Vermont § 5138 Enforcement

Vermont Statutes

§ 5138 — Enforcement

Vermont § 5138

Title 12Title 12: Court Procedure

Ch. 178Chapter 178: Orders Against Stalking or Sexual Assault

This text of Vermont § 5138 (Enforcement) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Vermont primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 12, § 5138 (2026).

Text

(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

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(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.)