State v. Bowser

TODD, J.S.C.

This opinion deals with one provision of the Prevention of Domestic Violence Act of 1990, N.J.S.A. 20:25-17 to -33, providing for the imposition of criminal penalties in the event of violations of orders entered under that statute. N.J.S.A. 20:25-30 provides that any person convicted of a “second or subsequent non-indictable domestic violence contempt offense” must serve a period of incarceration of at least thirty days. The issue presented here is whether or not that enhanced penalty should be applied to an individual who has been simultaneously convicted of multiple…