§ 1030. Violation of an abuse prevention order, an order against stalking or sexual assault,
or a protective order concerning contact with a child
(a) A person who intentionally commits an act prohibited by a court or who fails to perform
an act ordered by a court, in violation of an abuse prevention order issued under
15 V.S.A. chapter 21 or 33 V.S.A. chapter 69, a protective order that concerns contact with a child and is issued under 33 V.S.A. chapter 51, or an order against stalking or sexual assault issued under 12 V.S.A. chapter 178, after the person has been served notice of the contents of the order as provided
in those chapters; or in violation of a foreign abuse prevention order or an order
against stalking or sexual assault issued by a court in any other state, federally
recognized Indian tribe, territory or possession of the United States, the Commonwealth
of Puerto Rico, or the District of Columbia shall be imprisoned not more than one
year or fined not more than $5,000.00, or both.
(b) A person who is convicted of a second or subsequent offense under this section or
is convicted of an offense under this section and has previously been convicted of
domestic assault under section 1042 of this title, first degree aggravated domestic assault under section 1043 of this title, or second degree aggravated domestic assault under section 1044 of this title shall be imprisoned not more than three years or fined not more than $25,000.00,
or both.
(c) Upon conviction under this section for a violation of an order issued under 15 V.S.A. chapter 21, the court shall, unless the circumstances indicate that it is not appropriate or
not available, order the defendant to participate in domestic abuse counseling or
a domestic abuse prevention program approved by the Department of Corrections. The
defendant may at any time request the court to approve an alternative program. The
defendant shall pay all or part of the costs of the counseling or program unless the
court finds that the defendant is unable to do so.
(d) Upon conviction for a violation of an order issued under 12 V.S.A. chapter 178, the court may order the defendant to participate in mental health counseling or
sex offender treatment approved by the Department of Corrections. The defendant shall
pay all or part of the costs of the counseling unless the court finds that the defendant
is unable to do so.
(e) Nothing in this section shall be construed to diminish the inherent authority of the
courts to enforce their lawful orders through contempt proceedings.
(f) Prosecution for violation of an abuse prevention order or an order against stalking
or sexual assault shall not bar prosecution for any other crime, including any crime
that may have been committed at the time of the violation of the order. (Added 1989, No. 294 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; amended 1991, No. 180 (Adj. Sess.), § 4; 1995, No. 170 (Adj. Sess.), § 30, eff. May 15, 1996; 2005, No. 193 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. Oct. 1, 2006; 2007, No. 174 (Adj. Sess.), § 4; 2007, No. 185 (Adj. Sess.), § 5; 2017, No. 44, § 3.)