Esther R. Lerner Family Law Blog on Lawyers.com

California Domestic Violence - What does it mean?

Friday, April 30, 2010 by Esther R. Lerner

Domestic violence is defined by California’s Domestic Violence Prevention Act to mean abuse committed against a spouse, a former spouse, a cohabitant, a former cohabitant, a person with whom the suspect has had a child or is having or has had a dating or engagement relationship, a child of such persons, or any other person related by consanguinity or affinity within the second degree. For more information on California Family Law, can help. "Abuse" in this sense could include:

physical behavior (slapping, punching, pulling hair or shoving);
sexual assaults or harassment (unwanted fondling or intercourse, sexual jokes, and insults);
threats (threatening to hit, harm or use a weapon);
psychological abuse or harassment (attacks on self-esteem, attempts to control or limit another person's behavior, repeated insults or interrogation);
vandalism (causing damage to the car or other property of the victim);
stalking (following a person, appearing at a person's home or workplace, making repeated phone calls or leaving written messages);
cyber-stalking (repeated online action or email that causes substantial emotional distress).

Domestic violence involving bodily injury or the threat of bodily injury can result in criminal charges. A domestic violence conviction has severe consequences that may affect immigration or child custody and visitation proceedings. Domestic violence victims can seek protective orders to stop the abuse.

If you have additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact an experienced California family law firm like the San Francisco family attorneys of Lerner Poole, LLP.

Lerner Poole, LLP

Pacific Avenue, 2nd Floor
San Francisco
CA
94133

Posted at 17:16 PM

Topic: Family Law