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Read the Orange County Domestic Violence blog section of Staycie Sena's Orange County criminal lawyer blog.
SPOUSAL ABUSE LAWS
Penal Code section 243(e)(1)- Simple Spousal Abuse
A battery is punishable by a fine not exceeding two
thousand dollars ($2,000), or by imprisonment in a county jail not
exceeding six months, or by both that fine and imprisonment… When a battery is committed against a spouse, a person
with whom the defendant is cohabiting, a person who is the parent of
the defendant's child, former spouse, fiance, or fiancee, or a person
with whom the defendant currently has, or has previously had, a
dating or engagement relationship, the battery is punishable by a
fine not exceeding two thousand dollars ($2,000), or by imprisonment
in a county jail for a period of not more than one year, or by both
that fine and imprisonment. If probation is granted, or the
execution or imposition of the sentence is suspended, it shall be a
condition thereof that the defendant participate in, for no less than
one year, and successfully complete, a batterer's treatment program,
as defined in Section 1203.097, or if none is available, another
appropriate counseling program designated by the court. However,
this provision shall not be construed as requiring a city, a county,
or a city and county to provide a new program or higher level of
service as contemplated by Section 6 of Article XIIIB of the
California Constitution.
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Penal Code section 273.5- Spousal Abuse with Injury
273.5. (a) Any person who willfully inflicts upon a person who is
his or her spouse, former spouse, cohabitant, former cohabitant, or
the mother or father of his or her child, corporal injury resulting
in a traumatic condition, is guilty of a felony, and upon conviction
thereof shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for
two, three, or four years, or in a county jail for not more than one
year, or by a fine of up to six thousand dollars ($6,000) or by both
that fine and imprisonment.
(b) Holding oneself out to be the husband or wife of the person
with whom one is cohabiting is not necessary to constitute
cohabitation as the term is used in this section.
(c) As used in this section, "traumatic condition" means a
condition of the body, such as a wound or external or internal
injury, whether of a minor or serious nature, caused by a physical
force.
(d) For the purpose of this section, a person shall be considered
the father or mother of another person's child if the alleged male
parent is presumed the natural father under Sections 7611 and 7612 of
the Family Code.
(e) (1) Any person convicted of violating this section for acts
occurring within seven years of a previous conviction under
subdivision (a), or subdivision (d) of Section 243, or Section 243.4,
244, 244.5, or 245, shall be punished by imprisonment in a county
jail for not more than one year, or by imprisonment in the state
prison for two, four, or five years, or by both imprisonment and a
fine of up to ten thousand dollars ($10,000).
(2) Any person convicted of a violation of this section for acts
occurring within seven years of a previous conviction under
subdivision
(e) of Section 243 shall be punished by imprisonment in
the state prison for two, three, or four years, or in a county jail
for not more than one year, or by a fine of up to ten thousand
dollars ($10,000), or by both that imprisonment and fine.
(f) If probation is granted to any person convicted under
subdivision (a), the court shall impose probation consistent with the
provisions of Section 1203.097.
(g) If probation is granted, or the execution or imposition of a
sentence is suspended, for any defendant convicted under subdivision
(a) who has been convicted of any prior offense specified in
subdivision (e), the court shall impose one of the following
conditions of probation:
(1) If the defendant has suffered one prior conviction within the
previous seven years for a violation of any offense specified in
subdivision (e), it shall be a condition thereof, in addition to the
provisions contained in Section 1203.097, that he or she be imprisoned in a county jail for not less than 15 days.
(2) If the defendant has suffered two or more prior convictions
within the previous seven years for a violation of any offense
specified in subdivision (e), it shall be a condition of probation,
in addition to the provisions contained in Section 1203.097, that he
or she be imprisoned in a county jail for not less than 60 days.
(3) The court, upon a showing of good cause, may find that the
mandatory imprisonment required by this subdivision shall not be
imposed and shall state on the record its reasons for finding good
cause.
(h) If probation is granted upon conviction of a violation of
subdivision (a), the conditions of probation may include, consistent
with the terms of probation imposed pursuant to Section 1203.097, in
lieu of a fine, one or both of the following requirements:
(1) That the defendant make payments to a battered women's
shelter, up to a maximum of five thousand dollars ($5,000), pursuant
to Section 1203.097.
(2) That the defendant reimburse the victim for reasonable costs
of counseling and other reasonable expenses that the court finds are
the direct result of the defendant's offense.
For any order to pay a fine, make payments to a battered women's
shelter, or pay restitution as a condition of probation under this
subdivision, the court shall make a determination of the defendant's
ability to pay. In no event shall any order to make payments to a
battered women's shelter be made if it would impair the ability of
the defendant to pay direct restitution to the victim or
court-ordered child support. Where the injury to a married person is
caused in whole or in part by the criminal acts of his or her spouse
in violation of this section, the community property may not be used
to discharge the liability of the offending spouse for restitution
to the injured spouse, required by Section 1203.04, as operative on
or before August 2, 1995, or Section 1202.4, or to a shelter for
costs with regard to the injured spouse and dependents, required by
this section, until all separate property of the offending spouse is
exhausted.
