What are the penalties for violating a domestic violence protection order?
A violation of either a criminal temporary protection order (TPO) or a civil protection order (CPO) is a crime under Revised Code Section 2919.27 and also constitutes contempt of court. Generally, violators are prosecuted under Section 2919.27, convicted, and sentenced to the applicable criminal penalties. A first conviction of violating a protection order is a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable by up to six months in jail and/or a $1,000 fine. A second or subsequent conviction of violating a protection order is a felony of the fifth degree, punishable by up to one year in jail and/or a $2,500 fine. Are law enforcement officers required to enforce domestic violence civil protection orders (CPOs)? Yes. The CPO statute requires law enforcement officers to enforce CPOs. See RC 3113.31(S). Moreover, Ohio’s preferred arrest statute provides that arrests is the “preferred course of action” when any officer has reasonable cause to believe that someone has violated a domestic violence
