Mich. Comp. Laws » Michigan Compiled Laws / Chapter 400 / Act 389 of 1978

Mich. Comp. Laws § 400.1501

Definitions.

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DOMESTIC AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE


Act 389 of 1978


400.1501 Definitions.

Sec. 1.

    As used in this act:

    (a) "Board" means the Michigan domestic and sexual violence prevention and treatment board created under Executive Order No. 2012-17.

    (b) "Dating relationship" means frequent, intimate associations primarily characterized by the expectation of affectional involvement. Dating relationship does not include a casual relationship or an ordinary fraternization between 2 individuals in a business or social context.

    (c) "Department" means the department of health and human services.

    (d) "Domestic violence" means the occurrence of any of the following acts by an individual that is not an act of self-defense:

    (i) Causing or attempting to cause physical or mental harm to a family or household member.

    (ii) Placing a family or household member in fear of physical or mental harm.

    (iii) Causing or attempting to cause a family or household member to engage in involuntary sexual activity by force, threat of force, or duress.

    (iv) Engaging in activity toward a family or household member that would cause a reasonable individual to feel terrorized, frightened, intimidated, threatened, harassed, or molested.

    (e) "Family or household member" includes any of the following:

    (i) A spouse or former spouse.

    (ii) An individual with whom the person resides or has resided.

    (iii) An individual with whom the person has or has had a dating relationship.

    (iv) An individual with whom the person is or has engaged in a sexual relationship.

    (v) An individual to whom the person is related or was formerly related by marriage.

    (vi) An individual with whom the person has a child in common.

    (vii) The minor child of an individual described in subparagraphs (i) to (vi).

    (f) "Fund" means the domestic violence prevention and treatment fund created in section 5.

    (g) "Prime sponsor" means a county, city, village, or township of this state, or a combination thereof, a federally recognized Indian tribe that has trust land located within this state, or a private, nonprofit association or organization.

    

History: 1978, Act 389, Eff. Oct. 1, 1978 ;-- Am. 2000, Act 84, Eff. July 1, 2000 ;-- Am. 2018, Act 281, Eff. Sept. 27, 2018 ;-- Am. 2023, Act 182, Eff. Feb. 13, 2024

PopularName Notes:

