Restraining Orders

In addition to being held in contempt of court, violating a temporary or final harassment restraining order can be a misdemeanor, a gross misdemeanor, or a felony, depending on the circumstances.¹  For the violation to be a gross misdemeanor, the abuser would have to commit the violation within ten years of a prior conviction for a “qualified domestic violence-related crime.”²  To read the list of crimes that are considered “qualified domestic violence-related offenses,” including juvenile offenses, see MN Code § 609.02(16).

The abuser may be guilty of a felony for violating a harassment restraining order if s/he violates the order under any of the following circumstances:

• within ten years of two or more convictions for qualified domestic violence-related offenses, including juvenile offenses;
• the violation is because of your actual or perceived race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, disability, age, or national origin as defined in MN Code § 363A.03;
• by falsely impersonating another person;
• while possessing a dangerous weapon;
• with the goal of influencing a juror or tampering with a judicial proceeding or retaliating against a judicial officer, prosecutor, defense attorney, or officer of the court because of the person’s performance of official duties in connection with a judicial proceeding; or
• against a victim who is under the age of 18 and the abuser is at least 36 months older than the victim.³

¹ MN Code § 609.748(6)(b), (6)(c), (6)(d), (6)(h)
² MN Code § 609.748(6)(c)
³ MN Code § 609.748(d)