Legal Statutes: Vermont

UPDATED September 24, 2012

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• Vermont Statutes (select sections)
  • Title Twelve. Court Procedure
    • Part 9. Particular Proceedings
      • Chapter 178. Orders Against Stalking or Sexual Assault
        • 5131. Definitions
        • 5132. Jurisdiction and venue
        • 5133. Requests for an order against stalking or sexual assault
        • 5134. Emergency relief
        • 5135. Service
        • 5136. Procedure
        • 5137. Filing orders with law enforcement personnel; a department of public safety protection order database
        • 5138. Enforcement
  • Title Thirteen. Crimes and Criminal Procedure
    • Part 1. Crimes
      • Chapter 1. General Provisions
        • 1. Felonies and misdemeanors defined
      • Chapter 19. Breach of the Peace; Disturbances
        • Subchapter 4. Other Disturbances of the Peace
          • 1027. Disturbing peace by use of telephone or other electronic communications
          • 1030. Violation of an abuse prevention order, an order against stalking or sexual assault, or a protective order concerning contact with a child
        • Subchapter 7. Stalking
          • 1061. Definitions
          • 1062. Stalking
          • 1063. Aggravated stalking
      • Chapter 56. Custodial Interference
        • 2451. Custodial interference
      • Chapter 59. Lewdness and Prostitution
        • Subchapter 1. Lewd and Indecent Conduct
          • 2601. Lewd and lascivious conduct
          • 2602. Lewd or lascivious conduct with child
          • 2605. Voyeurism
      • Chapter 64. Sexual Exploitation of Children
        • 2822. Use of a child in a sexual performance
        • 2823. Consenting to a sexual performance
      • Chapter 72. Sexual Assault
        • Subchapter 1. Crimes; Trials
          • 3252. Sexual assault
          • 3253. Aggravated sexual assault
          • 3253a. Aggravated sexual assault of a child
          • 3257. Sexual exploitation of an inmate
          • 3258. Sexual exploitation of a minor
  • Title Fourteen. Decedents' Estates and Fiduciary Relations
    • Part 4. Fiduciary Relations
      • Chapter 111. Guardianship
        • Subchapter 2. Persons for Whom Guardians Appointed2
          • Article 1. Guardians of Minors
            • 2645. Appointment of guardian
  • Title Fifteen. Domestic Relations
    • Chapter 5. Desertion and Support
      • Subchapter 3A. Parentage Proceedings
        • 308. Presumption of parentage
    • Chapter 11. Annulment and Divorce
      • Subchapter 3A. Child Custody and Support
        • 650. Legislative findings and purpose
        • 654. Support guideline
        • 655. Total child support obligation
        • 657. Shared or split physical custody
        • 660. Modification
        • 664. Definitions
        • 665. Rights and responsibilities order; best interests of the child
        • 666. Agreements between parents
        • 668. Modification of order
    • Chapter 18. Grandparents' Visitation
      • 1011. Jurisdiction
      • 1012. If a parent is deceased or cannot decide
      • 1013. Decision
      • 1015. Limit on refiling
    • Chapter 19. Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction Act [Repealed]
      • §§ 1031 to 1051. Repealed by 2011, No. 29, § 8, eff. July 1, 2011
    • Chapter 20. Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement
      • Subchapter 2. Jurisdiction
        • § 1077. Inconvenient forum
    • Chapter 21. Abuse Prevention
      • Subchapter 1: General Provisions
        • 1101. Definitions
        • 1102. Jurisdiction and venue
        • 1103. Requests for relief
        • 1104. Emergency relief
        • 1105. Service
        • 1106. Procedure
        • 1107. Filing orders with law enforcement personnel; department of public safety protection order database
        • 1108. Enforcement
        • 1109. Appeals
        • 1110. Requests for child support; transfer to office of magistrate
        • 1115. Limitation or denial of visitation
      • Subchapter 3: Address Confidentiality for Victims of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault or Stalking
        • 1150. Findings and intent
        • 1151. Definitions
        • 1152. Address confidentiality program; application; certification
        • 1153. Certification cancellation
        • 1154. Agency use of designated address; agency other than law enforcement agency.
        • 1154a. Agency use of designated address; law enforcement agency.
        • 1155. Disclosure of address prohibited; exceptions
        • 1156. Nondisclosure of address in criminal and civil proceedings.
        • 1157. Assistance for program applicants
        • 1158. Voting by program participant
        • 1159. Custody and visitation orders
        • 1160. Adoption of rules
  • Title Fifteen B. Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (1996)
    • Chapter 3. Civil Provisions of General Application
      • 312. Nondisclosure of information in exceptional circumstances
  • Vermont Court Rules
    • Rules for Family Proceedings
      • RULE 9. ABUSE PREVENTION

Chapter 56. Custodial Interference

back to top2451. Custodial interference

(a) A person commits custodial interference by taking, enticing or keeping a child from the child's lawful custodian, knowingly, without a legal right to do so, when the person is a relative of the child and the child is less than eighteen years old.

(b) A person who commits custodial interference shall be imprisoned not more than five years or fined not more than $5,000.00, or both.

(c) It shall be a defense to a charge of keeping a child from the child's lawful custodian that the person charged with the offense was acting in good faith to protect the child from real and imminent physical danger. Evidence of good faith shall include, but is not limited to, the filing of a non-frivolous petition documenting that danger and seeking to modify the custodial decree in a Vermont court of competent jurisdiction. This petition must be filed within 72 hours of the termination of visitation rights. This defense shall not be available if the person charged with the offense has left the state with the child.