Temporary orders are the orders a court may make effective from the time a lawsuit for divorce is filed until it is resolved and the divorce decree is signed by the court. These orders are generally designed to preserve the status quo (current status) of the spouses’ marital property, finances, and children, and may include obligations to pay temporary child support, pay temporary spousal support, and provide for child custody and visitation arrangements. Temporary orders may also prohibit the spouses from selling or transferring significant marital or community property assets. If there are any allegations of family or domestic violence or abuse, the court may issue a stay-away order of protection restricting the spouses’ physical proximity to each other and the nature and means of their communications with each other.

Laws regarding the subjects and processes for temporary orders vary from state to state and are usually located in a state’s statutes—often in the family code or domestic relations code.

In Ohio, temporary orders are issued by the court during the pendency of a divorce proceeding to maintain the status quo regarding marital property, finances, and child-related matters until the final divorce decree is entered. These orders can include provisions for temporary child support, spousal support (alimony), child custody, and visitation schedules. They may also prevent either spouse from selling or transferring significant assets to ensure that property division upon divorce is fair and equitable. In cases involving allegations of domestic violence or abuse, the court has the authority to issue protective orders to safeguard the affected parties. These temporary orders are governed by Ohio's statutes, which can be found in the sections of the Ohio Revised Code dealing with domestic relations and family law. The specific processes and requirements for obtaining temporary orders are outlined in these statutes and are implemented by the domestic relations division of the Court of Common Pleas in the county where the divorce is filed.