Social media sites like Twitter and Facebook could cause you to violate your restraining order in Larimer County. We commonly see cases where a civil restraining order or criminal protection order is in place and liking the protected party’s post or sending them a friend request ends with a violation of a protection order charge.
Restrictions of a Restraining Order in Larimer County
There are many restrictions to your life when you have a protection / restraining order in Larimer County. In almost every criminal case, a judge will issue a protection / restraining order against you (C.R.S. 8-1-1001) in Fort Collins, Loveland or Estes Park. The restrictions can include the order to:
- “Vacate or stay away” from the home where the alleged victim is or is likely to be.
- Refrain from contact with the alleged victim (direct or indirect contact).
- Not possess firearms (in a recent law change, you must now relinquish firearms and ammunition if involved in a domestic violence case).
- Not drink any alcohol, or consume controlled substances.
- “Any other order the court deems appropriate to protect the safety of the alleged victim.”
Restraining Order Violation in Larimer County
If any of these restrictions is violated, you will be charged with Violation of a Protection Order – C.R.S. 18-6-803.5. You will violate your protection / restraining order in Larimer County if you contact, harass, injure, intimidate, molest, threaten, or touch the alleged victim or their protected property. The definition of “harass” or “contact” can be very vague, and “property” can include a person’s pet. Contacting someone through a social media site often can be seen as a restraining order violation in Larimer and Broomfield County. In fact, even liking something on Facebook can result in a violation of a protection / restraining order. The sentence for violating your restraining order is a class 2 misdemeanor (unless you have a previous record – in which case it is a class 1 misdemeanor), and is punishable by up to 1 year in the Larimer County Jail.