§ 36-3-606 — Scope of protection order

(a) A protection order granted under this part to protect the petitioner from domestic abuse, stalking, sexual exploitation of a minor, sexual assault, or a human trafficking offense may include, but is not limited to: (1) Directing the respondent to refrain from committing domestic abuse, stalking, sexual exploitation of a minor, sexual assault, or a human trafficking offense or threatening to commit domestic abuse, stalking, sexual exploitation of a minor, sexual assault, or a human trafficking offense against the petitioner or the petitioner's minor children; (2) Prohibiting the respondent from coming about the petitioner for any purpose, from telephoning, contacting, or otherwise communicating with the petitioner, directly or indirectly; (3) Prohibiting the respondent from stalking the petitioner, as defined in § 39-17-315 ; (4) Granting to the petitioner possession of the residence or household to the exclusion of the respondent by evicting the respondent, by restoring possession to the petitioner, or by both; (5) Directing the respondent to provide suitable alternate housing for the petitioner when the respondent is the sole owner or lessee of the residence or household; (6) Awarding temporary custody of, or establishing temporary visitation rights with regard to, any minor children born to or adopted by the parties; (7) Awarding financial support to the petitioner and such persons as the respondent has a duty to support. Except in cases of paternity, the court shall not have the authority to order financial support unless the petitioner and respondent are legally married. Such order may be enforced pursuant to chapter 5 of this title; (8) Directing the respondent to attend available counseling programs that address violence and control issues or substance abuse problems. A violation of a protection order or part of such order that directs counseling pursuant to this subdivision (a)(8) may be punished as criminal or civil contempt. Section 36-3-610(a) applies with respect to a nonlawyer general sessions judge who holds a person in criminal contempt for violating this subdivision (a)(8); (9) Directing the care, custody, or control of any animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by either party or a minor residing in the household. In no instance shall the animal be placed in the care, custody, or control of the respondent, but shall instead be placed in the care, custody or control of the petitioner or in an appropriate animal foster situation; (10) Directing the respondent to immediately and temporarily vacate a residence shared with the petitioner, pending a hearing on the matter, notwithstanding any provision of this part to the contrary; (11) Directing the respondent to pay the petitioner all costs, expenses and fees pertaining to the petitioner's breach of a lease or rental agreement for residential property if the petitioner is a party to the lease or rental agreement and if the court finds that continuing to reside in the rented or leased premises may jeopardize the life, health and safety of the petitioner or the petitioner's children. Nothing in this subdivision (a)(11) shall be construed as altering the terms of, liability for, or parties to such lease or rental agreement; or (12) Ordering a wireless service provider to transfer the billing responsibility for and rights to the wireless telephone number or numbers to a petitioner pursuant to § 36-3-621 . (b) Relief granted pursuant to subdivisions (a)(4)-(8) shall be ordered only after the petitioner and respondent have been given an opportunity to be heard by the court. (c) Any order of protection issued under this part shall include the statement of the maximum penalty that may be imposed pursuant to § 36-3-610 for violating such order. (d) No order of protection made under this part shall in any manner affect title to any real property. (e) An order of protection issued pursuant to this part shall be valid and enforceable in any county of this state. (f) An order of protection issued pursuant to this part that fully complies with 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(8) shall contain the disclosures set out in § 36-3-625(a) .

Legislative History

Amended by 2022 Tenn. Acts, ch. 1115, s 6, eff. 7/1/2022. Amended by 2018 Tenn. Acts, ch. 729, s 2, eff. 4/18/2018. Amended by 2016 Tenn. Acts, ch. 865, s 1, eff. 4/19/2016. Acts 1979, ch. 350, §§ 6-8; T.C.A., §§ 36-1206 --36-1208; Acts 1987, ch. 270, §§ 7, 12; 1991, ch. 380, § 4; 1995, ch. 507, § 4; 1996, ch. 684, § 2; 1996, ch. 734, § 1, 2; 1997 , ch. 459, §§ 2, 3; 2001, ch. 352, § 2; 2005, ch. 381, § 5; 2007 , ch. 352, § 2; 2009 , ch. 455, § 2; 2010 , ch. 959, § 1; 2010 , ch. 981, § 1; 2011 , ch. 253, § 1; 2011 , ch. 402, § 2.