(a) A person arrested for the violation of an order of protection issued pursuant to this part or a restraining order or court-approved consent agreement, shall be taken before a magistrate or the court having jurisdiction in the cause without unnecessary delay to answer a charge of contempt for violation of the order of protection, restraining order or court-approved consent agreement, and the court shall:

Terms Used In Tennessee Code 36-3-612

  • Answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense.
  • Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
  • court: means any court of record with jurisdiction over domestic relations matters or the general sessions criminal court. See Tennessee Code 36-3-601
  • 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 a corporation, firm, company or association. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
(1) Notify the clerk of the court having jurisdiction in the cause to set a time certain for a hearing on the alleged violation of the order of protection, restraining order or court-approved consent agreement within ten (10) working days after arrest, unless extended by the court on the motion of the arrested person;
(2) Set a reasonable bond pending the hearing on the alleged violation of the order of protection, restraining order or court-approved consent agreement; and
(3) Notify the person to whom the order of protection, restraining order or court-approved consent agreement was issued to protect and direct the party to show cause why a contempt order should issue.
(b) Either the court that originally issued the order of protection or restraining order or a court having jurisdiction over orders of protection or restraining orders in the county where the alleged violation of the order occurred shall have the authority and jurisdiction to conduct the contempt hearing required by subsection (a). If the violation is of a court-approved consent agreement, the same court that approved the agreement shall conduct the contempt hearing for any alleged violation of it. If the court conducting the contempt hearing is not the same court that originally issued the order of protection or restraining order, the court conducting the hearing shall have the same authority to punish as contempt a violation of the order of protection or restraining order as the court originally issuing the order.