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ASSAULT AND BATTERY
Penal Code section 240 (Simple Assault)
An assault is an unlawful attempt, coupled with a present
ability, to commit a violent injury on the person of another.
An assault is punishable by a fine not exceeding one
thousand dollars ($1,000), or by imprisonment in the county jail not
exceeding six months, or by both the fine and imprisonment.
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Penal Code section 242 (Simple Battery)
A battery is any willful and unlawful use of force or violence
upon the person of another.
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Penal Code section 245 (Assault with a deadly weapon/ bodily injury)
(a) (1) Any person who commits an assault upon the person of
another with a deadly weapon or instrument other than a firearm or by
any means of force likely to produce great bodily injury shall be
punished by imprisonment in the state prison for two, three, or four
years, or in a county jail for not exceeding one year, or by a fine
not exceeding ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or by both the fine and
imprisonment.
(2) Any person who commits an assault upon the person of another
with a firearm shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison
for two, three, or four years, or in a county jail for not less than
six months and not exceeding one year, or by both a fine not
exceeding ten thousand dollars ($10,000) and imprisonment.
(3) Any person who commits an assault upon the person of another
with a machine gun, as defined in Section 12200, or an assault weapon,
as defined in Section 12276 or 12276.1, or a .50 BMG rifle, as
defined in Section 12278, shall be punished by imprisonment in the
state prison for 4, 8, or 12 years.
(b) Any person who commits an assault upon the person of another
with a semiautomatic firearm shall be punished by imprisonment in the
state prison for three, six, or nine years.
(c) Any person who commits an assault with a deadly weapon or
instrument, other than a firearm, or by any means likely to produce
great bodily injury upon the person of a peace officer or
firefighter, and who knows or reasonably should know that the victim
is a peace officer or firefighter engaged in the performance of his
or her duties, when the peace officer or firefighter is engaged in
the performance of his or her duties, shall be punished by
imprisonment in the state prison for three, four, or five years.
(d) (1) Any person who commits an assault with a firearm upon the
person of a peace officer or firefighter, and who knows or reasonably
should know that the victim is a peace officer or firefighter
engaged in the performance of his or her duties, when the peace
officer or firefighter is engaged in the performance of his or her
duties, shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for
four, six, or eight years.
(2) Any person who commits an assault upon the person of a peace
officer or firefighter with a semiautomatic firearm and who knows or
reasonably should know that the victim is a peace officer or
firefighter engaged in the performance of his or her duties, when the
peace officer or firefighter is engaged in the performance of his or
her duties, shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison
for five, seven, or nine years.
(3) Any person who commits an assault with a machine gun, as
defined in Section 12200, or an assault weapon, as defined in Section
12276 or 12276.1, or a .50 BMG rifle, as defined in Section 12278,
upon the person of a peace officer or firefighter, and who knows or
reasonably should know that the victim is a peace officer or
firefighter engaged in the performance of his or her duties, shall be
punished by imprisonment in the state prison for 6, 9, or 12 years.
(e) When a person is convicted of a violation of this section in a
case involving use of a deadly weapon or instrument or firearm, and
the weapon or instrument or firearm is owned by that person, the
court shall order that the weapon or instrument or firearm be deemed
a nuisance, and it shall be confiscated and disposed of in the manner
provided by Section 12028.
(f) As used in this section, "peace officer" refers to any person
designated as a peace officer in Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section
830) of Title 3 of Part 2.
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CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT LAWS
Penal Code section 273a (Child abuse or neglect)
(a) Any person who, under circumstances or conditions likely
to produce great bodily harm or death, willfully causes or permits
any child to suffer, or inflicts thereon unjustifiable physical pain
or mental suffering, or having the care or custody of any child,
willfully causes or permits the person or health of that child to be
injured, or willfully causes or permits that child to be placed in a
situation where his or her person or health is endangered, shall be
punished by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year, or
in the state prison for two, four, or six years.
(b) Any person who, under circumstances or conditions other than
those likely to produce great bodily harm or death, willfully causes
or permits any child to suffer, or inflicts thereon unjustifiable
physical pain or mental suffering, or having the care or custody of
any child, willfully causes or permits the person or health of that
child to be injured, or willfully causes or permits that child to be
placed in a situation where his or her person or health may be
endangered, is guilty of a misdemeanor.
(c) If a person is convicted of violating this section and
probation is granted, the court shall require the following minimum
conditions of probation:
(1) A mandatory minimum period of probation of 48 months.
(2) A criminal court protective order protecting the victim from
further acts of violence or threats, and, if appropriate, residence
exclusion or stay-away conditions.
(3) (A) Successful completion of no less than one year of a child
abuser's treatment counseling program approved by the probation
department. The defendant shall be ordered to begin participation in
the program immediately upon the grant of probation. The counseling
program shall meet the criteria specified in Section 273.1. The
defendant shall produce documentation of program enrollment to the
court within 30 days of enrollment, along with quarterly progress
reports.
