DOMESTIC VIOLENCE TIPS: Who Can Be A Victim of "Domestic" Violence?
CA Family Code Section 6211
Jurisdictional Requirements For Seeking DV Orders
Family Code section 6211 limits the classes of persons who may seek domestic violence restraining orders. Essentially these include married persons, domestic partners, and people who live together in romantic relationships.
Otherwise, a party who feels threatened must instead seek and file for "civil harassment restraining orders". This is an important distinction in at least two ways: (1) The burden of proof for obtaining DV restraining orders is by a "preponderance of the evidence." Civil harassment petitions require "clear and convincing" proof, a much more difficult standard to meet. (2) There is no filing fee for domestic violence requests for orders; you must pay the county clerk in which you file for civil harassment orders.
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CALIFORNIA FAMILY CODE
PREVENTION OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
DEFINITIONS
Family Code Section 6211
"Domestic violence" is abuse perpetrated against any of the following persons:
(a) A spouse or former spouse.
(b) A cohabitant or former cohabitant, as defined in Section 6209.
(c) A person with whom the respondent is having or has had a dating or engagement relationship.
(d) A person with whom the respondent has had a child, where the presumption applies that the male parent is the father of the child of the female parent under the Uniform Parentage Act (Part 3 (commencing with Section 7600) of Division 12).
(e) A child of a party or a child who is the subject of an action under the Uniform Parentage Act, where the presumption applies that the male parent is the father of the child to be protected.
(f) Any other person related by consanguinity or affinity within the second degree.
