The obligation to avoid contact belongs entirely to the person subject to the order. The protected party cannot get in trouble for being around you. You can.
The most common way this charge happens is that the two parties reconcile and try to move forward with the relationship. A protective order is almost always the result of a relationship gone bad, and sometimes one party reaches out to work things out, with the best intentions.
It is still a crime, regardless of intent. If an officer finds out, if a relative finds out, or if the relationship sours again and someone calls the police, that is a new charge.
The obligation to avoid contact belongs entirely to the person subject to the order. The protected party has no obligation and cannot get in trouble for being around them. The practical advice we give clients is direct: if you are at a restaurant or a grocery store and the protected party walks in, walk out, even mid-meal, even mid-shopping trip. They cannot get in trouble for being near you. You can.
Citation: Texas Penal Code §25.07, retitled in 2023 to Violation of Certain Court Orders or Conditions of Bond in a Family Violence, Child Abuse or Neglect, Sexual Assault or Abuse, Indecent Assault, Stalking, or Trafficking Case. A companion §25.071 covers repeated violations.
Degree and classification
Statutory language: A person commits an offense if, in violation of a protective order or specified bond conditions in the case types named above, they knowingly or intentionally commit family violence, make prohibited contact, go near a protected residence, workplace, or school, or possess a firearm, among other listed acts.