(B) The terms of probation for offenders shall not be lifted until
all reasonable fees due to the counseling program have been paid in
full, but in no case shall probation be extended beyond the term
provided in subdivision (a) of Section 1203.1. If the court finds
that the defendant does not have the ability to pay the fees based on
the defendant's changed circumstances, the court may reduce or waive
the fees.
(4) If the offense was committed while the defendant was under the
influence of drugs or alcohol, the defendant shall abstain from the
use of drugs or alcohol during the period of probation and shall be
subject to random drug testing by his or her probation officer.
(5) The court may waive any of the above minimum conditions of
probation upon a finding that the condition would not be in the best
interests of justice. The court shall state on the record its
reasons for any waiver.
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Penal Code section 273ab (Child abuse of child under 8 years old)
Any person who, having the care or custody of a child who is
under eight years of age, assaults the child by means of force that
to a reasonable person would be likely to produce great bodily
injury, resulting in the child's death, shall be punished by
imprisonment in the state prison for 25 years to life. Nothing in
this section shall be construed as affecting the applicability of
subdivision (a) of Section 187 or Section 189.
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Penal Code section 273d (Child abuse- corporal punishment)
(a) Any person who willfully inflicts upon a child any cruel
or inhuman corporal punishment or an injury resulting in a traumatic
condition is guilty of a felony and shall be punished by imprisonment
in the state prison for two, four, or six years, or in a county jail
for not more than one year, by a fine of up to six thousand dollars
($6,000), or by both that imprisonment and fine.
(b) Any person who is found guilty of violating subdivision (a)
shall receive a four-year enhancement for a prior conviction of that
offense provided that no additional term shall be imposed under this
subdivision for any prison term served prior to a period of 10 years
in which the defendant remained free of both prison custody and the
commission of an offense that results in a felony conviction.
(c) If a person is convicted of violating this section and
probation is granted, the court shall require the following minimum
conditions of probation:
(1) A mandatory minimum period of probation of 36 months.
(2) A criminal court protective order protecting the victim from
further acts of violence or threats, and, if appropriate, residence
exclusion or stay-away conditions.
(3) (A) Successful completion of no less than one year of a child
abuser's treatment counseling program. The defendant shall be
ordered to begin participation in the program immediately upon the
grant of probation. The counseling program shall meet the criteria
specified in Section 273.1. The defendant shall produce
documentation of program enrollment to the court within 30 days of
enrollment, along with quarterly progress reports.
(B) The terms of probation for offenders shall not be lifted until
all reasonable fees due to the counseling program have been paid in
full, but in no case shall probation be extended beyond the term
provided in subdivision (a) of Section 1203.1. If the court finds
that the defendant does not have the ability to pay the fees based on
the defendant's changed circumstances, the court may reduce or waive the fees.
(4) If the offense was committed while the defendant was under the
influence of drugs or alcohol, the defendant shall abstain from the
use of drugs or alcohol during the period of probation and shall be
subject to random drug testing by his or her probation officer.
(5) The court may waive any of the above minimum conditions of
probation upon a finding that the condition would not be in the best
interests of justice. The court shall state on the record its
reasons for any waiver.
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RESTRAINING ORDER LAWS
Penal Code section 273.6 (Violation of a protective order)
(a) Any intentional and knowing violation of a protective
order, as defined in Section 6218 of the Family Code, or of an order
issued pursuant to Section 527.6 or 527.8 of the Code of Civil
Procedure, or Section 15657.03 of the Welfare and Institutions Code,
is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than one thousand
dollars ($1,000), or by imprisonment in a county jail for not more
than one year, or by both that fine and imprisonment.
(b) In the event of a violation of subdivision (a) which results
in physical injury, the person shall be punished by a fine of not
more than two thousand dollars ($2,000), or by imprisonment in a
county jail for not less than 30 days nor more than one year, or by
both that fine and imprisonment. However, if the person is
imprisoned in a county jail for at least 48 hours, the court may, in
the interest of justice and for reasons stated on the record, reduce
or eliminate the 30-day minimum imprisonment required by this
subdivision. In determining whether to reduce or eliminate the
minimum imprisonment pursuant to this subdivision, the court shall
consider the seriousness of the facts before the court, whether there
are additional allegations of a violation of the order during the
pendency of the case before the court, the probability of future
violations, the safety of the victim, and whether the defendant has
successfully completed or is making progress with counseling.
(c) Subdivisions (a) and (b) shall apply to the following court
orders:
(1) Any order issued pursuant to Section 6320 or 6389 of the
Family Code.
(2) An order excluding one party from the family dwelling or from
the dwelling of the other.
(3) An order enjoining a party from specified behavior which the
court determined was necessary to effectuate the order described in
subdivision (a).
(4) Any order issued by another state that is recognized under
Part 5 (commencing with Section 6400) of Division 10 of the Family
Code.
