{"data":{"id":"us-dc/d.c.-code-16-1001","jurisdiction":"us-dc","citation":"D.C. Code § 16-1001","heading":"Definitions.","body":"For the purposes of this subchapter, the term:\n\n(1)\n“Attorney General” means the Attorney General for the District of Columbia.\n\n(2)\n“Court” means the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.\n\n(3)\n“Custodian” shall have the meaning as provided in § 16-2301(12).\n\n(4)\n“Domestic partnership” shall have the same meaning as provided in § 32-701(4).\n\n(5)\n“Domestic Violence Division” means any subdivision of the court designated by court rule, or by order of the Chief Judge of the court, to hear proceedings under this subchapter.\n\n(5A)\n\"Family member\" means a person:\n(A)\nTo whom the offender is related by blood, adoption, legal custody, marriage, or domestic partnership; or\n(B)\nWho is the child of an intimate partner.\n\n(5B)\n(A)\n\"Household member\" means a person with whom, in the past year, the offender:\n(i)\nShares or has shared a mutual residence; and\n(ii)\nHas maintained a close relationship, beyond mere acquaintances, rendering application of the statute appropriate.\n(B)\nFor the purposes of this paragraph, the term \"close relationship\" does not include a relationship based solely on a landlord-tenant relationship.\n\n(6)\n[Repealed].\n\n(6A)\n\"Intimate partner\" means a person:\n(A)\nTo whom the offender is or was married;\n(B)\nWith whom the offender is or was in a domestic partnership;\n(C)\nWith whom the offender has a child in common; or\n(D)\nWith whom the offender is, was, or is seeking to be in a romantic, dating, or sexual relationship.\n\n(7)\n[Repealed].\n\n(8)\n\"Intrafamily offense\" means:\n(A)\nAn offense punishable as a criminal offense against an intimate partner, a family member, or a household member; or\n(B)\nAn offense punishable as cruelty to animals, under § 22-1001 or § 22-1002, against an animal that an intimate partner, family member, or household member owns, possesses, or controls.\n\n(9)\n[Repealed].\n\n(10)\n“Judicial officer” means the Chief Judge, an Associate Judge, a Senior Judge, or a Magistrate Judge of the court.\n\n(11)\n“Minor” means a person under 18 years of age.\n\n(12)\n\"Petitioner\" means the person for whom a civil protection order is sought under this subchapter.\n\n(13)\n“Respondent” means any person 13 years of age or older against whom a petition for civil protection is filed under this subchapter.\n\n(14)\n\"Sexual assault\" shall have the same meaning as provided in § 23-1907(9).","path":["Title 16. Particular Actions, Proceedings and Matters. [Enacted title]","Chapter 10. Proceedings Regarding Intrafamily Offenses.","Subchapter I. Intrafamily Proceedings Generally."],"source_url":"https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/16-1001","current_through":"2026-08-20 (D.C. Law 26-175)","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-08-29T05:44:07Z","sha256":"ba617507d20309962a4c98240ce75211ada20a55044fe1c12e51eb525fe5ff7e","source_id":"us-dc","stale":false,"prev":"us-dc/d.c.-code-16-925","next":"us-dc/d.c.-code-16-1002"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}