§ 19-13-56.Liability of court or law enforcement personnel
Chapter 13. Family Violence · Article 4. Protective Order Registry · Last amended 2015 · Last verified October 9, 2026
Full Text of § 19-13-56
Plain-English Summary
This section protects the people who run the protective order system. It names the state and any local or state law enforcement officer, court official or official of the registry, and it holds them harmless in two situations.
The first is a delay or failure in the paperwork chain. They are held harmless for any delay or failure to file a protective order or modification, to transmit the information in it, or to enter that information in the registry. Section 19-13-53 sets tight deadlines for those steps — the clerk’s transmission by the end of the next business day and entry within 24 hours of receipt — and this section means a missed deadline doesn’t by itself expose these officials to liability.
The second is reliance. They are held harmless for acting in reliance on information registered in the registry, or on information received for the purpose of entry in the registry. An officer who acts on what the registry shows is protected even if the entry later turns out to be wrong.
For victims, the practical backstop is elsewhere: §§ 19-13-53 and 19-13-54 say that an order can be enforced whether or not it is in the registry. That’s why keeping a copy of your order with you matters. The section was last amended in 2015.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I sue if my protective order wasn’t entered in the registry on time?
This section works against such a claim. The state and any law enforcement officer, court official or registry official are held harmless for any delay or failure to file, transmit or enter a protective order or modification in the registry.
Is a police officer liable for acting on wrong registry information?
No, under this section. The state and any law enforcement officer, court official or registry official are held harmless for acting in reliance on information registered in the registry or received for the purpose of entry in it. That protection applies even if the registry information later turns out to be wrong or out of date.
Who is protected by the registry immunity law?
The state and any local or state law enforcement officer, court official or official of the registry. Section 19-13-51 defines law enforcement officer broadly, so the protection reaches sheriffs, deputies, dispatchers, 9-1-1 operators, prosecuting attorneys, parole board members and hearing officers, and community supervision officers as well as police.
What if my order isn’t in the registry when police respond?
Does this immunity cover delays by the court clerk?
It appears so. The clerk of the issuing court is the official § 19-13-53 charges with sending orders to the registry, and court officials are held harmless for any delay or failure to file, transmit or enter a protective order or modification in the registry. Whether a particular person qualifies is for a court to decide.
Amendment History
Laws 2001, p. 101, § 1; Laws 2015, Act 222, § 6, eff. July 1, 2015.