A no contact order—commonly known as a “50C order” in North Carolina—is a type of restraining order for sexual assault or stalking victims who do not have a “personal relationship” with the alleged offender. If an alleged victim has a personal relationship with an alleged offender, he/she must file a Domestic Violence Protective Order (DVPO/50B). Common types of personal relationships include current and former spouses, current and former romantic partners, current and former roommates, parents, and children.
The following are the most common types of protection for a no contact order:
- The defendant cannot assault, molest, abuse, injure, harass, or otherwise visit an alleged victim,
- The defendant cannot contact an alleged victim by phone, text, e-mail, mail, or through other forms of communication,
- The defendant cannot stalk an alleged victim, or enter or remain in a victim’s resident, workplace, school, or other specified locations when he/she is there.
A no contact order can be filed in a civil clerk’s office in the county where the alleged victim lives, where the alleged offender lives, or where the alleged sex crime occurred. A person must fill out form AOC-CV-520 (No-Contact Order for Stalking or Nonconsensual Sexual Contact) and form AOC-CV-521, as well as turn in an Affidavit in form AOC-G-250.
Filing a 50C order is free of charge. If an alleged offender violates a no contact order, the person can enforce the order by going to civil court and asking the judge to hold the defendant in either criminal or civil contempt of court.
If a no contact order is set to expire, a person must return to his/her county’s civil clerk’s office and fill out form AOC-CV-525 (Motion to Renew a No-Contact Order for Stalking or Nonconsensual Sexual Conduct) to renew the order. When this form is filed, a hearing before a judge will be set to determine if there is “good cause” to renew the no contact order. The offender will be notified via mail of the hearing.
There are no limits for renewal as long as there is good cause. If an order expires prior to filing a motion to review, the order will no longer be in effect.
If you are interested in filing a no contact order or fighting a no contact order in Charlotte, contact Jetton & Meredith Law, PLLC today at (704) 931-5535 to schedule a consultation.