No Contact Orders

When the Court gives a defendant rules or conditions to follow before he or she is to be released from jail, these are called bond conditions. As part of a safety protocol, the Court can tell the defendant not to have any contact directly or indirectly with a crime victim or other named person, not to go to the victim’s residence or place of employment or to stay a certain distance away from the victim.  These conditions are frequently referred to as No Contact Orders.

Bond and probation conditions are determined by the Court and only the Court can change them.  Bond conditions remain in place while a criminal case is pending with the Court through the adjudication process. In the event the defendant is convicted at trial or by plea in Court, these bond conditions typically remain in place up to the time of sentencing. After sentencing, if the defendant is placed on probation, the Court can include a No Contact Order in the defendant’s Probation Order.

If you are a crime victim and have a question about a No Contact Order or are concerned about how to adjust your normal routine to accommodate a No Contact Order, please call the Prosecutor’s Office to speak with a Victim Advocate.  If the defendant is violating a No Contact Order, please call 9-1-1 for immediate assistance.

A No Contact Order is different from a Personal Protection Order or PPO.  PPOs are initiated by the Petition of one individual requesting protection from another individual.  PPOs are civil Orders issued by the Family Division of the Circuit Court.