Domestic Violence Prevention and Treatment Act
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 9 cases (5 in the last 5 years), 1994–2025 · leading case: People v. Stanaway
Sort: Relevance Newest Treatment
People v. Stanaway (1994) mich · cites it 4× “389 of the Public Acts of 1978, being section 400.1501 of the Michigan Compiled Laws.”
Hakken v. Washtenaw County (1995) mied · cites it 3× “MCL § 400.1501(c) defines “domestic violence” as follows: [A] violent physical attack or fear of violent physical attack perpetrated by an assailant against a victim; in which the victim is a person assaulted by or threatened by assault by his or her spouse or former spouse or…”
Benjamin Brown v. Michelle Brown (2020) michctapp · cites it 13× “However, the Domestic Violence Prevention and Treatment Act, MCL 400.1501 et seq, defines “domestic violence” as: the occurrence of any of the following acts by a person that is not an act of self- defense: (i) Causing or attempting to cause physical or mental harm to a family…”
20231207_C364226_108_364226.Opn.Pdf (2023) michctapp · cites it 7× “Although there was no evidence of a conviction, MCL 400.1501 does not require one. Furthermore, Martinez’s attack on Ellison’s husband also qualifies as domestic violence.”
Visser v. Visser (2012) michctapp “Likewise, the domestic violence prevention and treatment act, MCL 400.1501 et seq., clearly also implicates domestic relations, as does the domestic assault statute, MCL 750.”
Jade M Bishop v. James D Taylor (2025) michctapp · cites it 3× “” However, for the purposes of analyzing Factor (k), this Court has accepted the definition of “domestic violence” in the Domestic Violence Prevention and Treatment Act, MCL 400.1501 et seq. Brown, 332 Mich App at 11-12.”
Sharese Shannon Mathis v. Carl Mathis Jr (2023) michctapp · cites it 2× “23(k) included domestic violence as defined in the domestic violence prevention and treatment act, MCL 400.1501 et seq. The definition of domestic violence in MCL 400.”
Jaclyn Marie Wieland v. Jacob Allen Swisher (2025) michctapp · cites it 2× “23(k) included “domestic violence” as defined in MCL 400.1501. Brown, 332 Mich App at 12. We note that MCL 400.”
Richard Aaron Mann v. Margaret Clark Whitfield (2024) michctapp “, but we borrowed the definition of “domestic violence” found in the domestic violence prevention and treatment act, MCL 400.1501 et seq. See Brown, 332 Mich App at 10- 12.”
— Mich. Comp. Laws § 400.1501(c) — 1 case
Hakken v. Washtenaw County (1995) mied “MCL § 400.1501(c) defines “domestic violence” as follows: [A] violent physical attack or fear of violent physical attack perpetrated by an assailant against a victim; in which the victim is a person assaulted by or threatened by assault by his or her spouse or former spouse or…”
— Mich. Comp. Laws § 400.1501(d) — 5 cases
Benjamin Brown v. Michelle Brown (2020) michctapp “However, the Domestic Violence Prevention and Treatment Act, MCL 400.1501 et seq, defines “domestic violence” as: the occurrence of any of the following acts by a person that is not an act of self- defense: (i) Causing or attempting to cause physical or mental harm to a family…”
Sharese Shannon Mathis v. Carl Mathis Jr (2023) michctapp “23(k) included domestic violence as defined in the domestic violence prevention and treatment act, MCL 400.1501 et seq. The definition of domestic violence in MCL 400.”
20231207_C364226_108_364226.Opn.Pdf (2023) michctapp “Although there was no evidence of a conviction, MCL 400.1501 does not require one. Furthermore, Martinez’s attack on Ellison’s husband also qualifies as domestic violence.”
Jade M Bishop v. James D Taylor (2025) michctapp “” However, for the purposes of analyzing Factor (k), this Court has accepted the definition of “domestic violence” in the Domestic Violence Prevention and Treatment Act, MCL 400.1501 et seq. Brown, 332 Mich App at 11-12.”
Jaclyn Marie Wieland v. Jacob Allen Swisher (2025) michctapp “23(k) included “domestic violence” as defined in MCL 400.1501. Brown, 332 Mich App at 12. We note that MCL 400.”
— Mich. Comp. Laws § 400.1501(d)(i) — 2 cases
Benjamin Brown v. Michelle Brown (2020) michctapp “However, the Domestic Violence Prevention and Treatment Act, MCL 400.1501 et seq, defines “domestic violence” as: the occurrence of any of the following acts by a person that is not an act of self- defense: (i) Causing or attempting to cause physical or mental harm to a family…”
20231207_C364226_108_364226.Opn.Pdf (2023) michctapp “Although there was no evidence of a conviction, MCL 400.1501 does not require one. Furthermore, Martinez’s attack on Ellison’s husband also qualifies as domestic violence.”
— Mich. Comp. Laws § 400.1501(d)(iii) — 1 case
20231207_C364226_108_364226.Opn.Pdf (2023) michctapp “Although there was no evidence of a conviction, MCL 400.1501 does not require one. Furthermore, Martinez’s attack on Ellison’s husband also qualifies as domestic violence.”
— Mich. Comp. Laws § 400.1501(d)(iv) — 2 cases
Benjamin Brown v. Michelle Brown (2020) michctapp “However, the Domestic Violence Prevention and Treatment Act, MCL 400.1501 et seq, defines “domestic violence” as: the occurrence of any of the following acts by a person that is not an act of self- defense: (i) Causing or attempting to cause physical or mental harm to a family…”
20231207_C364226_108_364226.Opn.Pdf (2023) michctapp “Although there was no evidence of a conviction, MCL 400.1501 does not require one. Furthermore, Martinez’s attack on Ellison’s husband also qualifies as domestic violence.”
— Mich. Comp. Laws § 400.1501(e) — 1 case
Benjamin Brown v. Michelle Brown (2020) michctapp “However, the Domestic Violence Prevention and Treatment Act, MCL 400.1501 et seq, defines “domestic violence” as: the occurrence of any of the following acts by a person that is not an act of self- defense: (i) Causing or attempting to cause physical or mental harm to a family…”
— Mich. Comp. Laws § 400.1501(e)(i) — 1 case
Benjamin Brown v. Michelle Brown (2020) michctapp “However, the Domestic Violence Prevention and Treatment Act, MCL 400.1501 et seq, defines “domestic violence” as: the occurrence of any of the following acts by a person that is not an act of self- defense: (i) Causing or attempting to cause physical or mental harm to a family…”
— Mich. Comp. Laws § 400.1501(e)(ii) — 1 case
Benjamin Brown v. Michelle Brown (2020) michctapp “However, the Domestic Violence Prevention and Treatment Act, MCL 400.1501 et seq, defines “domestic violence” as: the occurrence of any of the following acts by a person that is not an act of self- defense: (i) Causing or attempting to cause physical or mental harm to a family…”
— Mich. Comp. Laws § 400.1501(e)(vi) — 2 cases
20231207_C364226_108_364226.Opn.Pdf (2023) michctapp “Although there was no evidence of a conviction, MCL 400.1501 does not require one. Furthermore, Martinez’s attack on Ellison’s husband also qualifies as domestic violence.”
Jade M Bishop v. James D Taylor (2025) michctapp “” However, for the purposes of analyzing Factor (k), this Court has accepted the definition of “domestic violence” in the Domestic Violence Prevention and Treatment Act, MCL 400.1501 et seq. Brown, 332 Mich App at 11-12.”
— Mich. Comp. Laws § 400.1501(e)(vii) — 1 case
Benjamin Brown v. Michelle Brown (2020) michctapp “However, the Domestic Violence Prevention and Treatment Act, MCL 400.1501 et seq, defines “domestic violence” as: the occurrence of any of the following acts by a person that is not an act of self- defense: (i) Causing or attempting to cause physical or mental harm to a family…”
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