Take Your “No Contact” Order Seriously!
If a court issues you a no-contact order, you must take it seriously. The punishment for breaking a no-contact order will be worse than the original order and can complicate your domestic violence case.
Courts typically issue no-contact orders after the district attorney files domestic violence charges, and if you break that order, that can be used as evidence of your intimidation.
What Does A No-Contact Order Mean?
If a judge issues you a no-contact order, you can not see, visit, call, text, or email the victim. Even if you have children together, you can not go home.
Even if you intend to apologize or make amends, you can not contact them, or you may be charged with contempt of court and possibly charged with a felony.
No-contact orders are similar to restraining orders but allow the judge to be more specific with instructions to protect the victim.
So if you have been arrested on domestic violence charges against a partner you live with, you will not be able to return home once you’ve been released on bail. In some cases, you may be able to return home if accompanied by a police officer to collect a few things, but then you must leave.
Who Can A No-Contact Order Be Between?
What makes no-contact orders even more complicated is they are issued to protect people who have a current or former romantic, familial, or other intimate relationship.
Judges can issue no-contact orders between:
- Current or former spouses;
- People of the opposite sex who currently or formerly lived together;
- People who are related either through parent-child relationship or acting in loco parentis to a minor.
- People who have a child in common;
- People of the opposite sex who formerly dated or currently dating.
What Should I Do If I’ve Been Issued A No-Contact Order?
If you’ve been issued a no-contact order, the most important thing you can do is not contact the person it’s filed to protect.
Next, call Fay, Grafton, & Nunez to help you in the next steps of your domestic violence charges. We offer complimentary criminal consultations to help you receive the top-legal representation you deserve.
