Full Faith and Credit - Enforcement Officer's Guide to Enforcing Orders of Protection Nationwide

Sep 29, 2026

Guide for enforcement officers on applying the Violence Against Women Act full faith and credit provisions to orders of protection issued in other jurisdictions. Explains duties for protecting victims, binding obligations for abusers, and enforcement requirements for responding officers, including custody and firearm prohibitions. Addresses risks and potential liability for failure to enforce, and provides steps to reduce that risk through timely response, thorough investigation, proper charging, incident reporting, follow-up, training, supervision, and weapon confiscation.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages22

Reading Time55 min

AccessFree to download

What Is Full Faith and Credit?

What does this mean for victims?

What does this mean for abusers?

What does this mean for law enforcement?

Why Is Full Faith and Credit Important?

Liability for Failure to Enforce Orders of Protection

Reducing the Risk of Liability:

Full Faith and Credit for Orders for Protection

What Is an Order of Protection?

ORGETOWN UNIVERSITY LAWLIBRARY 30700009245019TECFNGMS OFESTIKENG ALAW ENFORCEMENTOFFICER'SGUIDETOENFORCINGHV6250.4ORDERS OF.W65PROTECTION P76NATIONWIDE2006一 GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY LAWLIBRARY 30700009245019RROTECTINGVIMS OFDOMESTIVIOLENCE A LAW ENFORCEMENTOFFICER'SGUIDE TOENFORCINGORDERS OFPROTECTIONNATIONWIDE PROTECTING VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE GETOWN UNIVERSITYLAWLIBRARY In 1994,Congress enacted the full faith and credit # WHAT IS FULLFAITH ANDCREDIT? provisions of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)[18U.S.C.§2265-66].The federal law directs jurisdictions togive full faith and credit to valid orders of protection issuedby other jurisdictions.This includes all 50 states,Indiantribal lands,the District of Columbia,the USVirgin Islands,Puerto Rico,American Samoa,the Northern MarianaIslands,and Guam.The full faith and credit provisions wereamended in October 2000. ## What does this mean for victims? Abused persons who are granted court orders of Simply stated,full faith andcredit requiresthat: protection can call upon law enforcement to protect themand to take all appropriate action against abusersnationwide. ## What does this mean for abusers? The abuser is bound by the terms and conditions of theorder of protection and may be arrested and charged withviolating the order and committing other substantivecrimes wherever the abuser violates a valid order.It doesnot make any difference where the order was granted.Theabuser must be arrested for a violation of an order ofprotection if the law of the jurisdiction where the violationoccurred requires an arrest. Valid orders ofprotection must beenforced to protectvictims wherever aviolation of anorder occurs,regardless of wherethe order wasissued. ## What does this mean for law enforcement? if an order of protection is valid in the issuing jurisdiction,it must be enforced in every other jurisdiction whether ornot it is registered.Some jurisdictions grant orders: √to victims who might not be eligible for orders in theenforcing jurisdiction √for periods of time longer than authorized in theenforcing jurisdiction √containing directives against abusers that might not beavailable in the enforcing jurisdiction A responding officer must enforce the terms andconditions of a valid order as written,including custodyprovisions and firearm prohibitions. Officers are not required to know the laws of an issuing jurisdiction in order to enforce orders of protection. Officers in the enforcing jurisdiction must comply with all 2 laws,policies,and procedures of their own jurisdictionconcerning violation of orders of protection,such asmandatory arrest and victim notification,if applicable. # WHY IS FULL FAITH AND CREDITIMPORTANT? When victims of domestic violence leave,they and theirchildren are at an increased risk of violence.Abusers whocross jurisdictions in pursuit of victims may be engaged instalking,which is a significant risk indicator of life-threateningviolence.(See Assessing Lethality,page 9.) # Liability for Failure to Enforce Orders ofProtection The mandate to give full faith and credit to orders ofprotection nationwide confronts law enforcement with newchallenges,including the possibility of liability for failure toenforce orders of protection from other jurisdictions.Manyjurisdictions have laws that provide officers with statutoryimmunity from civil liability when an officer takes reasonableaction to protect a victim in a domestic violence case. Failure to enforce an order of protection because itwas issued in another jurisdiction may leave officersand departments vulnerable to liability. # Reducing the Risk of Liability: √Understand the laws of your jurisdiction related to liability √Respond in a timely fashion √Investigate thoroughly √Follow arrest laws of enforcing jurisdiction √Enforce custody provisions √Offer assistance and referral to victim √Complete detailed incident reports √Charge appropriately

FAQs

What does full faith and credit require for orders of protection across jurisdictions?

Valid orders of protection must be enforced nationwide, so victims can request law enforcement to protect them and take appropriate action against abusers in every jurisdiction.

Do officers have to know the laws of the issuing jurisdiction to enforce an order of protection?

No. If the order is valid in the issuing jurisdiction, it must be enforced in other jurisdictions even if it is not registered.

What can officers do to reduce the risk of liability for failing to enforce orders of protection?

Respond in a timely fashion, investigate thoroughly, follow arrest and enforcement laws of the enforcing jurisdiction, enforce custody provisions, complete detailed incident reports, charge appropriately, provide victim referral and follow-up, train personnel, supervise carefully, and confiscate prohibited weapons.

Sep 29, 2026

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