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Legal Information: Pennsylvania

Restraining Orders

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Updated: 
December 15, 2023

What can I do if the abuser violates the order?

You may want to call the police if the abuser violates a provision of your order. If the officer has probable cause to believe that the abuser violated the order, the abuser may be arrested.1 It is a crime to knowingly violate a court order, and the judge can punish someone for being in contempt of court. A contempt hearing will be scheduled within 10 days of the abuser being charged or the filing of a complaint.2

For more information about contempt, including the difference between criminal contempt and civil contempt, go to our general Domestic Violence Restraining Orders page.

1 42 Pa.C.S. § 62A12(a)
2 42 Pa.C.S. § 62A12(e)

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