What is a No Contact Order in Florida? South Florida Criminal Lawyer Explains
If you’ve been arrested for any domestic violence charge in Florida, a no contact order typically follows.
A no contact order is issued against the person who allegedly was the aggressor in a domestic violence situation in Florida. The court issues this order as a way to offer legal protection to the alleged victim.
Under a no contact order you are prohibited from going within a set distance, usually 500 feet, from the victim’s home, place of work, or any other place they are likely to be.
This means, for example, you may be out on a walk and see the person who has a no contact order against you ahead of you on the sidewalk - the expectation is that you will either turn around or cross the street. Some judges are more strict than others, but say if even a witness reports that you violated your restraining order you could be facing serious consequences with the South Florida legal system.
It’s very important that you not violate a no contact order because it will only make things worse for you.
How a No Contact Order Can be Violated in Florida
You can violate the order by phone, over the computer, or third-party contact on your behalf. This means that if you have a no contact order in place against you in Florida, you cannot text or call the alleged victim, you cannot meet them in person, you cannot send a letter, you cannot ask a friend to call the alleged victim to deliver a message for you, etc. It’s a very serious rule.
But the bottom line is don’t do it. If you try to contact the alleged victim in any way, it will cause you more problems and make defending your case a lot more difficult.
You can also get additional criminal charges added to your case by having contact with the victim.
Related Articles:
- Can Domestic Violence Charges be Dropped by the Victim in Florida?
- What Do I Do if My Spouse Gets Arrested?
- Resources for Victims and Those Accused of Domestic Violence
CONCLUSION: Your Rights When Facing a Civil Restraining Order in Florida
If a no contact order has been filed against you, you may have some options. If you are involved in a domestic violence case, you will want a criminal attorney on your side. Regardless of if you’re innocent or not, domestic abuse criminal allegations in Florida are extremely serious and you need to be sure someone is helping protect you from the Florida legal system.
Get in touch with our firm for a free strategy session to see how we can help you. Because a no contact order can affect many areas of your life, such as where you live and work - it’s important to make sure you know your rights and have someone who’s fully on your side fighting for you.
Give us a call today:
- Fort Lauderdale: (754) 206-6200
- Sunrise: (754) 999-2499
- Boca Raton: (561) 880-8181