What counts as domestic violence under Arizona law?

Question

Accepted Answer

Under Arizona law, "domestic violence" is not a standalone crime — it is any one of a list of specified criminal offenses committed against a victim who has a qualifying relationship with the defendant .

1. The underlying offenses. An act can qualify as domestic violence if it is a dangerous crime against children as defined in § 13-705, or an offense under any of the following statutes: §§ 13-1102, 13-1103, 13-1104, 13-1105, 13-1201, 13-1202, 13-1203, 13-1204, 13-1302, 13-1303, 13-1304, 13-1406, 13-1425, 13-1502, 13-1503, 13-1504, 13-1602, 13-2810, 13-2904(A)(1), (2), (3) or (6), 13-2910(A)(8) or (9), 13-2915(A)(3), 13-2916, 13-2921, 13-2921.01, 13-2923, 13-3019, 13-3601.02 or 13-3623 .

2. The relationship element. One of those offenses counts as domestic violence only if any of the following applies to the victim and defendant :

- They are married or formerly married, or they reside or have resided in the same household .
- They have a child in common .
- The victim or the defendant is pregnant by the other party .
- The victim is related to the defendant or the defendant's spouse by blood or court order as a parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, brother or sister, or by marriage as a parent-in-law, grandparent-in-law, stepparent, step-grandparent, stepchild, step-grandchild, brother-in-law or sister-in-law .
- The victim is a child who resides or has resided in the same household as the defendant and is related by blood to a former spouse of the defendant or to a person who resides or has resided in the defendant's household .
- The relationship is currently or was previously a romantic or sexual relationship; in determining that, courts may consider the type of relationship, its length, the frequency of interaction, and, if it has ended, how long ago it ended .

An act of self-defense that is justified under chapter 4 of title 13 is not deemed an act of domestic violence .