actions. It is often used in situations where immediate harm might occur without court intervention. The purpose of a TRO is to maintain the status quo until a hearing can be held for a preliminary injunction, which may last for the duration of a lawsuit. To obtain a TRO in Missouri, the party seeking the order must file a petition with the court, demonstrating that they will suffer immediate and irreparable harm without the TRO. The court may issue a TRO without notice to the opposing party if it deems that notice would render the order ineffective, but typically, a TRO is issued after a short notice to the other party. The TRO is generally of limited duration, often 10 to 15 days, until the court can schedule a hearing for the preliminary injunction. Missouri courts follow Rule 92 of the Missouri Rules of Civil Procedure for the issuance of restraining orders and injunctions.