Prevention of Domestic Violence

California’s Family Code, in Division 10, Part 1, deals with the prevention of domestic violence in this state. Section 6200 names Division 10 as the Domestic Violence Prevention Act. Section 6201 states that the definitions in this part govern the construction of this code.

Section 6203 defines the term “abuse” as four specified actions and notes that abuse is not limited to the actual infliction of physical injury or assault.

Section 6205 defines the term “affinity.”

Section 6209 defines the term “cohabitant.”

Section 6210 defines the term “dating relationship.”

Section 6211 defines the term “domestic violence” which includes four specified persons perpetrating actions.

Section 6215 defines the term “emergency protective order.”

Section 6216 defines the term “firearm.”

Section 6218 defines the term “protective order.”

Section 6219 provides that, with discretionary funding from a city or a county, the superior courts in San Diego County and in Santa Clara County may develop a demonstration project to identify the best practices in civil, juvenile, and criminal court cases involving domestic violence. The superior courts in any other county that are able and willing may also participate in the demonstration project.