Breaking a Protective Order
RSA 173-B:9 — arrest and detention until arraignment
When a defendant violates a temporary or permanent protective order, peace officers arrest the defendant and see that they are detained until arraignment, except where a judge orders an alternative in extreme circumstances.
Who handles this in New Hampshire: HAVEN and New Hampshire Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service; and legal aid programs and the state offices, listed in the New Hampshire directory.
Such an arrest may be made without a warrant within 12 hours, on probable cause.
Sources for this section (1)
- RSA 173-B:9 — Violation of Protective Order; Penalty
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed New Hampshire attorney.