Code Section Group

PART 2. GENERAL PROVISIONS [6220 - 6229]

6220.

The purpose of this division is to prevent acts of domestic violence, abuse, and sexual abuse and to provide for a separation of the persons involved in the domestic violence for a period sufficient to enable these persons to seek a resolution of the causes of the violence.

(Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 635, Sec. 3. (AB 2089) Effective January 1, 2015.)

6221.

(a) Unless the provision or context otherwise requires, this division applies to any order described in this division, whether the order is issued in a proceeding brought pursuant to this division, in an action brought pursuant to the Uniform Parentage Act (Part 3 (commencing with Section 7600) of Division 12), or in a proceeding for dissolution of marriage, for nullity of marriage, or for legal separation of the parties.

(b) Nothing in this division affects the jurisdiction of the juvenile court.

(c) Any order issued by a court to which this division applies 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. 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.

(Amended by Stats. 1999, Ch. 661, Sec. 4. Effective January 1, 2000.)

6222.

There is no filing fee for an application, a responsive pleading, or an order to show cause that seeks to obtain, modify, or enforce a protective order or other order authorized by this division when the request for the other order is necessary to obtain or give effect to a protective order. There is no fee for a subpoena filed in connection with that application, responsive pleading, or order to show cause. There is no fee for any filings related to a petition filed pursuant to Part 4 (commencing with 6300) of this division.

(Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 686, Sec. 1. (SB 538) Effective January 1, 2022.)

6223.

A custody or visitation order issued in a proceeding brought pursuant to this division is subject to Part 2 (commencing with Section 3020) of Division 8 (custody of children).

(Added by Stats. 1993, Ch. 219, Sec. 154. Effective January 1, 1994.)

6224.

An order described in this division shall state on its face the date of expiration of the order and the following statements in substantially the following form:

“This order is effective when made. The law enforcement agency shall enforce it immediately on receipt. It is enforceable anywhere in California by any law enforcement agency that has received the order or is shown a copy of the order. If proof of service on the restrained person has not been received, the law enforcement agency shall advise the restrained person of the terms of the order and then shall enforce it.”

(Added by Stats. 1993, Ch. 219, Sec. 154. Effective January 1, 1994.)

6225.

A petition for an order described in this division is valid and the order is enforceable without explicitly stating the address of the petitioner or the petitioner’s place of residence, school, employment, the place where the petitioner’s child is provided child care services, or the child’s school.

(Added by Stats. 1993, Ch. 219, Sec. 154. Effective January 1, 1994.)

6226.

The Judicial Council shall prescribe the form of the orders and any other documents required by this division and shall promulgate forms and instructions for applying for orders described in this division.

(Added by Stats. 1993, Ch. 219, Sec. 154. Effective January 1, 1994.)

6226.5.

(a) On or before January 1, 2023, the Judicial Council shall amend the Judicial Council form entitled “Can a Domestic Violence Restraining Order Help Me?” to include a brief description of the address confidentiality program established under Chapter 3.1 (commencing with Section 6205) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, the benefits of enrollment in the program for victims of domestic violence, and the internet address for the Secretary of State’s internet web page that contains more detailed information about the program.

(b) On or before January 1, 2023, the Judicial Council shall make the Judicial Council form available in English and in at least the other languages described in Section 1632 of the Civil Code. The Judicial Council may make the form available in additional languages.

(Added by Stats. 2021, Ch. 457, Sec. 1. (AB 277) Effective January 1, 2022.)

6227.

The remedies provided in this division are in addition to any other civil or criminal remedies that may be available to the petitioner.

(Added by Stats. 1993, Ch. 219, Sec. 154. Effective January 1, 1994.)

6228.

(a) State and local law enforcement agencies shall provide, upon request and without charging a fee, one copy of all incident report face sheets, one copy of all incident reports, a copy of any accompanying or related photographs of a victim’s injuries, property damage, or any other photographs that are noted in the incident report, and a copy of 911 recordings, if any, to a victim, or the victim’s representative as defined in subdivision (g), of a crime that constitutes an act of any of the following:

(1) Domestic violence, as defined in Section 6211.

