The statute protects not only present spouses but also former spouses.
Additionally, the Act embraces acts “by a person of the opposite sex with whom the aggrieved party lives or has lived as if married”, persons “related as parents and children, including others acting in loco parentis to a minor child, or as grandparents and grandchildren”, persons who “have a child in common”, persona who “are current or former household members”, and “persons of the opposite sex who are in a dating relationship or have been in a dating relationship”. A current marriage is, therefore, not a prerequisite to bringing an action under the domestic violence statute.
For purposes of this statute, 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.
Lee is the founder of Rosen Law Firm and, while retired, still lives on through this website, a huge repository of information to help educate people about family law. It demystifies the divorce process, sharing the secrets and information that other lawyers normally try to keep hidden. Today, this website contains a vast assortment of webinars, legal forms, statutes, Q&As with lawyers, audio and video courses, articles, and lots more.
