{"id":372275,"date":"2016-04-11T01:21:50","date_gmt":"2016-04-11T06:21:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/state\/dc-law\/district-of-columbia-domestic-violence-laws1.html"},"modified":"2016-06-30T17:51:39","modified_gmt":"2016-06-30T22:51:39","slug":"district-of-columbia-domestic-violence-laws1","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/dc-law\/district-of-columbia-domestic-violence-laws1.html","title":{"rendered":"District of Columbia Domestic Violence Laws"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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District of Columbia Domestic Violence Laws<\/h1>\n
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Created by FindLaw’s team<\/a> of legal writers and editors<\/i><\/p>\n\n | Last updated\n

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Victims of domestic violence<\/a> often feel trapped, with nowhere to go. Since abusers tend to live in the same house as the victim, finding a safe place can feel nearly impossible. The District of Columbia’s family law<\/a> on domestic violence provides victims with protection orders to force an abuser to immediately leave a shared house. This is a quick summary of family law on domestic violence in the District of Columbia.<\/p>\n

Obtaining Safety from Domestic Violence in the District of Columbia: Overview<\/h2>\n

Under District of Columbia law, domestic violence is labeled as an "intrafamily offense<\/a>." This crime is characterized as either interpersonal, intimate partner, or intrafamily violence. The following table outlines the specifics of the district’s law on domestic violence.<\/p>\n\n
Code Sections<\/b><\/td>\n

District of Columbia Official Code \u00a716-1000<\/a>: Intrafamily Proceedings<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>

What’s Prohibited?<\/b><\/td>\n

"Interpersonal violence<\/a>" is a criminal act committed by an offender upon a person:<\/p>\n

Protection Order<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

A judicial officer may issue a protection order<\/a> if he or she finds good cause to believe the respondent has committed a criminal offense against the petitioner or any animals in the petitioner’s household. <\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>

Temporary Restraining Order<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

If a judicial officer finds that the safety or welfare of the petitioner is immediately endangered by the respondent, the judicial officer may issue an immediate temporary protection order<\/a>.<\/p>\n

An initial temporary protection order may not exceed 14 days. The court may extend a temporary protection order in additional 14 day increments with the consent of the parties until a hearing on the petition is completed.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n

Protection Order: Notice and Hearing<\/h2>\n

Upon a filing a petition for civil protection, the court must set a time for a hearing<\/a>. The offenders must be properly served with a notice<\/a> before the date of the hearing. After a hearing, if the court finds that there is good cause to believe the offender has committed or threatened to commit a criminal offense against the petitioner or an animal in the petitioner’s household, the judicial officer may issue a protection order that:<\/p>\n