(d) A subsequent conviction for a violation of an order described
in subdivision (a), occurring within seven years of a prior
conviction for a violation of an order described in subdivision (a)
and involving an act of violence or "a credible threat" of violence,
as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 139, is punishable by
imprisonment in a county jail not to exceed one year, or in the state
prison.
(e) In the event of a subsequent conviction for a violation of an
order described in subdivision (a) for an act occurring within one
year of a prior conviction for a violation of an order described in
subdivision (a) that results in physical injury to a victim, the
person shall be punished by a fine of not more than two thousand
dollars ($2,000), or by imprisonment in a county jail for not less
than six months nor more than one year, by both that fine and
imprisonment, or by imprisonment in the state prison. However, if
the person is imprisoned in a county jail for at least 30 days, the
court may, in the interest of justice and for reasons stated in the
record, reduce or eliminate the six-month minimum imprisonment
required by this subdivision. In determining whether to reduce or
eliminate the minimum imprisonment pursuant to this subdivision, the
court shall consider the seriousness of the facts before the court,
whether there are additional allegations of a violation of the order
during the pendency of the case before the court, the probability of
future violations, the safety of the victim, and whether the
defendant has successfully completed or is making progress with
counseling.
(f) The prosecuting agency of each county shall have the primary
responsibility for the enforcement of orders described in
subdivisions (a), (b), (d), and (e).
(g) (1) Every person who owns, possesses, purchases, or receives a
firearm knowing he or she is prohibited from doing so by the
provisions of a protective order as defined in Section 136.2 of this
code, Section 6218 of the Family Code, or Section 527.6 or 527.8 of
the Code of Civil Procedure, or Section 15657.03 of the Welfare and
Institutions Code, shall be punished under the provisions of
subdivision (g) of Section 12021.
(2) Every person subject to a protective order described in
paragraph (1) shall not be prosecuted under this section for owning,
possessing, purchasing, or receiving a firearm to the extent that
firearm is granted an exemption pursuant to subdivision (f) of
Section 527.9 of the Code of Civil Procedure, or subdivision (h) of
Section 6389 of the Family Code.
(h) If probation is granted upon conviction of a violation of
subdivision (a), (b), (c), (d), or (e), the court shall impose
probation consistent with the provisions of Section 1203.097, and the
conditions of probation may include, in lieu of a fine, one or both
of the following requirements:
(1) That the defendant make payments to a battered women's shelter
or to a shelter for abused elder persons or dependent adults, up to
a maximum of five thousand dollars ($5,000), pursuant to Section
1203.097.
(2) That the defendant reimburse the victim for reasonable costs
of counseling and other reasonable expenses that the court finds are
the direct result of the defendant's offense.
(i) For any order to pay a fine, make payments to a battered women'
s shelter, or pay restitution as a condition of probation under
subdivision (e), the court shall make a determination of the
defendant's ability to pay. In no event shall any order to make
payments to a battered women's shelter be made if it would impair the
ability of the defendant to pay direct restitution to the victim or
court-ordered child support. Where the injury to a married person is
caused in whole or in part by the criminal acts of his or her spouse
in violation of this section, the community property may not be used
to discharge the liability of the offending spouse for restitution
to the injured spouse, required by Section 1203.04, as operative on
or before August 2, 1995, or Section 1202.4, or to a shelter for
costs with regard to the injured spouse and dependents, required by
this section, until all separate property of the offending spouse is
exhausted.
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OTHER DOMESTIC VIOLENCE LAWS
Penal Code section 415 (Disturbing the Peace)
Any of the following persons shall be punished by imprisonment
in the county jail for a period of not more than 90 days, a fine of
not more than four hundred dollars ($400), or both such imprisonment
and fine:
(1) Any person who unlawfully fights in a public place or
challenges another person in a public place to fight.
(2) Any person who maliciously and willfully disturbs another
person by loud and unreasonable noise.
(3) Any person who uses offensive words in a public place which
are inherently likely to provoke an immediate violent reaction.
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Penal Code section 591 (Interfering with phone usage)
A person who unlawfully and maliciously takes down, removes,
injures, or obstructs any line of telegraph, telephone, or cable
television, or any other line used to conduct electricity, or any
part thereof, or appurtenances or apparatus connected therewith, or
severs any wire thereof, or makes any unauthorized connection with
any line, other than a telegraph, telephone, or cable television
line, used to conduct electricity, or any part thereof, or
appurtenances or apparatus connected therewith, is punishable by
imprisonment in the state prison, or by a fine not exceeding five
hundred dollars ($500), or imprisonment in the county jail not
exceeding one year.
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Penal Code section 594 (Vandalism)
(a) Every person who maliciously commits any of the following
acts with respect to any real or personal property not his or her
own, in cases other than those specified by state law, is guilty of
vandalism:
(1) Defaces with graffiti or other inscribed material.
(2) Damages.
(3) Destroys.
Whenever a person violates this subdivision with respect to real
property, vehicles, signs, fixtures, furnishings, or property
belonging to any public entity, as defined by Section 811.2 of the
Government Code, or the federal government, it shall be a ermissive
inference that the person neither owned the property nor had the
permission of the owner to deface, damage, or destroy the property.
