Attorney's Note

Under the New Jersey Statutes, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
ClassPrisonFine
crime of the third degreebetween 3 and 5 yearsup to $15,000
crime of the fourth degreeup to 18 monthsup to $10,000
disorderly persons offenseup to 6 monthsup to $1,000
For details, see N.J. Rev. Stat.2C:43-6 and N.J. Rev. Stat.N.J. Rev. Stat.2C:43-8

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Terms Used In New Jersey Statutes 2C:29-9

  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • person: includes corporations, companies, associations, societies, firms, partnerships and joint stock companies as well as individuals, unless restricted by the context to an individual as distinguished from a corporate entity or specifically restricted to one or some of the above enumerated synonyms and, when used to designate the owner of property which may be the subject of an offense, includes this State, the United States, any other State of the United States as defined infra and any foreign country or government lawfully owning or possessing property within this State. See New Jersey Statutes 1:1-2
  • State: extends to and includes any State, territory or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia and the Canal Zone. See New Jersey Statutes 1:1-2
  • Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
  • territory: extends to and includes any territory or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia and the Canal Zone. See New Jersey Statutes 1:1-2
2C:29-9. Contempt. a. (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, a person is guilty of a crime of the fourth degree if the person purposely or knowingly disobeys a judicial order or protective order, pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1985, c.250 (C. 2C:28-5.1), or hinders, obstructs, or impedes the effectuation of a judicial order or the exercise of jurisdiction over any person, thing, or controversy by a court, administrative body, or investigative entity, or purposely or knowingly violates a condition to avoid all contact with an alleged victim or a condition of home detention with or without the use of an approved electronic monitoring device, ordered pursuant to subparagraph (b) of paragraph (1) or subparagraph (k) of paragraph (2) of subsection b. of section 3 of P.L. 2014, c.31 (C. 2A:162-17), when the conduct which constitutes the violation could also constitute a crime or a disorderly persons offense.

(2) In all other cases a person is guilty of a disorderly persons offense if that person purposely or knowingly violates a condition to avoid contact with an alleged victim or a condition of home detention with or without the use of an approved electronic monitoring device.

b. (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, a person is guilty of a crime of the fourth degree if that person purposely or knowingly violates any provision in an order entered under the provisions of the “Prevention of Domestic Violence Act of 1991,” P.L.1991, c.261 (C. 2C:25-17 et al.) or an order entered under the provisions of a substantially similar statute under the laws of another state or the United States when the conduct which constitutes the violation could also constitute a crime or a disorderly persons offense.

Orders entered pursuant to paragraphs (3), (4), (5), (8), and (9) of subsection b. of section 13 of P.L.1991, c.261 (C. 2C:25-29) or substantially similar orders entered under the laws of another state or the United States shall be excluded from the provisions of this paragraph.

(2) In all other cases a person is guilty of a disorderly persons offense if that person purposely or knowingly violates an order entered under the provisions of the “Prevention of Domestic Violence Act of 1991,” P.L.1991, c.261 (C. 2C:25-17 et al.) or an order entered under the provisions of a substantially similar statute under the laws of another state or the United States.

Orders entered pursuant to paragraphs (3), (4), (5), (8), and (9) of subsection b. of section 13 of P.L.1991, c.261 (C. 2C:25-29) or substantially similar orders entered under the laws of another state or the United States shall be excluded from the provisions of this paragraph.

c. A person is guilty of a crime of the third degree if that person purposely or knowingly violates any provision in an order entered under the provisions of section 3 of P.L.1996, c.39 (C. 2C:12-10.1) or section 2 of P.L.1999, c.47 (C. 2C:12-10.2) or an order entered under the provisions of a substantially similar statute under the laws of another state or the United States when the conduct which constitutes the violation could also constitute a crime or a disorderly persons offense.

d. (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, a person is guilty of a crime of the fourth degree if that person purposely or knowingly violates any provision in an order entered under the provisions of P.L.2015, c.147 (C. 2C:14-13 et al.) or an order entered under the provisions of a substantially similar statute under the laws of another state or the United States when the conduct which constitutes the violation could also constitute a crime or a disorderly persons offense.

(2) In all other cases a person is guilty of a disorderly persons offense if that person purposely or knowingly violates an order entered under the provisions of P.L.2015, c.147 (C. 2C:14-13 et al.) or an order entered under the provisions of a substantially similar statute under the laws of another state or the United States.

e. A person is guilty of a crime of the fourth degree if the person purposely or knowingly violates any provision of an order entered under the provisions of the “Extreme Risk Protective Order Act of 2018,” P.L.2018, c.35 (C. 2C:58-20 et al.) or an order entered under the provisions of a substantially similar statute under the laws of another state or the United States.

As used in this section, “state” means a state of the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, or any territory or insular possession subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. The term includes an Indian tribe or band, or Alaskan native village, which is recognized by a federal law or formally acknowledged by a state.

(added)1981, c.290, s.34; amended 1987, c.356, s.9; 1988, c.28, s.3; 1991, c.261, s.18; 2005, c.333; 2008, c.81, s.3; 2015, c.141; 2015, c.147, s.10; 2016, c.93, s.3; 2018, c.35, s.12; 2023, c.46, s.1.