Legal Statutes: North Carolina
UPDATED October 19, 2012
Back to North Carolina overview
- North Carolina General Statutes (select sections)
- Chapter 1. Civil Procedure
- Chapter 1A. Rules of Civil Procedure
- Article 2. Commencement of Action; Service of Process, Pleadings, Motions, and Orders
- Chapter 5A. Contempt
- Article 1. Criminal Contempt
- Chapter 7B. Juvenile Code
- Subchapter IV. Parental Authority; Emancipation
- Chapter 14. Criminal Law
- Subchapter III. Offenses Against the Person
- Article 7A. Rape and Other Sex Offenses
- Article 8. Assaults
- Article 10 - Kidnapping and Abduction
- Article 10A. Human Trafficking
- Subchapter IV. Offenses Against the Habitation and Other Buildings
- Article 14. Burglary and Other Housebreakings.
- Subchapter VI. Criminal Trespass
- Article 22B. First and Second Degree Trespass
- Article 23. Trespasses to Personal Property
- Subchapter VII. Offenses Against Public Morality and Decency
- Article 26. Offenses Against Public Morality and Decency
- Subchapter IX. Offenses Against the Public Peace
- Article 35. Offenses Against the Public Peace
- Subchapter XI. General Police Regulations
- Article 39. Protection of Minors
- Article 40. Protection of the Family
- Article 53B. Firearm Regulation
- Chapter 42. Landlord and Tenant
- Article 5. Residential Rental Agreements
- Chapter 50. Divorce and Alimony
- Article 1. Divorce, Alimony, and Child Support, Generally
- Chapter 50A Uniform Child-Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act
- Article 2. Uniform Child-Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act
- Chapter 50B. Domestic Violence
- Chapter 50C. Civil No-Contact Orders
- Chapter 52C. Uniform Interstate Family Support Act
- Article 3. Civil Provisions of General Application
- Article 5. Enforcement of Order of Another State Without Registration
- Article 6. Enforcement and Modification of Support Order After Registration
- Part 1. Registration and Enforcement of Support Order
- Part 3. Registration and Modification of Child Support Order
- Chapter 110. Child Welfare
Chapter 50B. Domestic Violence
back to top50B-1. Domestic violence; definition
(a) Domestic violence means the commission of one or more of the following acts upon an aggrieved party or upon a minor child residing with or in the custody of the aggrieved party by a person with whom the aggrieved party has or has had a personal relationship, but does not include acts of self-defense:
(1) Attempting to cause bodily injury, or intentionally causing bodily injury; or
(2) Placing the aggrieved party or a member of the aggrieved party's family or household in fear of imminent serious bodily injury or continued harassment, as defined in G.S. 14-277.3A, that rises to such a level as to inflict substantial emotional distress; or.
(3) Committing any act defined in G.S. 14-27.2 through G.S. 14-27.7.
(b) For purposes of this section, the “term personal relationship” means a relationship wherein the parties involved:
(1) Are current or former spouses;
(2) Are persons of opposite sex who live together or have lived together;
(3) Are related as parents and children, including others acting in loco parentis to a minor child, or as grandparents and grandchildren. For purposes of this subdivision, an aggrieved party may not obtain an order of protection against a child or grandchild under the age of 16;
(4) Have a child in common;
(5) Are current or former household members;
(6) Are persons of the opposite sex who are in a dating relationship or have been in a dating relationship. For purposes of this subdivision, a dating relationship is one wherein the parties are romantically involved over time and on a continuous basis during the course of the relationship. A casual acquaintance or ordinary fraternization between persons in a business or social context is not a dating relationship.
(c) As used in this Chapter, the term “protective order” includes any order entered pursuant to this Chapter upon hearing by the court or consent of the parties.
1979, c. 561, § 1. 1985, c. 113, § 1; Laws 1987, c. 828; Laws 1987 (Reg. Sess., 1988), c. 893, §§ 1, 3; Laws 1995 (Reg. Sess., 1996), c. 591, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 1996; S.L. 1997-471, § 1, eff. Dec. 1, 1997; S.L. 2001-518, § 3, eff. March 1, 2002; S.L. 2003-107, § 1, eff. May 31, 2003; S.L. 2009-58, § 5, eff. June 5, 2009.