(b) (1) If the amount of defacement, damage, or destruction is
four hundred dollars ($400) or more, vandalism is punishable by
imprisonment in the state prison or in a county jail not exceeding
one year, or by a fine of not more than ten thousand dollars
($10,000), or if the amount of defacement, damage, or destruction is
ten thousand dollars ($10,000) or more, by a fine of not more than
fifty thousand dollars ($50,000), or by both that fine and imprisonment.
(2) (A) If the amount of defacement, damage, or destruction is
less than four hundred dollars ($400), vandalism is punishable by
imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year, or by a fine of
not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), or by both that fine
and imprisonment.
(B) If the amount of defacement, damage, or destruction is less
than four hundred dollars ($400), and the defendant has been
previously convicted of vandalism or affixing graffiti or other
inscribed material under Section 594, 594.3, 594.4, 640.5, 640.6, or
640.7, vandalism is punishable by imprisonment in a county jail for
not more than one year, or by a fine of not more than five thousand
dollars ($5,000), or by both that fine and imprisonment.
(c) Upon conviction of any person under this section for acts of
vandalism consisting of defacing property with graffiti or other
inscribed materials, the court may, in addition to any punishment
imposed under subdivision (b), order the defendant to clean up,
repair, or replace the damaged property himself or herself, or order
the defendant, and his or her parents or guardians if the defendant
is a minor, to keep the damaged property or another specified
property in the community free of graffiti for up to one year.
Participation of a parent or guardian is not required under this
subdivision if the court deems this participation to be detrimental
to the defendant, or if the parent or guardian is a single parent who
must care for young children.
(d) If a minor is personally unable to pay a fine levied for acts
prohibited by this section, the parent of that minor shall be liable
for payment of the fine. A court may waive payment of the fine, or
any part thereof, by the parent upon a finding of good cause.
(e) As used in this section, the term "graffiti or other inscribed
material" includes any unauthorized inscription, word, figure, mark,
or design, that is written, marked, etched, scratched, drawn, or
painted on real or personal property.
(f) The court may order any person ordered to perform community
service or graffiti removal pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision
(c) to undergo counseling.
(g) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2002.
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Penal Code section 136.1 (Intimidating a witness)
(a) Except as provided in subdivision (c), any person who
does any of the following is guilty of a public offense and shall be
punished by imprisonment in a county jail for not more than one year
or in the state prison:
(1) Knowingly and maliciously prevents or dissuades any witness or
victim from attending or giving testimony at any trial, proceeding,
or inquiry authorized by law.
(2) Knowingly and maliciously attempts to prevent or dissuade any
witness or victim from attending or giving testimony at any trial,
proceeding, or inquiry authorized by law.
(3) For purposes of this section, evidence that the defendant was
a family member who interceded in an effort to protect the witness or
victim shall create a presumption that the act was without malice.
(b) Except as provided in subdivision (c), every person who
attempts to prevent or dissuade another person who has been the
victim of a crime or who is witness to a crime from doing any of the
following is guilty of a public offense and shall be punished by
imprisonment in a county jail for not more than one year or in the
state prison:
(1) Making any report of that victimization to any peace officer
or state or local law enforcement officer or probation or parole or
correctional officer or prosecuting agency or to any judge.
(2) Causing a complaint, indictment, information, probation or
parole violation to be sought and prosecuted, and assisting in the
prosecution thereof.
(3) Arresting or causing or seeking the arrest of any person in
connection with that victimization.
(c) Every person doing any of the acts described in subdivision
(a) or (b) knowingly and maliciously under any one or more of the
following circumstances, is guilty of a felony punishable by
imprisonment in the state prison for two, three, or four years under
any of the following circumstances:
(1) Where the act is accompanied by force or by an express or
implied threat of force or violence, upon a witness or victim or any
third person or the property of any victim, witness, or any third
person.
(2) Where the act is in furtherance of a conspiracy.
(3) Where the act is committed by any person who has been
convicted of any violation of this section, any predecessor law
hereto or any federal statute or statute of any other state which, if
the act prosecuted was committed in this state, would be a violation
of this section.
(4) Where the act is committed by any person for pecuniary gain or
for any other consideration acting upon the request of any other
person. All parties to such a transaction are guilty of a felony.
(d) Every person attempting the commission of any act described in
subdivisions (a), (b), and (c) is guilty of the offense attempted
without regard to success or failure of the attempt. The fact that
no person was injured physically, or in fact intimidated, shall be no
defense against any prosecution under this section.
(e) Nothing in this section precludes the imposition of an
enhancement for great bodily injury where the injury inflicted is
significant or substantial.
(f) The use of force during the commission of any offense
described in subdivision (c) shall be considered a circumstance in
aggravation of the crime in imposing a term of imprisonment under
subdivision (b) of Section 1170.
