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 Wisconsin, a temporary restraining order (TRO) is a legal measure used to prevent immediate harm by temporarily prohibiting an individual or entity from taking certain actions. It is often used in situations involving domestic abuse, harassment, or child abuse to protect the victim from further harm. The TRO is designed to maintain the status quo until a full court hearing can be held, typically within a short time frame (usually within 14 days in Wisconsin). During this hearing, the court may decide to issue a temporary injunction, which would extend the protections of the TRO for a longer period, often the duration of the lawsuit or until a further order of the court. To obtain a TRO in Wisconsin, the petitioner must file a request with the court and may need to demonstrate that there is a substantial risk of harm without the court's immediate intervention. The process and requirements for obtaining a TRO can be found in the Wisconsin Statutes, specifically in Chapter 813 for domestic abuse and harassment cases.