§ 4058. Enforcement; criminal penalties

(a) Law enforcement officers are authorized to enforce orders issued under this chapter. Enforcement may include collecting and disposing of dangerous weapons pursuant to section 4059 of this title and making an arrest in accordance with the provisions of Rule 3 of the Vermont Rules of Criminal Procedure.

(b)(1) A person who intentionally commits an act prohibited by a court or fails to perform an act ordered by a court, in violation of an extreme risk protection order issued pursuant to section 4053, 4054, or 4055 of this title, after the person has been served with notice of the contents of the order as provided for in this subchapter, shall be imprisoned not more than one year or fined not more than $1,000.00, or both.

(2) A person who files a petition for an extreme risk protection order under this subchapter, or who submits an affidavit accompanying the petition, knowing that information in the petition or the affidavit is false, or that the petition or affidavit is submitted with the intent to harass the respondent, shall be imprisoned for not more than one year or fined not more than $1,000.00, or both.

(c) In addition to the provisions of subsections (a) and (b) of this section, violation of an order issued under this subchapter may be prosecuted as criminal contempt under Rule 42 of Vermont Rules of Criminal Procedure. The prosecution for criminal contempt may be initiated by the State's Attorney in the county in which the violation occurred. The maximum penalty that may be imposed under this subsection shall be a fine of $1,000.00 or imprisonment for six months, or both. A sentence of imprisonment upon conviction for criminal contempt may be stayed, in the discretion of the court, pending the expiration of the time allowed for filing notice of appeal or pending appeal if any appeal is taken. (Added 2017, No. 97 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. April 11, 2018.)