136.2. (a) Except as provided in subdivision (c), upon a good
cause belief that harm to, or intimidation or dissuasion of, a victim
or witness has occurred or is reasonably likely to occur, any court
with jurisdiction over a criminal matter may issue orders including,
but not limited to, the following:
(1) Any order issued pursuant to Section 6320 of the Family Code.
(2) An order that a defendant shall not violate any provision of
Section 136.1.
(3) An order that a person before the court other than a
defendant, including, but not limited to, a subpoenaed witness or
other person entering the courtroom of the court, shall not violate
any provisions of Section 136.1.
(4) An order that any person described in this section shall have
no communication whatsoever with any specified witness or any victim,
except through an attorney under any reasonable restrictions that
the court may impose.
(5) An order calling for a hearing to determine if an order as
described in paragraphs (1) to (4), inclusive, should be issued.
(6) An order that a particular law enforcement agency within the
jurisdiction of the court provide protection for a victim or a
witness, or both, or for immediate family members of a victim or a
witness who reside in the same household as the victim or witness or
within reasonable proximity of the victim's or witness' household, as
determined by the court. The order shall not be made without the
consent of the law enforcement agency except for limited and
specified periods of time and upon an express finding by the court of
a clear and present danger of harm to the victim or witness or
immediate family members of the victim or witness.
For purposes of this paragraph, "immediate family members" include
the spouse, children, or parents of the victim or witness.
(7) (A) Any order protecting victims of violent crime from all
contact by the defendant, or contact, with the intent to annoy,
harass, threaten, or commit acts of violence, by the defendant. The
court or its designee shall transmit orders made under this paragraph
to law enforcement personnel within one business day of the
issuance, modification, extension, or termination of the order,
pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 6380 of the Family Code. It
is the responsibility of the court to transmit the modification,
extension, or termination orders made under this paragraph to the
same agency that entered the original protective order into the
Domestic Violence Restraining Order System.
(B) (i) If a court does not issue an order pursuant to
subparagraph (A) in a case in which the defendant is charged with a
crime of domestic violence as defined in Section 13700, the court on
its own motion shall consider issuing a protective order upon a good
cause belief that harm to, or intimidation or dissuasion of, a victim
or witness has occurred or is reasonably likely to occur, that
provides as follows:
(I) The defendant shall not own, possess, purchase, receive, or
attempt to purchase or receive, a firearm while the protective order
is in effect.
(II) The defendant shall relinquish any firearms that he or she
owns or possesses pursuant to Section 527.9 of the Code of Civil
Procedure.
(ii) Every person who owns, possesses, purchases, or receives, or
attempts to purchase or receive, a firearm while this protective
order is in effect is punishable pursuant to subdivision (g) of
Section 12021.
(C) Any order issued, modified, extended, or terminated by a court
pursuant to this paragraph shall be issued on forms adopted by the Judicial Council of California and that have been approved by the
Department of Justice pursuant to subdivision (i) of Section 6380 of
the Family Code. However, the fact that an order issued by a court
pursuant to this section was not issued on forms adopted by the
Judicial Council and approved by the Department of Justice shall not,
in and of itself, make the order unenforceable.
(b) Any person violating any order made pursuant to paragraphs (1)
to (7), inclusive, of subdivision (a) may be punished for any
substantive offense described in Section 136.1, or for a contempt of
the court making the order. A finding of contempt shall not be a bar
to prosecution for a violation of Section 136.1. However, any person
so held in contempt shall be entitled to credit for any punishment
imposed therein against any sentence imposed upon conviction of an
offense described in Section 136.1. Any conviction or acquittal for
any substantive offense under Section 136.1 shall be a bar to a
subsequent punishment for contempt arising out of the same act.
(c) (1) Notwithstanding subdivisions (a) and (e), an emergency
protective order issued pursuant to Chapter 2 (commencing with
Section 6250) of Part 3 of Division 10 of the Family Code or Section
646.91 of the Penal Code shall have precedence in enforcement over
any other restraining or protective order, provided the emergency
protective order meets all of the following requirements:
(A) The emergency protective order is issued to protect one or
more individuals who are already protected persons under another
restraining or protective order.
(B) The emergency protective order restrains the individual who is
the restrained person in the other restraining or protective order
specified in subparagraph (A).
(C) The provisions of the emergency protective order are more
restrictive in relation to the restrained person than are the
provisions of the other restraining or protective order specified in
subparagraph (A).
(2) An emergency protective order that meets the requirements of
paragraph (1) shall have precedence in enforcement over the
provisions of any other restraining or protective order only with
respect to those provisions of the emergency protective order that
are more restrictive in relation to the restrained person.
(d) (1) A person subject to a protective order issued under this
section shall not own, possess, purchase, receive, or attempt to
purchase or receive a firearm while the protective order is in
effect.
(2) The court shall order a person subject to a protective order
issued under this section to relinquish any firearms he or she owns
or possesses pursuant to Section 527.9 of the Code of Civil
Procedure.
(3) Every person who owns, possesses, purchases or receives, or
attempts to purchase or receive a firearm while the protective order
is in effect is punishable pursuant to subdivision (g) of Section
12021 of the Penal Code.
