Restraining Orders

This section defines domestic violence for the purposes of getting a domestic violence protective order.

Under Mississippi law, “abuse” means the occurrence of one or more of the following acts between spouses, former spouses, persons living as spouses or who formerly lived as spouses, persons having a child in common, other relatives who live together or formerly lived together or between people who have a current or former dating relationship:

• attempting to cause or intentionally, knowingly or recklessly causing bodily injury or serious bodily injury with or without a deadly weapon;
• placing, by physical menace or threat, another in fear of imminent serious bodily injury;
• criminal sexual conduct committed against a minor;
• stalking;
• cyberstalking;
• statutory rape;
• rape by force or by drugging the victim; and
• sexual battery.¹

Note: “Abuse” does not include any act of self-defense.¹

¹ MS Code § 93-21-3(a)