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Legal Information: South Carolina

Statutes: South Carolina

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Updated: 
November 13, 2023

16-25-10. Definitions

As used in this article, the term:
(1) “Deadly weapon” means any pistol, dirk, slingshot, metal knuckles, razor, or other instrument which can be used to inflict deadly force.
(2) “Great bodily injury” means bodily injury which causes a substantial risk of death or which causes serious, permanent disfigurement or protracted loss or impairment of the function of a bodily member or organ.
(3) “Household member” means:
(a) a spouse;
(b) a former spouse;
(c) persons who have a child in common; or
(d) a male and female who are cohabiting or formerly have cohabited.
(4) “Moderate bodily injury” means physical injury that involves prolonged loss of consciousness or that causes temporary or moderate disfigurement or temporary loss of the function of a bodily member or organ or injury that requires medical treatment when the treatment requires the use of regional or general anesthesia or injury that results in a fracture or dislocation. Moderate bodily injury does not include one-time treatment and subsequent observation of scratches, cuts, abrasions, bruises, burns, splinters, or any other minor injuries that do not ordinarily require extensive medical care.
(5) “Prior conviction of domestic violence” includes conviction of any crime, in any state, containing among its elements those enumerated in, or substantially similar to those enumerated in, Section 16-25-20(A) that is committed against a household member as defined in item (3) within the ten years prior to the incident date of the current offense.
(6) “Protection order” means any order of protection, restraining order, condition of bond, or any other similar order issued in this State or another state or foreign jurisdiction for the purpose of protecting a household member.
(7) “Firearm” means a pistol, revolver, rifle, shotgun, machine gun, submachine gun, or an assault rifle which is designed to fire or is capable of firing fixed cartridge ammunition or from which a shot or projectile is discharged by an explosive but does not include an antique firearm as defined in 18 U.S.C. 921(a)(16).