English
EspañolUpdated:
December 6, 2022What is the legal definition of domestic abuse?
For purposes of getting a protection order, “domestic abuse” is defined as when someone who has a specific type of relationship to you does any of the following:
- physically hurts you, tries to physically hurt you, or puts you in fear of physical harm;
- threatens you with serious physical harm;
- physical restraint, which means s/he confines your movements or imprisons you in any way, such as locking you in a room;
- destroys or damages your property on purpose; or
- injures, attempts to injure, or puts you or your minor child in fear that s/he will injure any animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by you or your minor child.1
1 TN ST § 36-3-601(1)
