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Cal. Family Code § 6203 (2026)

✓ current as of May 2026
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(a)For purposes of this act, “abuse” means any of the following:

(1)To intentionally or recklessly cause or attempt to cause bodily injury.

(2)Sexual assault.

(3)To place a person in reasonable apprehension of imminent serious bodily injury to that person or to another.

(4)To engage in any behavior that has been or could be enjoined pursuant to Section 6320.

(b)Abuse is not limited to the actual infliction of physical injury or assault.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 121 cases (74 in the last 5 years), 2000–2026 · leading case: People v. Brown, 94 P.3d 574 (Cal. 2004).
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People v. Brown, 94 P.3d 574 (Cal. 2004). · cites it 2× “" (Fam. Code, § 6203.) "`Cohabitant' means a person who regularly resides in the household.”
People v. Kovacich, 201 Cal. App. 4th 863 (Cal. Ct. App. 2011). · cites it 2× “” Family Code section 6203 expands the definition of “abuse” to include “engaging] in any behavior that has been or could be enjoined pursuant to [Family Code] Section 6320.”
N.T. v. H.T., 246 Cal. Rptr. 3d 362 (Cal. Ct. App. 5th 2019). “( Fam. Code, § 6203.) (All further statutory references are to the Family Code, unless otherwise noted.”
People v. Brown, 192 Cal. App. 4th 1222 (Cal. Ct. App. 2011). “, Fam. Code, § 6203; Pen. Code, § 13700, subd.”
Burquet v. Brumbaugh CA2/5, 223 Cal. App. 4th 1140 (Cal. Ct. App. 2014). “*1144 “(b) Sexual assault. “(c) To place a person in reasonable apprehension of imminent serious bodily injury to that person or to another.”
Cline v. Reetz-Laiolo, 329 F. Supp. 3d 1000 (N.D. Cal. 2018). “The Family Code's definition of abuse is "not limited to the actual infliction of physical injury or assault[,]" and includes "behavior that has been or could be enjoined pursuant to Section 6320[,]" which lists threatening, harassing, or "disturbing the peace of [another]" as…”
Pugliese v. Superior Court, 2007 Cal. Daily Op. Serv. 880 (Cal. Ct. App. 2007). “” 3 (Fam. Code, § 6203.) The rights and remedies provided in Civil Code section 1708.”
People v. Cates, 170 Cal. App. 4th 545 (Cal. Ct. App. 2009). “6 Family Code section 6203 defines “abuse” to mean any of the following: “(a) Intentionally or recklessly to cause or attempt to cause bodily injury.”
People v. Williams, 2000 Cal. Daily Op. Serv. 1835 (Cal. Ct. App. 2000). “” Family Code section 6203 states: “For purposes of this act, ‘abuse’ means any of the following: [ft (a) Intentionally or recklessly to cause or attempt to cause bodily injury, [ft (b) Sexual assault, [ft (c) To place a person in reasonable apprehension of imminent serious…”
Quintana v. GUIJOSA, 2003 Cal. Daily Op. Serv. 3174 (Cal. Ct. App. 2003). “(Fam. Code, § 6203.) Given all this, the trial court’s comments were not merely legally unsound, but offensive, and ignored the fact that the law affords its protections to all the people described in the statutes, not just those individuals whose choices please the trial court.”
People v. Brown, 117 Cal. Rptr. 2d 738 (Cal. 2001). · cites it 2× “[6] Family Code section 6203 defines "abuse" in relevant part as "[t]o engage in any behavior that has been or could be enjoined pursuant to Section 6320.”
People v. Brown, 2002 Cal. Daily Op. Serv. 2309 (Cal. App. Dep’t Super. Ct. 2001). · cites it 2× “Family Code section 6203 defines “abuse” in relevant part as “[t]o engage in any behavior that has been or could be enjoined pursuant to Section 6320.”
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