(e) (1) In all cases where the defendant is charged with a crime
of domestic violence, as defined in Section 13700, the court shall
consider issuing the above-described orders on its own motion. All
interested parties shall receive a copy of those orders. In order to
facilitate this, the court's records of all criminal cases involving
domestic violence shall be marked to clearly alert the court to this
issue.
(2) In those cases in which a complaint, information, or
indictment charging a crime of domestic violence, as defined in
Section 13700, has been issued, a restraining order or protective
order against the defendant issued by the criminal court in that case
has precedence in enforcement over any civil court order against the
defendant, unless a court issues an emergency protective order
pursuant to Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 6250) of Part 3 of
Division 10 of the Family Code or Section 646.91 of the Penal Code,
in which case the emergency protective order shall have precedence in
enforcement over any other restraining or protective order, provided
the emergency protective order meets the following requirements:
(A) The emergency protective order is issued to protect one or
more individuals who are already protected persons under another
restraining or protective order.
(B) The emergency protective order restrains the individual who is
the restrained person in the other restraining or protective order
specified in subparagraph (A).
(C) The provisions of the emergency protective order are more
restrictive in relation to the restrained person than are the
provisions of the other restraining or protective order specified in
subparagraph (A).
(3) Custody and visitation with respect to the defendant and his
or her minor children may be ordered by a family or juvenile court
consistent with the protocol established pursuant to subdivision
(f),
but if ordered after a criminal protective order has been issued
pursuant to this section, the custody and visitation order shall make
reference to, and acknowledge the residence of enforcement of, any
appropriate criminal protective order. On or before July 1, 2006, the
Judicial Council shall modify the criminal and civil court forms
consistent with this subdivision.
(f) On or before January 1, 2003, the Judicial Council shall
promulgate a protocol, for adoption by each local court in
substantially similar terms, to provide for the timely coordination
of all orders against the same defendant and in favor of the same
named victim or victims. The protocol shall include, but shall not be
limited to, mechanisms for assuring appropriate communication and
information sharing between criminal, family, and juvenile courts
concerning orders and cases that involve the same parties, and shall
permit a family or juvenile court order to coexist with a criminal
court protective order subject to the following conditions:
(1) Any order that permits contact between the restrained person
and his or her children shall provide for the safe exchange of the
children and shall not contain language either printed or handwritten
that violates a "no contact order" issued by a criminal court.
(2) Safety of all parties shall be the courts' paramount concern.
The family or juvenile court shall specify the time, day, place, and
manner of transfer of the child, as provided in Section 3100 of the
Family Code.
(g) On or before January 1, 2003, the Judicial Council shall
modify the criminal and civil court protective order forms consistent
with this section.
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Penal Code section 417 (Brandishing a weapon)
(a) (1) Every person who, except in self-defense, in the
presence of any other person, draws or exhibits any deadly weapon
whatsoever, other than a firearm, in a rude, angry, or threatening
manner, or who in any manner, unlawfully uses a deadly weapon other
than a firearm in any fight or quarrel is guilty of a misdemeanor,
punishable by imprisonment in a county jail for not less than 30
days.
(2) Every person who, except in self-defense, in the presence of
any other person, draws or exhibits any firearm, either loaded or
unloaded, in a rude, angry, or threatening manner, or who in any
manner, unlawfully uses a firearm in any fight or quarrel is
punishable as follows:
(A) If the violation occurs in a public place and the firearm is a
pistol, revolver, or other firearm capable of being concealed upon
the person, by imprisonment in a county jail for not less than three
months and not more than one year, by a fine not to exceed one
thousand dollars ($1,000), or by both that fine and imprisonment.
(B) In all cases other than that set forth in subparagraph (A), a
misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment in a county jail for not less
than three months.
(b) Every person who, except in self-defense, in the presence of
any other person, draws or exhibits any loaded firearm in a rude,
angry, or threatening manner, or who, in any manner, unlawfully uses
any loaded firearm in any fight or quarrel upon the grounds of any
day care center, as defined in Section 1596.76 of the Health and
Safety Code, or any facility where programs, including day care
programs or recreational programs, are being conducted for persons
under 18 years of age, including programs conducted by a nonprofit
organization, during the hours in which the center or facility is
open for use, shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison
for 16 months, or two or three years, or by imprisonment in a county
jail for not less than three months, nor more than one year.
(c) Every person who, in the immediate presence of a peace
officer, draws or exhibits any firearm, whether loaded or unloaded,
in a rude, angry, or threatening manner, and who knows, or reasonably
should know, by the officer's uniformed appearance or other action
of identification by the officer, that he or she is a peace officer
engaged in the performance of his or her duties, and that peace
officer is engaged in the performance of his or her duties, shall be
punished by imprisonment in a county jail for not less than nine
months and not to exceed one year, or in the state prison.
(d) Except where a different penalty applies, every person who
violates this section when the other person is in the process of
cleaning up graffiti or vandalism is guilty of a misdemeanor,
punishable by imprisonment in a county jail for not less than three
months nor more than one year.
