"No-Contact" vs. Restraining Order

There are numerous differences between these procedures. A "no-contact" order is an automatic condition of a defendant's bond that will be ordered by the judge regarding a violent crime. The majority of domestic violence cases in Boulder County have this condition imposed upon the person charged.

The "no-contact" is in effect for the entire length of the criminal case or until the victim requests that it be removed or "lifted." It is only removed after the approval of the District Attorney and the judge handling the case. On average, this takes between seven to eleven days. This order may include the victim as well as any children that were involved, and is put in place for the victims' protection.

A "no-contact" means that a defendant is not to call, write, have a third party contact, or themselves physically contact the victim or any other party the judge orders the defendant have "no contact" with. However, this order does have an expiration date once a deferred sentence or probationary sentence has been successfully completed.

A "no-contact" is often ordered by a judge as part of a sentence as well. For further information, call the Victim/Witness program in the District Attorney's office at 441-3700.

While a "no-contact" is a criminal process, a restraining order is entirely held in the civil courts. A person seeking a restraining order prohibiting another person from having contact with them must fill out an application, as well as go before a judge to plead their case.

First a temporary restraining order (TRO) is granted, then a permanent restraining order (PRO) is granted following a second hearing approximately two weeks later. For more information, there is a recorded message detailing the whole procedure at 441-3775. There is also a number at the Boulder Courts at 441-4749.

It is recommended that the recorded message be listened to beforehand, (available in both English and Spanish). If a temporary or permanent restraining order is violated, this is a criminal offense and the District Attorney's office would become involved once the police were notified, and confirmed that a violation of the order had occurred.