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H.B. 50

             1     

DATING VIOLENCE PROTECTION ACT

             2     
2013 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: Jennifer M. Seelig

             5     
Senate Sponsor: Curtis S. Bramble

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      Committee Note:
             9          The Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Interim Committee recommended this bill.
             10      General Description:
             11          This bill provides for the issuance, modification, and enforcement of protective orders
             12      between individuals who are, or have been, in a dating relationship.
             13      Highlighted Provisions:
             14          This bill:
             15          .    defines terms;
             16          .    provides for the issuance, modification, and enforcement of protective orders
             17      between parties who are, or who have been, in a dating relationship when:
             18              .    the parties are emancipated or 18 years of age or older;
             19              .    the parties are, or have been, in a dating relationship with each other; and
             20              .    a party commits abuse or dating violence against the other party;
             21          .    describes the restrictions that a court may include in a protective order; and
             22          .    describes the conditions that may be placed on an alleged perpetrator of dating
             23      violence in a protective order.
             24      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             25          None
             26      Other Special Clauses:
             27          None


             28      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             29      ENACTS:
             30          78B-7-401, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             31          78B-7-402, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             32          78B-7-403, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             33          78B-7-404, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             34          78B-7-405, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             35          78B-7-406, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             36          78B-7-407, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             37     
             38      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             39          Section 1. Section 78B-7-401 is enacted to read:
             40     
Part 4. Dating Violence Protection Act

             41          78B-7-401. Title.
             42          This part is known as the "Dating Violence Protection Act."
             43          Section 2. Section 78B-7-402 is enacted to read:
             44          78B-7-402. Definitions.
             45          As used in this part:
             46          (1) "Abuse" means intentionally or knowingly:
             47          (a) causing or attempting to cause physical harm to a dating partner; or
             48          (b) placing a dating partner in reasonable fear of imminent physical harm.
             49          (2) (a) "Dating partner" means a person who:
             50          (i) (A) is an emancipated person under Section 15-2-1 or Title 78A, Chapter 6, Part 8,
             51      Emancipation; or
             52          (B) is 18 years of age or older; and
             53          (ii) is, or has been, in a dating relationship with the other party.
             54          (b) "Dating partner" does not include an intimate partner, as defined in federal law in
             55      Title 18 U.S.C. Section 921.
             56          (3) (a) "Dating relationship" means a social relationship of a romantic or intimate
             57      nature, regardless of whether the relationship involves sexual intimacy.
             58          (b) "Dating relationship" does not mean casual fraternization in a business,


             59      educational, or social context.
             60          (c) In determining, based on a totality of the circumstances, whether a dating
             61      relationship exists:
             62          (i) all relevant factors shall be considered, including:
             63          (A) whether the parties developed interpersonal bonding above a mere casual
             64      fraternization;
             65          (B) the length of the parties' relationship;
             66          (C) the nature and the frequency of the parties' interactions;
             67          (D) the ongoing expectations of the parties, individual or jointly, with respect to the
             68      relationship;
             69          (E) whether, by statement or conduct, the parties demonstrated an affirmation of their
             70      relationship to others; and
             71          (F) whether other reasons exist that support or detract from a finding that a dating
             72      relationship exists; and
             73          (ii) it is not necessary that all, or a particular number, of the factors described in
             74      Subsection (3)(c)(i) are found to support the existence of a dating relationship.
             75          (4) "Dating violence" means:
             76          (a) any criminal offense involving violence or physical harm, or threat of violence or
             77      physical harm, when committed by a person against a dating partner of the person; or
             78          (b) any attempt, conspiracy, or solicitation by a person to commit a criminal offense
             79      involving violence or physical harm against a dating partner of the person.
             80          (5) "Dating violence protective order" means an order issued pursuant to this part
             81      subsequent to a hearing on the petition, as described in Section 78B-7-403 .
             82          (6) "Ex parte dating violence protective order" means an order issued without notice to
             83      the defendant, in accordance with the requirements of this part.
             84          (7) "Protective order" means:
             85          (a) a dating violence protective order; or
             86          (b) an ex parte dating violence protective order.
             87          Section 3. Section 78B-7-403 is enacted to read:
             88          78B-7-403. Abuse or danger of abuse -- Dating violence protective orders.
             89          (1) A person may seek a protective order if the person is subjected to, or there is a


