The Vermont Statutes Online
The Statutes below include the actions of the 2025 session of the General Assembly.
NOTE: The Vermont Statutes Online is an unofficial copy of the Vermont Statutes Annotated that is provided as a convenience.
(Cite as: 12 V.S.A. § 5138)
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§ 5138. Enforcement
(a) Law enforcement officers are authorized to enforce orders issued under this chapter.
A foreign abuse prevention order as defined in 15 V.S.A. § 1101 shall be accorded full faith and credit throughout this State and shall be enforced
as if it were an order of this State. Law enforcement officers may rely upon a copy
of any order issued under this chapter or any foreign abuse prevention order. Enforcement
may include making an arrest in accordance with the provisions of Rule 3 of the Vermont
Rules of Criminal Procedure.
(b) In addition to the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, violation of an order
issued under this chapter may be prosecuted as criminal contempt under Rule 42 of
Vermont Rules of Criminal Procedure. The prosecution for criminal contempt may be
initiated by the State’s Attorney in the Criminal or Civil Division of the Superior
Court in the unit or county in which the violation occurred. The maximum penalty which
may be imposed under this subsection shall be a fine of $1,000.00 or imprisonment
for six months, or both. A sentence of imprisonment upon conviction for criminal contempt
may be stayed in the discretion of the court, pending the expiration of the time allowed
for filing notice of appeal or pending appeal if any appeal is taken. After two years
have passed from conviction under this subsection, the court may on motion of the
defendant expunge the record of the criminal proceeding and conviction unless the
defendant has been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor involving moral turpitude
or a violation of a protection order after such initial adjudication. (Added 2005, No. 193 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2006.)