Penal Law § 215.52

Aggravated criminal contempt · as in force on May 31, 2026

§ 215.52 Aggravated criminal contempt.

A person is guilty of aggravated criminal contempt when:

1. in violation of a duly served order of protection, or such order of which the defendant has actual knowledge because he or she was present in court when such order was issued, or an order of protection issued by a court of competent jurisdiction in another state, territorial or tribal jurisdiction, he or she intentionally or recklessly causes physical injury or serious physical injury to a person for whose protection such order was issued; or

2. he or she commits the crime of criminal contempt in the first degree as defined in subdivision (b) or (d) of section 215.51 of this article and has been previously convicted of the crime of aggravated criminal contempt; or

3. he or she commits the crime of criminal contempt in the first degree, as defined in paragraph (i), (ii), (iii), (v) or (vi) of subdivision (b) or subdivision (c) of section 215.51 of this article, and has been previously convicted of the crime of criminal contempt in the first degree, as defined in such subdivision (b), (c) or (d) of section 215.51 of this article, within the preceding five years.

Aggravated criminal contempt is a class D felony.

Official sourcehttps://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/PEN/215.52

In plain English

Aggravated criminal contempt is the most serious contempt offense.

(1) Violating an order of protection that was duly served, known to the defendant from being present in court when issued, or issued by a court in another state, territorial or tribal jurisdiction, and intentionally or recklessly causing physical injury or serious physical injury to a protected person. ★
(2) Committing first-degree criminal contempt under § 215.51(b) or (d) after a prior conviction for aggravated criminal contempt (no time limit).
(3) Committing first-degree criminal contempt under § 215.51(b)(i), (ii), (iii), (v) or (vi), or (c) (not (b)(iv)) after a prior first-degree criminal contempt conviction under § 215.51(b), (c) or (d) within the preceding 5 years. ★

The offense is a class D felony.

Marked in the text: penalties, time limits, sums of money. Editorial emphasis added by this edition; it does not appear in the statute as enacted.

In print

This provision appears in Volume 4 — The Court Clerk: Penal Law; Volume 1 — The Court Officer in Plain English; Volume 3 — The Court Officer: Penal Law; Volume 3 — Your Career: Penal Law in Plain English.