             90      substantial likelihood the person will be subjected to:
             91          (a) abuse by a dating partner of the person; or
             92          (b) dating violence by a dating partner of the person.
             93          (2) A person may seek an order described in Subsection (1) whether or not the person
             94      has taken other action to end the relationship.
             95          (3) A person seeking a protective order may include another party in the petition for a
             96      protective order if:
             97          (a) the person seeking the order meets the requirements of Subsection (1); and
             98          (b) the other party:
             99          (i) is a family or household member of the person seeking the protective order; and
             100          (ii) there is a substantial likelihood the other party will be subjected to abuse by the
             101      dating partner of the person.
             102          (4) A person seeking a protective order under this part shall, to the extent possible,
             103      provide information to facilitate identification of the respondent, including a name, Social
             104      Security number, driver license number, date of birth, address, telephone number, and physical
             105      description.
             106          (5) A petition seeking a protective order under this part may not be withdrawn without
             107      written order of the court.
             108          (6) (a) A person may not seek a protective order against an intimate partner, as defined
             109      by federal law in Title 18 U.S.C. Section 931, of the person under this part.
             110          (b) A person may seek a protective order against an intimate partner, as defined by
             111      federal law, of the person under title 78B, Chapter 7, Part 1, Cohabitant Abuse Act.
             112          Section 4. Section 78B-7-404 is enacted to read:
             113          78B-7-404. Dating violence orders -- Ex parte dating violence protective orders --
             114      Modification of orders -- Service of process -- Duties of the court.
             115          (1) If it appears from a petition for a protective order or a petition to modify an existing
             116      protective order that a dating partner of the petitioner has abused or committed dating violence
             117      against the petitioner, a court may:
             118          (a) without notice, immediately issue an ex parte dating violence protective order
             119      against the dating partner or modify an existing dating protect order ex parte if necessary to
             120      protect the petitioner and all parties named in the petition; or


             121          (b) upon notice to the respondent, issue a dating violence protective order or modify a
             122      dating violence protective order after a hearing, regardless of whether the respondent appears.
             123          (2) A court may grant the following relief without notice in a dating violence protective
             124      order or a modification issued ex parte:
             125          (a) prohibit the respondent from threatening to commit or committing dating violence
             126      or abuse against the petitioner and any designated family or household member described in the
             127      protective order;
             128          (b) prohibit the respondent from telephoning, contacting, or otherwise communicating
             129      with the petitioner or any designated family or household member, directly or indirectly;
             130          (c) order that the respondent:
             131          (i) is excluded and shall stay away from the petitioner's residence and its premises;
             132          (ii) except as provided in Subsection (4), stay away from the petitioner's:
             133          (A) school and the school's premises; and
             134          (B) place of employment and its premises; and
             135          (iii) stay away from any specified place frequented by the petitioner or any designated
             136      family or household member;
             137          (d) prohibit the respondent from being within a specified distance of the petitioner; and
             138          (e) order any further relief that the court considers necessary to provide for the safety
             139      and welfare of the petitioner and any designated family or household member.
             140          (3) A court may grant the following relief in a dating violence protective order or a
             141      modification of a dating violence protective order, after notice and a hearing, regardless of
             142      whether the respondent appears:
             143          (a) the relief described in Subsection (2); and
             144          (b) except as provided in Subsection (5), upon finding that the respondent's use or
             145      possession of a weapon poses a serious threat of harm to the petitioner or any designated family
             146      or household member, prohibit the respondent from purchasing, using, or possessing a firearm
             147      or other weapon specified by the court.
             148          (4) If the petitioner or designated family or household member attends the same school
             149      as the respondent, or is employed at the same place of employment as the respondent, the court:
             150          (a) may not enter an order under Subsection (2)(c)(ii) that excludes the respondent
             151      from the respondent's school or place of employment; and


             152          (b) may enter an order governing the respondent's conduct at the respondent's school or
             153      place of employment.
             154          (5) The court may not prohibit the respondent from possessing a firearm:
             155          (a) if the respondent has not been given notice of the petition for a protective order and
             156      an opportunity to be heard; and
             157          (b) unless there is clear and convincing evidence that the respondent has committed
             158      abuse or dating violence against the petitioner.
             159          (6) Any protective order issued under this part shall expire 180 days after the day on
             160      which the order is issued.
             161          (7) After the court issues a dating violence protective order, the court shall:
             162          (a) as soon as possible, deliver the order to the county sheriff for service of process;
             163          (b) make reasonable efforts at the hearing to ensure that the dating violence protective
             164      order is understood by the petitioner and the respondent, if present;
             165          (c) transmit electronically, by the end of the business day after the day on which the
             166      order is issued, a copy of the dating violence protective order to the local law enforcement
             167      agency designated by the petitioner; and
             168          (d) transmit a copy of the protective order issued under this part in the same manner as
             169      described in Section 78B-7-113 .
             170          (8) (a) The county sheriff that receives the order from the court, pursuant to Subsection
             171      (7)(a), shall:
             172          (i) provide expedited service for protective orders issued in accordance with this part;
             173      and
             174          (ii) after the order has been served, transmit verification of service of process to the
             175      statewide network described in Section 78B-7-110 .
             176          (b) This section does not prohibit another law enforcement agency from providing
             177      service of process if that law enforcement agency:
             178          (i) has contact with the respondent and service by that law enforcement agency is
             179      possible; or
             180          (ii) determines that, under the circumstances, providing service of process on the
             181      respondent is in the best interests of the petitioner.
             182          (9) When a protective order is served on a respondent in jail, or other holding facility,


