Domestic Violence Arrest Policies by State

In Louisiana, Officers are required by law to arrest someone accused of domestic violence when the battery is aggravated or second degree, or when danger to the victim exists where assault or simple battery occurred. Don't always count on that if the abuser is a cop!

Domestic Violence Arrest Policies by State 11/07
Prepared by the American Bar Association Commission on Domestic Violence http://www.abanet.org/domviol
The law is constantly changing! Please independently confirm the data you find here.
We are always grateful to receive corrections and updates at abacdvta@abanet.org
State
DV Arrest Policy Relevant Statute
Alabama Officer’s Discretion Ala. Code 1975 § 15-10-3 (A)(8)
Alaska Mandatory Arrest Alaska Stat. § 18.65.530 (A)
Arizona Mandatory Arrest Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 13-3601 (B)
Arkansas Pro-Arrest Ark. Code Ann. § 16-81-113 (A)(1)(A)
California Pro-Arrest Cal. Penal Code § 836 (D)
Colorado Mandatory Arrest Colo. Rev. Stat. § 18-6-803.6
Connecticut Mandatory Arrest Conn. Gen. Stat. Ann. § 46b-38b (A)
Delaware Officer's Discretion? Del. Code Ann. Tit 11 § 1904 (reasonable grounds)
DC Mandatory Arrest D.C. Code Ann. § 16-1031
Florida Pro-Arrest Fla. Stat. Ann. § 741.29 (4)(B)
Georgia Officer's Discretion Ga. Code Ann., § 17-4-20 (A)
Hawaii Officer's Discretion? HI St § 803-5 (broad statute)
Idaho Officer's Discretion I.C. § 19-603
Illinois Officer's Discretion 750 IlCS 60/301
Indiana Officer's Discretion IC 35-33-1-1 (1)(A)(5)(B)
Iowa Mandatory Arrest Iowa Code Ann. §§ 236.12 (2); 804.7 (5)
Kansas Mandatory Arrest Kan. Stat. Ann. § 22-2307 (B)(1)
Kentucky Officer's Discretion KRS § 403.785 (2)
Louisiana Mandatory Arrest
La. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 46-2140 (1)(aggravated or second degree battery),
(2)(danger to victim exists where assault or simple battery occurred)
Maine Mandatory Arrest Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. Tit 19-A § 4012 (5)
Maryland Officer's Discretion Md. Crim. Proc. § 12-204 (A)(1)(I), (Ii)
Massachusetts Pro-Arrest Mass. Gen. Laws Ann. Ch. 209a § 6
Michigan Pro-Arrest Mich. Stat. Ann. §§ 28.874 (1), 28.1274(3)
Minnesota Officer's Discretion Minn. Stat. Ann. § 609.341
Mississippi Mandatory Arrest Miss. Code Ann. § 99-3-7 (3)
Missouri Officer's Discretion V.A.M.S. 455.085
Montana Pro-Arrest
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 455.085.1 (requiring arrest for a second domestic violence
incident within 12 hours); Mont. Code Ann. § 46-6-311 (2)(A)
Nebraska Officer's Discretion NE St § 29-404.02 (1)
Nevada Mandatory Arrest Nev. Rev. Stat. § 171.137
New
Hampshire
Officer's Discretion?
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 594:10 (I)(B); N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 173-B:9 (is
ambiguous in directing that an officer “should” arrest the primary aggressor in
the context of a discretionary arrest directive for domestic violence generally)
New Jersey Mandatory Arrest?
N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2c:25-21(mandates warrantless arrest only where injury
resulted or weapon was used; may, in practice, be applied only in felony-level
assaults)
New Mexico Officer's Discretion N.M.S.A. 1978, § 31-1-7 (A)
New York Mandatory Arrest N.Y. Crim. Proc. Law § 140.10 (4)(C)
North Carolina Officer's Discretion N.C.G.S.A. § 15a-401
North Dakota Pro-Arrest
N.D. Cent. Code § 14-07.1-11 (2); N.D. Cent. Code § 14-07.1-10 (setting forth
presumptive arrest policy)
Ohio Mandatory Arrest?
Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 2935.032 (A)(1)(A); Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 2935.03
(B)(3)(B) (provides for a preferred arrest policy when there is “reasonable
grounds” to arrest; however, when there is probable cause to arrest, arrest is
mandatory)
Domestic Violence Arrest Policies by State 11/07
Prepared by the American Bar Association Commission on Domestic Violence http://www.abanet.org/domviol
The law is constantly changing! Please independently confirm the data you find here.
We are always grateful to receive corrections and updates at abacdvta@abanet.org
State
DV Arrest Policy Relevant Statute
Oklahoma Officer's Discretion Okla. Stat. Tit. 22 § 40.3
Oregon Mandatory Arrest Or. Rev. Stat. § 133.055 (2)(A)
Pennsylvania Officer's Discretion 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. Ann. § 2711
Rhode Island Mandatory Arrest R.I. Gen. Laws § 12-29-3
South Carolina Mandatory Arrest S.C. Code Ann. § 16-25-70
South Dakota Mandatory Arrest S.D. Codified Laws Ann. §§ 23a-3-2.1
Tennessee Pro-Arrest Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-3-619
Texas Officer's Discretion Vernon's Ann.Texas C.C.P. Art. 14.03 (A)(4)
Utah Mandatory Arrest Utah Code Ann. § 77-36-2.2
Vermont Officer's Discretion VT RCRP Rule 3
Virginia Mandatory Arrest?
Va. Code Ann. § 19.2-81.3(authorizes officer discretion to determine whether
“special circumstances” exist that dictate alternatives to arrest be used)
Washington Mandatory Arrest Wash. Rev. Code Ann. §10.31.100 (2)
West Virginia Officer's Discretion W. Va. Code, § 48-27-1002
Wisconsin Pro-Arrest Wis. Stat. Ann. § 968.075(3)
Wyoming Officer's Discretion Wyo. Stat. § 7-20-102