Jim Gardiner’s Restraining Order

The Affidavit Against Jim Gardiner

This is Jane’s two-page handwritten sworn affidavit submitted to the courts on March 20th, 2017 to obtain an emergency order of protection against Jim Gardiner. Note this harassment by a 40 year old man was so severe and pervasive she sought court protection from him two years after their breakup.

1. Jane and James broke up in July 2015 and Jane moved out of James’ house.

2. They have had very minimal contact since they broke up.

3. In February 2016, James attempted to contact Jane via phone. At the same time, Jane was attempting to block James by phone or social media.

4. Since then, James has attempted to contact Jane’s family and friends, going so far as to look up their work addresses and attempted to contact them by going to their work addresses.

5. James has contacted at least two of Jane’s friends at work and tried to convince Jane’s cousin that he should fly to New York to talk to her about getting back together with Jane.

6. James has contacted Jane’s mother by showing up at her residence claiming he wanted to marry Jane (about 1.5 years after Jane and James broke up and had no contact).

7. James has sent several letters to Jane’s new address (most recently 3/7/17), which she did not disclose to James. Jane fears for James’ mental state.

8. During the relationship, Jane worried that James might have severe depression or other mental health problems.

9. Most recently, James found Jane’s new address and approached her while she was walking her dog. James told Jane not to run away from him. Jane told James not to follow her and told him not to contact her.

10. Yesterday (3/19/17) James attempted to contact Jane’s mother again via phone.

11. James contacted Jane via email as recently as 3/7/17 trying to meet up with Jane.

12. Jane fears that James will continue to try to contact her and her family and friends, and fears for James’ future, unpredictable behavior. James has a flexible schedule and can show up at unpredictable times

13. Jane began seeing a therapist in 2013 during their relationship and continues to see a therapist.

More details below about the timeline and the subsequent restraining order.

Restraining Order Timeline

The key events in the chronology leading up to the restraining order against Jim Gardiner are summarized below. For source material, see the Supporting Court Documents section at the end of this page. The restraining order follows this section.

• Jane and Jim Gardiner broke up in July, 2015. At this time Gardiner was 39.

• The harassment and stalking is alleged to have begun around seven months later and went on for over a year.

• On March 20, 2017, before Judge Megan Goldish, Jane files for and obtains an emergency order of protection from Jim Gardiner with a hearing date scheduled April 10.

• On April 10, 2017, Judge Rossana Fernandez extends the emergency order of protection and sets a new hearing date of May 9, 2017.

• On May 9, 2017, Judge Fernandez extends the emergency order of protection to May 17, 2017, the date when the pre-trial hearing is scheduled in Domestic Violence Court.

• On May 17, 2017, before Judge Sebastian Patti, Gardiner was forced to comply with a 10-month restraining order, which remained in force until March 19, 2018, just months before launching his campaign for Alderman.

Jim Gardiner’s Restraining Order

On May 17, 2017, James Gardiner was ordered by Judge Sebastian Patti, then presiding judge of the circuit court’s Domestic Violence Division, to agree to and comply with an almost year-long No Contact Order.

The restraining order:

• Prohibited Gardiner from having contact with Jane, her family, her employer, her co-workers, and friends by any means, including social media.

• Prohibted Gardiner from physically abusing, harassing or stalking Jane or otherwise interfering with her personal liberty.

• Forced Gardiner to pay all of Jane’s legal fees incurred over the previous two months in court to obtain this restraining order.

• The order was in full effect to March 19, 2018, a year from when Jane originally sought an Emergency Order of Protection from James Gardiner and just months before he launched his campaign for 45th Ward Alderman.