(2) Sexual assault, as defined in Sections 261, 261.5, 262, 265, 266a, 266b, 266c, 266g, 266j, 267, 269, 273.4, 285, 286, 287, 288, 288.5, 289, or 311.4 of, or former Section 266 or 288a of, the Penal Code.

(3) Stalking, as defined in Section 1708.7 of the Civil Code or Section 646.9 of the Penal Code.

(4) Human trafficking, as defined in Section 236.1 of the Penal Code.

(5) Abuse of an elder or a dependent adult, as defined in Section 15610.07 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

(b) (1) A copy of an incident report face sheet shall be made available during regular business hours to a victim or the victim’s representative no later than 48 hours after being requested, unless the state or local law enforcement agency informs the victim or the victim’s representative of the reasons why, for good cause, the incident report face sheet is not available, in which case the incident report face sheet shall be made available no later than five working days after the request is made.

(2) A copy of the incident report, any accompanying or related photographs of a victim’s injuries, property damage, or any other photographs that are noted in the incident report, and a copy of 911 recordings, if any, shall be made available during regular business hours to a victim or the victim’s representative no later than five working days after being requested, unless the state or local law enforcement agency informs the victim or the victim’s representative of the reasons why, for good cause, the items are not available, in which case the items shall be made available no later than 10 working days after the request is made.

(c) A person requesting copies under this section shall present state or local law enforcement with the person’s identification, including a current, valid driver’s license, a state-issued identification card, or a passport. If the person is a representative of the victim and the victim is deceased, the representative shall also present a certified copy of the death certificate or other satisfactory evidence of the death of the victim at the time a request is made. If the person is a representative of the victim and the victim is alive and not the subject of a conservatorship, the representative shall also present a written authorization, signed by the victim, making the person the victim’s personal representative.

(d) This section shall apply to requests for domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, human trafficking, or abuse of an elder or a dependent adult face sheets or incident reports, photographs, 911 recordings, and evidence made within five years from the date of completion of the incident report.

(e) This section shall be known and may be cited as the Access to Domestic Violence Reports Act of 1999.

(f) For purposes of this section, “victim” includes a minor who is 12 years of age or older.

(g) (1) For purposes of this section, if the victim is deceased, a “representative of the victim” means any of the following:

(A) The surviving spouse.

(B) A surviving child of the decedent who has attained 18 years of age.

(C) A domestic partner, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 297.

(D) A surviving parent of the decedent.

(E) A surviving adult relative.

(F) The personal representative of the victim, as defined in Section 58 of the Probate Code, if one is appointed.

(G) The public administrator if one has been appointed.

(2) For purposes of this section, if the victim is not deceased, a “representative of the victim” means any of the following:

(A) A parent, guardian, or adult child of the victim, or an adult sibling of a victim 12 years of age or older, who shall present to law enforcement identification pursuant to subdivision (c). A guardian shall also present to law enforcement a copy of the letters of guardianship demonstrating that the person is the appointed guardian of the victim.

(B) An attorney for the victim, who shall present to law enforcement identification pursuant to subdivision (c) and written proof that the person is the attorney for the victim.

(C) A conservator of the victim who shall present to law enforcement identification pursuant to subdivision (c) and a copy of the letters of conservatorship demonstrating that the person is the appointed conservator of the victim.

(3) A representative of the victim does not include any person who has been convicted of murder in the first degree, as defined in Section 189 of the Penal Code, of the victim, or any person identified in the incident report face sheet as a suspect.

(Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 71, Sec. 1. (SB 290) Effective January 1, 2024.)

6229.

A minor, under 12 years of age, accompanied by a duly appointed and acting guardian ad litem, shall be permitted to appear in court without counsel for the limited purpose of requesting or opposing a request for a temporary restraining order or injunction, or both, under this division as provided in Section 374 of the Code of Civil Procedure.

(Added by Stats. 2010, Ch. 572, Sec. 12. (AB 1596) Effective January 1, 2011. Operative January 1, 2012, by Sec. 28 of Ch. 572.)