Restraining Order Violations
Restraining order violations can result in community service, fines, or jail time. State laws determine penalties for restraining order violations, and they can vary in terms of the offense and the perpetrator’s prior record. In most states, a violation of a restraining order is charged as a misdemeanor. For legal advice, call the toll-free number above or enter your ZIP code below.
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UPDATED: Jul 16, 2023
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UPDATED: Jul 16, 2023
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right legal decisions.
We strive to help you make confident insurance and legal decisions. Finding trusted and reliable insurance quotes and legal advice should be easy. This doesn’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own.
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Violation of a restraining order, otherwise known as a protective order, is considered contempt of court. Breaking a restraining order can result in a variety of penalties depending on the severity of the violation, the specific terms of the order, and the state where the incident occurred.
Fines and Penalties
Violation of a restraining order can mean community service, fines, and/or jail time. The penalties depend greatly on the terms of the violation and the state enforcing the violation, but in most states, a violation of a restraining order is charged as a misdemeanor. However even as a misdemeanor, the penalties can still reach up to $5000 in fines, and up to a year in jail in some states. Finally, if there was an additional crime committed during the violation of the restraining order, the penalties can become even more severe.
For example, suppose an individual takes a restraining order out against his ex-girlfriend, which prohibits her from coming within 1000 feet of him. Now suppose the ex-girlfriend wants to retrieve personal belongings left at the ex-boyfriend’s home. She climbs through the window to gain entry while he is sleeping to gather her items. Not only could she be charged with contempt of court for violating the restraining order, but she could get charged with breaking and entering, which in many states can be charged as a felony.
In addition, repeated violations of a restraining order can, in some jurisdictions, lead to charges of aggravated stalking and other advanced crimes. Because the individual who is repeatedly violating the restraining order is showing the conduct or intent element that is present in many stalking statutes, violation of this sort can increase the penalties. This can lead to increased jail time and fines. Repeat restraining order violations in some states can result in top-level felony charges and up to three years in prison.
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Temporary Restraining Order Violations
The penalties for violation of a restraining order generally apply whether the restraining order in place is temporary or permanent. The court draws no distinction between the two, since many times a temporary order is just a place holder for a more permanent one, which is usually issued on the date a court hearing is scheduled. In all cases, provided the order is official, any violation of a restraining order can and will lead to the consequences described above. The person who holds the restraining order often has no say in whether the penalties are actually applied, so that person cannot change her mind and refuse to press charges once the order has been violated.
Defenses to Violation of a Restraining Order
The most common defense against the charge of violation of a restraining order is that the violation was not willful. Violation of a restraining order is not always intentional. An individual with a restraining order against them may accidentally go to the same place as the person they have been ordered to stay away from. Further, the person who issued the restraining order in the first place may later try to contact the individual they issued the restraining order against. However, even in these situations it is possible that the individual who the restraining order is against can still be found guilty of violating it. This is because it will generally be one person’s word against another’s.
Other defenses for violating a restraining order include knowledge and legality. The defense of knowledge means that the individual that had the restraining order placed against them had no notice of it, and therefore they did not realize they violated it. For example, the order may not have reached the individual yet, or the individual may not understand the contents of the order. The defense of legality is used when the restraining order was not issued for a lawful purpose. This usually means that the underlying basis of the restraining order was false or exaggerated.
Case Studies: Violations of Restraining Orders
Case Study 1: Accidental Violation
Mr. Thompson has a restraining order against him, prohibiting him from being within 500 feet of his ex-partner’s residence. One day, while running errands in his neighborhood, Mr. Thompson inadvertently enters a store located within the restricted distance from his ex-partner’s home.
Although the violation was unintentional, Mr. Thompson can still be found guilty of violating the restraining order, as it is often difficult to prove that the violation was not willful.
Case Study 2: Lack of Notice
Ms. Rodriguez is served with a temporary restraining order by her neighbor, claiming harassment. However, due to a delay in the delivery of the order, Ms. Rodriguez remains unaware of its existence. Consequently, she inadvertently approaches her neighbor to discuss a community matter.
Even though Ms. Rodriguez had no knowledge of the restraining order, she can still be held accountable for violating it, as the court does not typically consider lack of notice as a viable defense.
Case Study 3: False Basis of Restraining Order
Mrs. Adams obtains a restraining order against her neighbor, Mr. Johnson, alleging threats and harassment. However, during the court proceedings, it is revealed that the basis of the restraining order was false and exaggerated. Mr. Johnson presents evidence that disproves the allegations against him.
In this case, the defense of legality comes into play, arguing that the restraining order was not issued for a lawful purpose. If the court determines that the restraining order was wrongly obtained, the charges against Mr. Johnson may be dismissed.
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Mary Martin
Published Legal Expert
Mary Martin has been a legal writer and editor for over 20 years, responsible for ensuring that content is straightforward, correct, and helpful for the consumer. In addition, she worked on writing monthly newsletter columns for media, lawyers, and consumers. Ms. Martin also has experience with internal staff and HR operations. Mary was employed for almost 30 years by the nationwide legal publi...
Published Legal Expert
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about legal topics and insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything legal and insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by experts.