§ 50B-1. Domestic violence; definition.
Chapter 50B.
Domestic Violence.
§ 50B‑1. Domesticviolence; definition.
(a) Domestic violencemeans the commission of one or more of the following acts upon an aggrievedparty or upon a minor child residing with or in the custody of the aggrievedparty by a person with whom the aggrieved party has or has had a personalrelationship, but does not include acts of self‑defense:
(1) Attempting to causebodily injury, or intentionally causing bodily injury; or
(2) Placing theaggrieved party or a member of the aggrieved party's family or household infear of imminent serious bodily injury or continued harassment, as defined inG.S. 14‑277.3A, that rises to such a level as to inflict substantialemotional distress; or
(3) Committing any actdefined in G.S. 14‑27.2 through G.S. 14‑27.7.
(b) For purposes ofthis section, the term "personal relationship" means a relationshipwherein the parties involved:
(1) Are current orformer spouses;
(2) Are persons ofopposite sex who live together or have lived together;
(3) Are related asparents and children, including others acting in loco parentis to a minorchild, or as grandparents and grandchildren. For purposes of this subdivision,an aggrieved party may not obtain an order of protection against a child orgrandchild under the age of 16;
(4) Have a child incommon;
(5) Are current orformer household members;
(6) Are persons of theopposite sex who are in a dating relationship or have been in a datingrelationship. For purposes of this subdivision, a dating relationship is onewherein the parties are romantically involved over time and on a continuousbasis during the course of the relationship. A casual acquaintance or ordinaryfraternization between persons in a business or social context is not a datingrelationship.
(c) As used in thisChapter, the term "protective order" includes any order enteredpursuant to this Chapter upon hearing by the court or consent of the parties. (1979, c. 561, s. 1; 1985,c. 113, s. 1; 1987, c. 828; 1987 (Reg. Sess., 1988), c. 893, ss. 1, 3; 1995(Reg. Sess., 1996), c. 591, s. 1; 1997‑471, s. 1; 2001‑518, s. 3;2003‑107, s. 1; 2009‑58, s. 5.)