N.C. Gen. Stat. » Chapter 50B
NC General Statutes

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 50B-4 (2026)

Enforcement of orders

✓ current as of July 2026
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(a) A party may file a motion for contempt for violation of any order entered pursuant to this Chapter. This party may file and proceed with that motion pro se, using forms provided by the clerk of superior court or a magistrate authorized under G.S. 50B-2(c1). Upon the filing pro se of a motion for contempt under this subsection, the clerk, or the authorized magistrate, if the facts show clearly that there is danger of acts of domestic violence against the aggrieved party or a minor child and the motion is made at a time when the clerk is not available, shall schedule and issue notice of a show cause hearing with the district court division of the General Court of Justice at the earliest possible date pursuant to G.S. 5A-23. The Clerk, or the magistrate in the case of notice issued by the magistrate pursuant to this subsection, shall effect service of the motion, notice, and other papers through the appropriate law enforcement agency where the defendant is to be served, if that agency is in North Carolina.

(b) Repealed by Session Laws 1999-23, s. 2, effective February 1, 2000.

(c) A valid protective order entered pursuant to this Chapter shall be enforced by all North Carolina law enforcement agencies without further order of the court.

(d) A valid protective order entered by the courts of another state or the courts of an Indian tribe shall be accorded full faith and credit by the courts of North Carolina whether or not the order has been registered and shall be enforced by the courts and the law enforcement agencies of North Carolina as if it were an order issued by a North Carolina court. In determining the validity of an out-of-state order for purposes of enforcement, a law enforcement officer may rely upon a copy of the protective order issued by another state or the courts of an Indian tribe that is provided to the officer and on the statement of a person protected by the order that the order remains in effect. Even though registration is not required, a copy of a protective order may be registered in North Carolina by filing with the clerk of superior court in any county a copy of the order and an affidavit by a person protected by the order that to the best of that person's knowledge the order is presently in effect as written. Notice of the registration shall not be given to the defendant. Upon registration of the order, the clerk shall promptly forward a copy to the sheriff of that county. Unless the issuing state has already entered the order, the sheriff shall provide for prompt entry of the order into the National Crime Information Center registry pursuant to G.S. 50B-3(d).

(e) Upon application or motion by a party to the court, the court shall determine whether an out-of-state order remains in full force and effect.

(f) The term "valid protective order," as used in subsections (c) and (d) of this section, shall include an emergency or ex parte order entered under this Chapter.

(g) Notwithstanding the provisions of G.S. 1-294, a valid protective order entered pursuant to this Chapter which has been appealed to the appellate division is enforceable in the trial court during the pendency of the appeal. Upon motion by the aggrieved party, the court of the appellate division in which the appeal is pending may stay an order of the trial court until the appeal is decided, if justice so requires.  (1979, c. 561, s. 1; 1985, c. 113, s. 4; 1987, c. 739, s. 6; 1989, c. 461, s. 2; 1994, Ex. Sess., c. 4, s. 3; 1995 (Reg. Sess., 1996), c. 591, s. 3; 1999-23, s. 2; 2002-126, s. 29A.6(c); 2003-107, s. 3; 2009-342, s. 4; 2017-92, s. 1; 2025-54, s. 9(b).)

 

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 4 cases, 1990–2013 · leading case: State v. Byrd, 675 S.E.2d 323 (N.C. 2009).
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State v. Byrd, 675 S.E.2d 323 (N.C. 2009). · cites it 6× “In his brief to this Court, defendant makes in essence the same argument asserted in his brief to the Court of Appeals. In his brief to the Court of Appeals, defendant first noted that all orders issued under Chapter 50B may be enforceable by contempt proceedings under N.”
Cockerham-Ellerbee v. Town of Jonesville, 626 S.E.2d 685 (N.C. Ct. App. 2006). · cites it 4× “N.C. Gen. Stat. § 50B-4(c) states: “A valid protective order entered pursuant to this Chapter shall be enforced by all North Carolina law enforcement agencies *376 without further order of the court.”
State v. Poole, 745 S.E.2d 26 (N.C. Ct. App. 2013). · cites it 2× “Here, the trial court concluded that the 2009 amendments to N.C. Gen. Stat. § 50B-4 and 50B-4.1 (2011), which appear to have been passed directly in response to Byrd , were inapplicable and that there is a distinction in Chapter 50B between a “protective order” and a “valid…”
Braswell v. Braswell, 390 S.E.2d 752 (N.C. Ct. App. 1990). · cites it 6× “50B-3 it authorizes the court to hear and determine such actions; by G.S. 50B-4 it provides for enforcing the court's orders; by G.”
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 50B-4(a): 1 case
State v. Byrd, 675 S.E.2d 323 (N.C. 2009). “In his brief to this Court, defendant makes in essence the same argument asserted in his brief to the Court of Appeals. In his brief to the Court of Appeals, defendant first noted that all orders issued under Chapter 50B may be enforceable by contempt proceedings under N.”
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 50B-4(b): 1 case
Braswell v. Braswell, 390 S.E.2d 752 (N.C. Ct. App. 1990). “50B-3 it authorizes the court to hear and determine such actions; by G.S. 50B-4 it provides for enforcing the court's orders; by G.”
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 50B-4(c): 1 case
Cockerham-Ellerbee v. Town of Jonesville, 626 S.E.2d 685 (N.C. Ct. App. 2006). “N.C. Gen. Stat. § 50B-4(c) states: “A valid protective order entered pursuant to this Chapter shall be enforced by all North Carolina law enforcement agencies *376 without further order of the court.”
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