SF 838

as introduced - 86th Legislature (2009 - 2010) Posted on 02/09/2010 02:16am

A bill for an act
relating to domestic abuse; authorizing courts to include pets and companion
animals in protective orders; amending Minnesota Statutes 2008, section
518B.01, subdivisions 6, 7.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 518B.01, subdivision 6, is amended to read:

Subd. 6.

Relief by court.

(a) Upon notice and hearing, the court may provide
relief as follows:

(1) restrain the abusing party from committing acts of domestic abuse;

(2) exclude the abusing party from the dwelling which the parties share or from the
residence of the petitioner;

(3) exclude the abusing party from a reasonable area surrounding the dwelling or
residence, which area shall be described specifically in the order;

(4) award temporary custody or establish temporary parenting time with regard to
minor children of the parties on a basis which gives primary consideration to the safety of
the victim and the children. In addition to the primary safety considerations, the court
may consider particular best interest factors that are found to be relevant to the temporary
custody and parenting time award. Findings under section 257.025, 518.17, or 518.175
are not required with respect to the particular best interest factors not considered by the
court. If the court finds that the safety of the victim or the children will be jeopardized by
unsupervised or unrestricted parenting time, the court shall condition or restrict parenting
time as to time, place, duration, or supervision, or deny parenting time entirely, as needed
to guard the safety of the victim and the children. The court's decision on custody and
parenting time shall in no way delay the issuance of an order for protection granting other
relief provided for in this section. The court must not enter a parenting plan under section
518.1705 as part of an action for an order for protection;

(5) on the same basis as is provided in chapter 518 or 518A, establish temporary
support for minor children or a spouse, and order the withholding of support from the
income of the person obligated to pay the support according to chapter 518A;

(6) provide upon request of the petitioner counseling or other social services for the
parties, if married, or if there are minor children;

(7) order the abusing party to participate in treatment or counseling services,
including requiring the abusing party to successfully complete a domestic abuse
counseling program or educational program under section 518B.02;

(8) award temporary use and possession of property and restrain one or both parties
from transferring, encumbering, concealing, or disposing of property except in the usual
course of business or for the necessities of life, and to account to the court for all such
transfers, encumbrances, dispositions, and expenditures made after the order is served or
communicated to the party restrained in open court;

(9) exclude the abusing party from the place of employment of the petitioner, or
otherwise limit access to the petitioner by the abusing party at the petitioner's place of
employment;

(10) order the abusing party to have no contact with the petitioner whether in
person, by telephone, mail, or electronic mail or messaging, through a third party, or
by any other means;

(11) order the abusing party to pay restitution to the petitioner;

(12) order the continuance of all currently available insurance coverage without
change in coverage or beneficiary designation; deleted text begin and
deleted text end

(13) order, in its discretion, other relief as it deems necessary for the protection of
a family or household member, including orders or directives to the sheriff or other law
enforcement or corrections officer as provided by this section new text begin ; or
new text end

new text begin (14) direct the care, possession, or control of a pet or companion animal owned,
possessed, or kept by the petitioner or respondent or a child of the petitioner or respondent,
or order the respondent to have no contact with the pet or companion animal new text end .

(b) Any relief granted by the order for protection shall be for a period not to exceed
two years, except when the court determines a longer period is appropriate. When a
referee presides at the hearing on the petition, the order granting relief becomes effective
upon the referee's signature.

(c) An order granting the relief authorized in paragraph (a), clause (1), may not be
vacated or modified in a proceeding for dissolution of marriage or legal separation, except
that the court may hear a motion for modification of an order for protection concurrently
with a proceeding for dissolution of marriage upon notice of motion and motion. The
notice required by court rule shall not be waived. If the proceedings are consolidated
and the motion to modify is granted, a separate order for modification of an order for
protection shall be issued.

(d) An order granting the relief authorized in paragraph (a), clause (2) or (3), is not
voided by the admittance of the abusing party into the dwelling from which the abusing
party is excluded.

(e) If a proceeding for dissolution of marriage or legal separation is pending between
the parties, the court shall provide a copy of the order for protection to the court with
jurisdiction over the dissolution or separation proceeding for inclusion in its file.

(f) An order for restitution issued under this subdivision is enforceable as civil
judgment.

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 518B.01, subdivision 7, is amended to read:

Subd. 7.

Ex parte order.

(a) Where an application under this section alleges an
immediate and present danger of domestic abuse, the court may grant an ex parte order for
protection and granting relief as the court deems proper, including an order:

(1) restraining the abusing party from committing acts of domestic abuse;

(2) excluding any party from the dwelling they share or from the residence of the
other except by further order of the court;

(3) excluding the abusing party from the place of employment of the petitioner or
otherwise limiting access to the petitioner by the abusing party at the petitioner's place of
employment;

(4) ordering the abusing party to have no contact with the petitioner whether in
person, by telephone, mail, e-mail, through electronic devices, or through a third party; deleted text begin and
deleted text end

(5) continuing all currently available insurance coverage without change in coverage
or beneficiary designation new text begin ; or
new text end

new text begin (6) directing the care, possession, or control of a pet or companion animal owned,
possessed, or kept by a party or a child of a party, or ordering the abusing party to have no
contact with the pet or companion animal new text end .

(b) A finding by the court that there is a basis for issuing an ex parte order for
protection constitutes a finding that sufficient reasons exist not to require notice under
applicable court rules governing applications for ex parte relief.

(c) Subject to paragraph (d), an ex parte order for protection shall be effective for
a fixed period set by the court, as provided in subdivision 6, paragraph (b), or until
modified or vacated by the court pursuant to a hearing. When signed by a referee, the ex
parte order becomes effective upon the referee's signature. Upon request, a hearing, as
provided by this section, shall be set. Except as provided in paragraph (d), the respondent
shall be personally served forthwith a copy of the ex parte order along with a copy of
the petition and, if requested by the petitioner, notice of the date set for the hearing. If
the petitioner does not request a hearing, an order served on a respondent under this
subdivision must include a notice advising the respondent of the right to request a hearing,
must be accompanied by a form that can be used by the respondent to request a hearing
and must include a conspicuous notice that a hearing will not be held unless requested
by the respondent within five days of service of the order.

(d) Service of the ex parte order may be made by published notice, as provided
under subdivision 5, provided that the petitioner files the affidavit required under that
subdivision. If personal service is not made or the affidavit is not filed within 14 days
of issuance of the ex parte order, the order expires. If the petitioner does not request a
hearing, the petition mailed to the respondent's residence, if known, must be accompanied
by the form for requesting a hearing and notice described in paragraph (c). Unless
personal service is completed, if service by published notice is not completed within 28
days of issuance of the ex parte order, the order expires.

(e) If the petitioner seeks relief under subdivision 6 other than the relief described in
paragraph (a), the petitioner must request a hearing to obtain the additional relief.

(f) Nothing in this subdivision affects the right of a party to seek modification of an
order under subdivision 11.