A No-contact Order Means Complete Separation

In contentious divorce cases, restraining orders are sometimes used. In some cases, no-contact orders will be issued. These are very strict, and they mean both sides must remain completely separated.

This starts with physical separation. In some cases, the person the order is being taken out against may be given precise rules, like having to stay at least 300 feet from the other party. This is sometimes done to prevent stalking, keeping someone from even parking on the street outside of the other person’s house, much less going in.

The order goes beyond physical proximity, though. It also means no contact through phone calls, text messages, emails, social media accounts and more. These orders are very restrictive, and they could be broken by something as simple as commenting on someone’s picture on Facebook.

It’s important to remember that these orders must be followed, and they could lead to an arrest even when both parties agree with a breach. For example, Chargers’ tackle King Dunlap was recently arrested for going to his girlfriend’s residence after she took out an order against him. According to his lawyer, it was all a misunderstanding. They’d simply been sitting down to find a “joint resolution” and a “mutual understanding.” They had somehow not realized the order meant they couldn’t be together at all.

As this shows, even an accidental violation of the order can lead to an arrest. It’s critical to know exactly what all legal documents really do during the divorce process and to fully understand all of the rights and obligations that you have.

Source: The Law Dictionary, “What Is A No-Contact Order?,” J. Hirby, accessed Feb. 24, 2017