             183      the law enforcement agency managing the facility shall make a reasonable effort to provide
             184      notice to the petitioner at the time the respondent is released from incarceration.
             185          (10) A court may modify or vacate a protective order under this part after notice and
             186      hearing, if the petitioner:
             187          (a) is personally served with notice of the hearing, as provided in the Utah Rules of
             188      Civil Procedure, and appears before the court to give specific consent to the modification or
             189      vacation of the provisions of the protective order; or
             190          (b) submits an affidavit agreeing to the modification or vacation of the provisions of
             191      the protective order.
             192          (11) To the extent that the provisions of this part are more specific than the Utah Rules
             193      of Civil Procedure regarding protective orders, the provisions of this part govern.
             194          Section 5. Section 78B-7-405 is enacted to read:
             195          78B-7-405. Hearings on ex parte dating violence protective orders.
             196          (1) (a) Within 20 days after the day on which the court issues an ex parte protective
             197      order, the court shall set a date for a hearing on the petition.
             198          (b) If, at the hearing described in Subsection (1)(a), the court does not issue a dating
             199      violence protective order, the ex parte dating protective order shall expire, unless it is extended
             200      by the court. Extensions beyond the 20-day period may not be granted unless:
             201          (i) the petitioner is unable to be present at the hearing;
             202          (ii) the respondent has not been served; or
             203          (iii) exigent circumstances exist.
             204          (c) Under no circumstances may an ex parte order be extended beyond 180 days from
             205      the day on which the court issues the initial ex parte protective order.
             206          (d) If, at the hearing described in Subsection (1)(a), the court issues a dating violence
             207      protective order, the ex parte protective order shall remain in effect until service of process of
             208      the dating violence protective order is completed.
             209          (e) A dating violence protective order issued after notice and a hearing shall remain in
             210      effect from 180 days after the day on which the petition is issued.
             211          (f) If the hearing on the petition is heard by a commissioner, either the petitioner or
             212      respondent may file an objection within 10 calendar days after the day on which the
             213      recommended order is entered, and the assigned judge shall hold a hearing on the objection


             214      within 20 days after the day on which the objection is filed.
             215          (2) Upon a hearing under this section, the court may grant any of the relief permitted
             216      under Section 78B-7-404 , except the court shall not grant the relief described in Subsection
             217      78B-7-404 (3)(b) without providing the respondent notice and an opportunity to be heard.
             218          (3) If a court denies a petition for an ex parte dating violence protective order or a
             219      petition to modify a dating violence protective order ex parte, the court shall, upon the
             220      petitioner's request:
             221          (a) set the matter for hearing; and
             222          (b) notify and serve the respondent.
             223          Section 6. Section 78B-7-406 is enacted to read:
             224          78B-7-406. Fees -- Service of process.
             225          (1) Protective orders issued under this part shall be served by the sheriff's office,
             226      constable's office, or any law enforcement agency or peace officer, in accordance with
             227      Subsection 78B-7-404 (8).
             228          (2) Fees may not be imposed by a court clerk, sheriff, constable, or law enforcement
             229      agency for:
             230          (a) filing a petition under this part;
             231          (b) obtaining a protective order under this part; or
             232          (c) service of a protective order issued under this part.
             233          Section 7. Section 78B-7-407 is enacted to read:
             234          78B-7-407. Enforcement.
             235          (1) A law enforcement officer shall, without a warrant, arrest a person if the officer has
             236      probable cause to believe that the person has violated a protective order issued under this part,
             237      regardless of whether the violation occurred in the presence of the officer.
             238          (2) A violation of a protective order issued under this part constitutes a class B
             239      misdemeanor.




Legislative Review Note
    as of 11-7-12 5:08 PM


Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


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