36-3-610 - Violation of order or consent agreement Civil or criminal contempt Financial penalty. - Tennessee Statutes

36-3-610. Violation of order or consent agreement Civil or criminal contempt Financial penalty.

(a)  Upon violation of the order of protection or a court-approved consent agreement, the court may hold the defendant in civil or criminal contempt and punish the defendant in accordance with the law. A judge of the general sessions court shall have the same power as a court of record to punish the defendant for contempt when exercising jurisdiction pursuant to this part or when exercising concurrent jurisdiction with a court of record. A judge of the general sessions court who is not a licensed attorney shall appoint an attorney referee to hear charges of criminal contempt.

(b)  In addition to the authorized punishments for contempt of court, the judge may assess any person who violates an order of protection or a court-approved consent agreement a civil penalty of fifty dollars ($50.00). The judge may further order that any support payment made pursuant to an order of protection or a court-approved consent agreement be made under an income assignment to the clerk of court.

(c)  Upon collecting the civil penalty imposed by subsection (b), the clerk shall, on a monthly basis, send the money to the state treasurer who shall deposit it in the domestic violence community education fund created by § 36-3-616.

[Acts 1979, ch. 350, § 12; T.C.A., § 36-1212; Acts 1989, ch. 297, § 1; 1994, ch. 858, § 1; 1995, ch. 127, § 1.]