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<section article="gfl" article_name="Family Law" number="4-501" title_number="4" title_name="Spouses" subtitle_number="5" subtitle_name="Domestic Violence">
  <level label="a">
    <text>In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>“Abuse” means any of the following acts:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>an act that causes serious bodily harm;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>an act that places a person eligible for relief in fear of imminent serious bodily harm;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>assault in any degree;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>rape or sexual offense under § 3–303, § 3–304, § 3–307, or § 3–308 of the Criminal Law Article or attempted rape or sexual offense in any degree;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>false imprisonment;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vi">
        <text>stalking under § 3–802 of the Criminal Law Article; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vii">
        <text>revenge porn under § 3–809 of the Criminal Law Article.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <level label="i">
        <text>If the person for whom relief is sought is a child, “abuse” may also include abuse of a child, as defined in Title 5, Subtitle 7 of this article.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Nothing in this subtitle shall be construed to prohibit reasonable punishment, including reasonable corporal punishment, in light of the age and condition of the child, from being performed by a parent or stepparent of the child.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>If the person for whom relief is sought is a vulnerable adult, “abuse” may also include abuse of a vulnerable adult, as defined in Title 14, Subtitle 1 of this article.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>“Child care provider” means a person that provides supervision and care for a minor child.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>“Cohabitant” means a person who has had a sexual relationship with the respondent and resided with the respondent in the home for a period of at least 90 days within 1 year before the filing of the petition.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>“Commissioner” means a District Court Commissioner appointed in accordance with Article IV, § 41G of the Maryland Constitution.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <text>“Court” means the District Court or a circuit court in this State.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <text>“Emergency family maintenance” means a monetary award given to or for a person eligible for relief to whom the respondent has a duty of support under this article based on:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>the financial needs of the person eligible for relief; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>the resources available to the person eligible for relief and the respondent.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="h">
    <text>“Executive Director” means the Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="i">
    <text>“Final protective order” means a protective order issued under § 4–506 of this subtitle.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="j">
    <text>“Home” means the property in this State that:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>is the principal residence of a person eligible for relief; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>is owned, rented, or leased by the person eligible for relief or respondent or, in a petition alleging child abuse or abuse of a vulnerable adult, an adult living in the home at the time of a proceeding under this subtitle.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="k">
    <text>“Interim protective order” means an order that a Commissioner issues under this subtitle pending a hearing by a judge on a petition.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="l">
    <text>“Local department” means the local department that has jurisdiction in the county:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>where the home is located; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>if different, where the abuse is alleged to have taken place.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="m">
    <text>“Military protection order” has the meaning stated in § 9–901 of the State Government Article.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="n">
    <text>“Person eligible for relief” includes:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>the current or former spouse of the respondent;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>a cohabitant of the respondent;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>a person related to the respondent by blood, marriage, or adoption;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>a parent, stepparent, child, or stepchild of the respondent or the person eligible for relief who resides or resided with the respondent or person eligible for relief for at least 90 days within 1 year before the filing of the petition;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>a vulnerable adult;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>an individual who has a child in common with the respondent;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="7">
      <text>an individual who has had a sexual relationship with the respondent within 1 year before the filing of the petition; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="8">
      <text>an individual who alleges that the respondent committed, within 6 months before the filing of the petition, any of the following acts against the individual:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>rape or a sexual offense under § 3–303, § 3–304, § 3–307, or § 3–308 of the Criminal Law Article; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>attempted rape or sexual offense in any degree.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="o">
    <level label="1">
      <text>“Pet” means a domesticated animal.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>“Pet” does not include livestock.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="p">
    <level label="1">
      <text>“Petitioner” means an individual who files a petition.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>“Petitioner” includes:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>a person eligible for relief; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>the following persons who may seek relief from abuse on behalf of a minor or vulnerable adult:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>the State’s Attorney for the county where the child or vulnerable adult lives, or, if different, where the abuse is alleged to have taken place;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>the department of social services that has jurisdiction in the county where the child or vulnerable adult lives, or, if different, where the abuse is alleged to have taken place;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="3">
          <text>a person related to the child or vulnerable adult by blood, marriage, or adoption; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="4">
          <text>an adult who resides in the home.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="q">
    <text>“Residence” includes the yard, grounds, outbuildings, and common areas surrounding the residence.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="r">
    <text>“Respondent” means the person alleged in the petition to have committed the abuse.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="s">
    <text>“Temporary protective order” means a protective order issued under § 4–505 of this subtitle.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="t">
    <text>“Victim” includes a person eligible for relief.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="u">
    <text>“Vulnerable adult” has the meaning provided in § 14–101(q) of this article.</text>
  </level>
</section>
