Federal Laws
18 U.S.C. § 2265 Full Faith
and Credit (1994; 2000)
This federal law mandates nationwide
enforcement of orders of protection, including injunctions against harassment
and stalking, in states, tribes, and U.S. territories
.
18 U.S.C. § 2261A Interstate
Stalking (1996; 2000)
§ 2261A(1) makes it a federal crime,
punishable from five years to life in prison, to travel across state, tribal or
international lines to stalk another person. The defendant must have the intent
to kill, injure, harass, or intimidate the victim, or to place the victim, a
family member, or a spouse or intimate partner of the victim, in fear of death
or serious bodily injury
.
§ 2261A(2) makes it a federal crime,
punishable from five years to life in prison, to stalk another person across
state, tribal or international lines, using regular mail, e-mail, or the
Internet (i.e., cyberstalking). The defendant must have the intent to kill or
injure the victim, or to place the victim, a family member, or a spouse or
intimate partner of the victim in fear of death or serious bodily injury
.
18 U.S.C. § 2261 Interstate
Domestic Violence (1994; 2000)
§ 2261(a)(1) makes it a federal crime,
punishable from five years to life in prison, to travel across state, tribal, or
international lines with the intent to kill, injure, harass, or intimidate a
spouse or intimate partner and to commit, or attempt to commit, a crime of
violence against that spouse or intimate partner.
2261(a)(2) makes it a federal crime,
punishable from five years to life in prison, to cause a spouse or intimate
partner to cross state, tribal, international lines, by force, coercion, duress,
or fraud, and to commit, or attempt to commit, a crime of violence against that
spouse or intimate partner
.
18 U.S.C. § 2262 Interstate
Violation of a Protection Order (1994; 2000)
§ 2262(a)(1) makes it a federal crime,
punishable from five years to life in prison, to travel across state, tribal, or
international lines with the intent to violate a protection order and to
subsequently engage in conduct that violates that order.
§ 2262(a)(2) makes it a federal crime,
punishable from five years to life in prison, to cause another person to cross
state, tribal, or international lines by force, coercion, duress, or fraud and
to subsequently engage in conduct that violates a protection order.
18 U.S.C. § 922 Federal
Domestic Violence Firearm Prohibitions (1994; 1996)
(g) (8) makes it a federal crime,
punishable by up to ten years in prison, to possess a firearm or ammunition if
subject to a "qualifying" protection order issued on behalf of a spouse or
intimate partner.
(g)(9) makes it a federal crime, punishable
by up to ten years in prison, to possess a firearm or ammunition if convicted in
any state or federal court of a "qualifying" misdemeanor crime of domestic
violence.
18 U.S.C. § 875(c)
Interstate Communications
This statute makes it a federal crime,
punishable by up to five years in prison, to transmit in interstate or foreign
communications, any threat to kidnap or injure another person.
47 U.S.C. § 223(a)(1)(C)
Harassing Telephone Calls in Interstate Communications
This statute makes it a federal crime,
punishable by up to two years in prison, to use a telephone or other
telecommunications device to annoy, abuse, harass, or threaten another person at
the called number.