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HomeFamily CodeDiv. 10Pt. 4Ch. 2Art. 1§ 6320 Domestic Violence Protective Orders

§ 6320 Domestic Violence Protective Orders

Family Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 6320 Domestic Violence Protective Orders

This law lets a court quickly order someone to stop hurting, threatening, or bothering another person or their pets. It also protects people from being controlled or scared in their own home.

Key Takeaways

  • •This law helps protect people (and their pets) from abuse, threats, or being controlled by someone they live with or used to live with.
  • •The judge can make the abuser stay away, stop calling or messaging, and leave pets alone.
  • •It covers scary behavior like stopping someone from seeing friends, taking their money, or forcing them to do things they don’t want to do.
  • •You can get this order fast, without the other person being there first, if you’re in danger.

Example

If your spouse is threatening you, won't let you see your friends, and breaks your phone so you can't call for help, you can ask a judge for an emergency order to make them stop and stay away.

The judge can tell them to leave you alone, not come near you, and even let you keep the family dog safe. If they don’t follow the order, they can get in big trouble.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 6320 Domestic Violence Protective Orders

(a) The court may issue an ex parte order enjoining a party from molesting, attacking, striking, stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering, credibly impersonating as described in Section 528.5 of the Penal Code, falsely personating as described in Section 529 of the Penal Code, harassing, telephoning, including, but not limited to, making annoying telephone calls as described in Section 653m of the Penal Code, destroying personal property, contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or otherwise, coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of the other party, and, in the discretion of the court, on a showing of good cause, of other named family or household members. (b) On a showing of good cause, the court may include in a protective order a grant to the petitioner of the exclusive care, possession, or control of any animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by either the petitioner or the respondent or a minor child residing in the residence or household of either the petitioner or the respondent. The court may order the respondent to stay away from the animal and forbid the respondent from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal. (c) As used in this subdivision (a), “disturbing the peace of the other party” refers to conduct that, based on the totality of the circumstances, destroys the mental or emotional calm of the other party. This conduct may be committed directly or indirectly, including through the use of a third party, and by any method or through any means including, but not limited to, telephone, online accounts, text messages, internet-connected devices, or other electronic technologies. This conduct includes, but is not limited to, coercive control, which is a pattern of behavior that in purpose or effect unreasonably interferes with a person’s free will and personal liberty. Examples of coercive control include, but are not limited to, unreasonably engaging in any of the following: (1) Isolating the other party from friends, relatives, or other sources of support. (2) Depriving the other party of basic necessities. (3) Controlling, regulating, or monitoring the other party’s movements, communications, daily behavior, finances, economic resources, or access to services. (4) Compelling the other party by force, threat of force, or intimidation, including threats based on actual or suspected immigration status, to engage in conduct from which the other party has a right to abstain or to abstain from conduct in which the other party has a right to engage. (5) Engaging in reproductive coercion, which consists of control over the reproductive autonomy of another through force, threat of force, or intimidation, and may include, but is not limited to, unreasonably pressuring the other party to become pregnant, deliberately interfering with contraception use or access to reproductive health information, or using coercive tactics to control, or attempt to control, pregnancy outcomes. (d) This section does not limit any remedies available under this act or any other provision of law. (Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 135, Sec. 1. (SB 374) Effective January 1, 2022.)

Last verified: January 9, 2026

Key Terms

possessionpropertymotionrespondentnetportpetitionerlease

Related Statutes

  • § 17402 Child Support Reimbursement Obligation
  • § 17522 Child Support Levy Enforcement
  • § 17400 Child Support Agency Duties
  • § 17406 Child Support Agency Representation
  • § 17416 Child Support Agreement Judgment

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Family Code. Section 6320.
View Official Source