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Legal Information: District of Columbia

Restraining Orders

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Updated: 
October 30, 2023

What is the legal definition of domestic violence in the District of Columbia?

This section defines domestic violence for the purposes of getting a civil protection order (CPO) in Washington, D.C.

You are eligible to file for a CPO against:

  1. a family member, household member, or intimate partner if s/he commits:
  2. a person regardless of your relationship with him/her if s/he commits:

Note: Crimes committed by a family member, household member, or intimate partner are called “intrafamily offenses.” You can read the definitions of family member, household member, and intimate partner in Who can get a civil protection order? You can read the definitions of some common crimes on our Crimes page.

1 D.C. Code § 16-1003(a)