(e) As used in this section, "peace officer" means any person
designated as a peace officer pursuant to Chapter 4.5 (commencing
with Section 830) of Title 3 of Part 2.
(f) As used in this section, "public place" means any of the
following:
(1) A public place in an incorporated city.
(2) A public street in an incorporated city.
(3) A public street in an unincorporated area.
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Penal Code section 422 (Criminal Threats or Terrorist Threats)
Any person who willfully threatens to commit a crime which
will result in death or great bodily injury to another person, with
the specific intent that the statement, made verbally, in writing, or
by means of an electronic communication device, is to be taken as a
threat, even if there is no intent of actually carrying it out,
which, on its face and under the circumstances in which it is made,
is so unequivocal, unconditional, immediate, and specific as to
convey to the person threatened, a gravity of purpose and an
immediate prospect of execution of the threat, and thereby causes
that person reasonably to be in sustained fear for his or her own
safety or for his or her immediate family's safety, shall be punished
by imprisonment in the county jail not to exceed one year, or by
imprisonment in the state prison.
For the purposes of this section, "immediate family" means any spouse, whether by marriage or not, parent, child, any person related
by consanguinity or affinity within the second degree, or any other
person who regularly resides in the household, or who, within the
prior six months, regularly resided in the household.
"Electronic communication device" includes, but is not limited to,
telephones, cellular telephones, computers, video recorders, fax
machines, or pagers. "Electronic communication" has the same meaning
as the term defined in Subsection 12 of Section 2510 of Title 18 of
the United States Code.
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Family Code section 3044 (Presumption Against Child Custody)
(a) Upon a finding by the court that a party seeking custody
of a child has perpetrated domestic violence against the other party
seeking custody of the child or against the child or the child's
siblings within the previous five years, there is a rebuttable
presumption that an award of sole or joint physical or legal custody
of a child to a person who has perpetrated domestic violence is
detrimental to the best interest of the child, pursuant to Section
3011. This presumption may only be rebutted by a reponderance of
the evidence.
(b) In determining whether the presumption set forth in
subdivision
(a) has been overcome, the court shall consider all of
the following factors:
(1) Whether the perpetrator of domestic violence has demonstrated
that giving sole or joint physical or legal custody of a child to the
perpetrator is in the best interest of the child. In determining
the best interest of the child, the preference for frequent and
continuing contact with both parents, as set forth in subdivision (b)
of Section 3020, or with the noncustodial parent, as set forth in
paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 3040, may not be used to
rebut the presumption, in whole or in part.
(2) Whether the perpetrator has successfully completed a batterer'
s treatment program that meets the criteria outlined in subdivision
(c) of Section 1203.097 of the Penal Code.
(3) Whether the perpetrator has successfully completed a program
of alcohol or drug abuse counseling if the court determines that
counseling is appropriate.
(4) Whether the perpetrator has successfully completed a parenting
class if the court determines the class to be appropriate.
(5) Whether the perpetrator is on probation or parole, and whether
he or she has complied with the terms and conditions of probation or
parole.
(6) Whether the perpetrator is restrained by a protective order or
restraining order, and whether he or she has complied with its terms
and conditions.
(7) Whether the perpetrator of domestic violence has committed any
further acts of domestic violence.
(c) For purposes of this section, a person has "perpetrated
domestic violence" when he or she is found by the court to have
intentionally or recklessly caused or attempted to cause bodily
injury, or sexual assault, or to have placed a person in reasonable
apprehension of imminent serious bodily injury to that person or to
another, or to have engaged in any behavior involving, but not
limited to, threatening, striking, harassing, destroying personal
property or disturbing the peace of another, for which a court may
issue an ex parte order pursuant to Section 6320 to protect the other
party seeking custody of the child or to protect the child and the
child's siblings.
(d) (1) For purposes of this section, the requirement of a finding
by the court shall be satisfied by, among other things, and not
limited to, evidence that a party seeking custody has been convicted
within the previous five years, after a trial or a plea of guilty or
no contest, of any crime against the other party that comes within
the definition of domestic violence contained in Section 6211 and of
abuse contained in Section 6203, including, but not limited to, a
crime described in subdivision (e) of Section 243 of, or Section 261,
262, 273.5, 422, or 646.9 of, the Penal Code.
(2) The requirement of a finding by the court shall also be
satisfied if any court, whether that court hears or has heard the
child custody proceedings or not, has made a finding pursuant to
subdivision (a) based on conduct occurring within the previous five
years.
(e) When a court makes a finding that a party has perpetrated
domestic violence, the court may not base its findings solely on
conclusions reached by a child custody evaluator or on the
recommendation of the Family Court Services staff, but shall consider
any relevant, admissible evidence submitted by the parties.
(f) In any custody or restraining order proceeding in which a
party has alleged that the other party has perpetrated domestic
violence in accordance with the terms of this section, the court
shall inform the parties of the existence of this section and shall
give them a copy of this section prior to any custody mediation in
the case.
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