Extreme Risk Protection Orders

Extreme Risk Protection Orders1 (ERPOs) are civil orders issued when a person is a danger to themselves or others.2 These orders prevent a person from purchasing or possessing guns while the order is in place.3 ERPOs are mainly intended to prevent suicides, but there is some discussion on their potential usefulness for elderly people with cognitive difficulties, including dementia. ERPOs are also known as red flag laws, gun violence restraining orders, risk-warrants, lethal violence protective orders, risk protection orders, gun violence protective orders, firearms restraining orders, extreme risk protective orders, orders for protection against high-risk behavior, extreme risk firearm protection orders, and substantial risk orders. This pathfinder is intended to provide both an overview of current ERPO laws and avenues to research emerging information. This pathfinder is targeted primarily towards law students and legal scholars who are interested in the laws and legal issues surrounding ERPOs. This pathfinder will best serve those who intend to write an article pertaining to ERPOs; information on this topic is scattered, and it can be particularly difficult to parse through the state-specific nomenclature and minute differences in these laws