Statutes: Montana

(1) A court may issue a standing no contact order and direct law enforcement to serve the order on a defendant charged with or arrested for a violation of 45-5-206 or, if the victim is a partner or family member of the defendant, a violation of 45-5-202, 45-5-213, or [section 1]. The court order may specify conditions necessary to enhance the safety of any protected person. The court-ordered conditions may include prohibiting the defendant from contacting the protected person in person, by a third party, by telephone, by electronic communication, as defined in 45-8-213, and in writing. The court may impose up to a 1,500-foot restriction on the defendant to stay away from the protected person’s location.

(2) Notice of the no contact order must be given orally and in writing by a peace officer at the time that the offender is charged with or arrested for a violation of 45-5-206 or, if the victim is a partner or family member of the defendant, a violation of 45-5-202, 45-5-213, or [section 1]. One copy of the order must be given to the defendant, and one copy must be filed with the court.

(3) The charge of a violation of 45-5-206 or, if the victim is a partner or family member of the defendant, a violation of 45-5-202, 45-5-213, or [section 1] must be supported by a peace officer’s affidavit of probable cause.

(4) The no contact order issued at the time that the defendant is charged with or arrested for a violation of 45-5-206 or, if the victim is a partner or family member of the defendant, a violation of 45-5-202, 45-5-213, or [section 1] is effective for 72 hours or until the defendant makes the first appearance in court.

(5) The court order must state:

“You have been charged with or arrested for an assault on a partner or family member. You are not allowed to have contact with __________ (list names). You may not__________. Violation of this no contact order is a criminal offense under 45-5-209, MCA, and may result in your arrest. You may be arrested even if the person protected by the no contact order invites or allows you to violate the prohibitions. This order lasts 72 hours or until the court continues or changes the order.”

(6) The court shall review and amend, if appropriate, the no contact order at the defendant’s first appearance.

(7) A no contact order may be issued by a court with jurisdiction over violations of 45-5-206 or, if the victim is a partner or family member of the defendant, violations of 45-5-202, 45-5-213, or [section 1] at the time of the defendant’s arraignment or at any other appearance of the defendant, including sentencing. The no contact order must be in writing. A copy of the no contact order must be given to the defendant when it is issued by the court. The court order shall specify protected persons and prohibited contact, including but not limited to the restriction mentioned in subsection (1).

(8)(a) A person commits the offense of violation of a no contact order if the person, with knowledge of the order, purposely or knowingly violates any provision of any order issued under this section.

(b) Each contact or attempt to make contact with each protected person, directly or indirectly, is a separate offense. Consent of the protected person to prohibited contact is not a defense. A protected person may not be charged with a violation of a no contact order.

(c) An offender convicted of violation of a no contact order shall be fined an amount not to exceed $500 or be imprisoned in the county jail for a term not to exceed 6 months, or both.

(9) As used in this section, the following definitions apply:

(a) “No contact order” means a court order that prohibits a defendant charged with or convicted of an assault on a partner or family member from contacting a protected person.

(b) “Partner” or “family member” has the meaning provided in 45-5-206.

(c) “Protected person” means a victim of a partner or family member assault listed in a no contact order.