Protective Order Violations in Virginia: What the Court Data Shows

According to 1,761 public court records from 2023–2024, Protective Order Violation cases across 40 Virginia jurisdictions have an average dismissal rate of 47.7% and an average conviction rate of 47.7%.

Violating a court-issued protective order is a criminal offense in Virginia. These cases often arise in the context of domestic violence situations where a protective order has been issued. This page examines what public court records reveal about how these cases are resolved across the state.

What Our Data Shows About Protective Order Violation Outcomes

Our analysis of 1,761 protective order violation cases across 40 Virginia jurisdictions (2023-2024) reveals:

• 43.2% average dismissal rate
• 51.3% average conviction rate
• 135 days average median case duration
• Dismissal rates range from 13.9% (Nelson County) to 81.8% (Newport News)

View protective order violation statistics across all Virginia jurisdictions for detailed data on each court.

Variation Across Virginia

Protective order violation outcomes differ depending on which court hears the case. Our data shows variation in:

• Dismissal rates — the percentage of cases ending without a conviction
• Case durations — how long from filing to final resolution
• Conviction patterns — how often cases result in a finding of guilt

These differences may reflect local judicial attitudes toward protective order enforcement, victim participation in proceedings, and prosecutorial priorities in each jurisdiction.

Understanding Protective Order Violation Statistics

When reviewing our data, keep in mind:

• Protective orders can be emergency, preliminary, or permanent, and violations of each carry similar criminal consequences
• Dismissal includes judicial dismissals and nolle prosequi
• These cases often intersect with ongoing domestic violence proceedings
• These are aggregate statistics — individual outcomes depend on the specific facts of each case

Next Steps

For information about Virginia protective order laws, consult a licensed Virginia attorney or visit the Virginia Legislative Information System.

To explore how protective order violation cases are resolved in your specific court, view our protective order violation data by jurisdiction.