A restraining order is usually pretty cut and dry. There isn’t a whole lot of room for interpretation which can leave some people wondering what exactly happens if you are to violate one. The short answer is, it’s not good. Any breach of a legal order will have consequences but just what are they? In this post, we will explain what a restraining order is and go into more detail about the consequences of violating one.
What Is a Restraining Order?
A restraining order (or protective order) is an order issued by the court to protect an individual from another by prohibiting contact. These orders are usually issued to protect victims of sexual assault, domestive violence, stalking, and harrassment.
A restraining order can be as simple as no contact, which prohibits all forms of communication between the two parties or it can be more specific. These can include:
- prohibiting the offender from coming near specified zones such as homes, schools, or places of work.
- Prohibiting the possession of a firearm
- Banning the tampering or destruction of a global monitoring system
As you can see, there are many restrictions that can be placed upon someone with a protective order, but what would happen if they were to violate any of these?
Consequences of Violating a Restraining Order
Restraining order violations are much more common than you may think, especially in the age of the internet, when contact is as simple as sending out a text message. If a restraining order is “no-contact”, then even just a text is a violation.
Violating a protective order is against the law. Therefore, punishments can be rather severe. For a first time offender, a protective order violation is considered a class A misdemeanor and carries a punishment of a fine of up to $4000 and 1 year in jail.
If an offender has violated a protective order twice before, the crime is classified as a 3rd degree felony. This carries a punishment of a fine up to $10,000 and 2-10 years of jail time.
In addition to the violation of the order, if an offender commits another crime such as assault or stalking their sentencing can be more severe.
If You Have Been Arrested for Violating a Restraining Order, Call Delta Bail Bonds
If you have a restraining order placed on you, your best option is to follow it to the “t” and avoid contact with the individual as much as possible. Jail time is not worth it. With that said, people will make mistakes and protective orders will be breached. If you or a loved one has violated a restraining order, the chances are there will be an arrest.
If that is the case, you can end up spending months in a jail cell awaiting your trial sentence. Get out of jail so you can await your trial from home with your loved ones. Give Delta Bail Bonds a call today or fill out our online form so we can get you back home.
