Violation of Protective Order

Protection Orders, while intended to prevent two parties from interacting with each other, can be broken without one party’s knowledge.

Protection Orders can be violated by communicating through social media, speaking through a third person, or being within a certain distance from someone. Protective orders can involve the petitioner, or a person that the petitioner mentioned to be protected in the order.

Types of Protective Orders

There are several different types of protection orders that can be put in place. A few protection orders that can be placed in Washington state include:

Domestic Violence Protection Orders
Sexual Assault Protection Orders
Stalking Protection Orders
No-contact Orders
Restraining Orders

Consequences

Consequences can vary depending on what you have violated according to the order. However, all violations will require a court hearing in any county or municipality.

A violation of a domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking protection order can include entering a school or workplace that the order states the person is unable to be near, or refusing to give away a pet that belongs to the petitioner.

Risks of Violating a Protective Order

The main consequences of violating above examples can be a gross misdemeanor and a fine. In addition, the person can be:

Arrested without a warrant if an officer believes a person is violating the order
The court can deem it necessary to impose a no-contact order
Person found violating the protection order may be subjected to electronic monitoring per the court’s request

Assault and Protective Orders

Assault in the third or fourth degree (click here to read about the four degrees of assault charges) or if the person has had 2 previous convictions of violating above protection orders are examples of major protection order violations. It can result in an arrest without a warrant, along with being issued a class C felony, jail time, or both.

No-Contact Order

In regards to violating a no-contact order or restraining order, the consequences are clear: if a person is found guilty of violating the above orders, the person will be issued a class C felony along with jail time, a fine, or both.

We can help

However, this can be prevented if you consider finding an attorney. If you or someone you know have been charged with violating one of the above protection orders, having a strong criminal defense attorney is critical to building a tailored defense. Whether the defendant was unaware of interacting with a person mentioned in the protection order or no contact was even made at all, criminal defense attorneys can help to justify your case.

Experience Matters

With the skill and knowledge of criminal defense, the attorneys at Verity Criminal Defense can help you with protection order charges for any violations. Contact us today for more information.

Protective Order: Violations, Consequences, How Attorneys Can Help