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Legal Information: Connecticut

Restraining Orders

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Updated: 
November 2, 2019

What is the legal definition of domestic violence in Connecticut?

This section defines domestic violence for the purposes of getting a restraining order (also known as a relief from abuse order).

Domestic violence is when you are subjected to one of the following by a family or household member:

  1. a continuous threat of present physical pain or physical injury;
  2. stalking; or
  3. a pattern of threatening.1  “Threatening” includes, but is not limited to, when the abuser:
  • uses a physical threat to intentionally place or attempt to place you in fear of immediate serious physical injury; or
  • threatens to commit any crime of violence with the intention of terrorizing you or with disregard to the fact that the threat can cause you to be terrorized.2

1 C.G.S. § 46b-15(a)
2 C.G.S. § 53a-62(a)

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