§ 50B-3. Relief
(a) The court, including magistrates as authorized under G.S. 50B-2(c1), may grant any protective order or approve any consent agreement to bring about a cessation of actsof domestic violence. The orders or agreements may:
(1) Direct a party to refrain from such acts;
(2) Grant to a party possession of the residence or household of the parties and exclude the other party from the residence or household;
(3) Require a party to provide a spouse and his or her children suitable alternate housing;
(4) Award temporary custody of minor children and establish temporary visitation rights;
(5) Order the eviction of a party from the residence or household and assistance to the victim in returning to it;
(6) Order either party to make payments for the support of a minor child as required by law;
(7) Order either party to make payments for the support of a spouse as required by law;
(8) Provide for possession of personal property of the parties;
(9) Order a party to refrain from doing any or all of the following:
a. Threatening, abusing, or following the other party,
b. Harassing the other party, including by telephone, visiting the home or workplace, or other means, or
c. Otherwise interfering with the other party;
(10) Award costs and attorney’s fees to either party;
(11) Prohibit a party from purchasing a firearm for a time fixed in the order;
(12) Order any party the court finds is responsible for acts of domestic violence to attend and complete an abuser treatment program if the program if the program is approved by the Domestic Violence Commission; and
(13) Include any additional prohibitions or requirements the court deems necessary to protect any party or any minor child.
(b) Protective orders entered pursuant to this Chapter shall be for a fixed period of time not to exceed one year. The court may renew a protective order for a fixed period of time not to exceed one year, including an order that previously has been renewed, upon a motion by the aggrieved party filed before the expiration of the current order. The court may renew a protective order for good cause. The commission of an act as defined in G.S. 50B-1(a) by the defendant after entry of the current order is not required for an order to be renewed. Protective orders entered, including consent orders, shall not be mutual in nature except where both parties file a claim and the court makes detailed findings of fact indicating that both parties acted as aggressors, that neither party acted primarily in self-defense, and that the right of each party to due process is preserved.
(c) A copy of any order entered and filed under this Article shall be issued to each party. In addition, a copy of the order shall be issued promptly to and retained by the police department of the city of the victim’s residence. If the victim does not reside in a city or resides in a city with no police department, copies shall be issued promptly to and retained by the sheriff, and the county police department, if any, of the county in which the victim resides.
(d) The sheriff of the county where a domestic violence order is entered shall provide for prompt entry of the order into the National Crime Information Center registry and shall provide for access of such orders to magistrates on a 24-hour-a-day basis. Modifications, terminations, and dismissals of the order shall also be promptly entered.
