Definitions of Domestic Violence - Northern Mariana Islands

Date: January 2021

Defined in Domestic Violence Civil Laws

Citation: Commonwealth Code Tit. 8, § 1902

'Domestic or family violence' means the occurrence of one or more of the following acts by a family or household member but does not include acts of self-defense:

  • Attempting to cause or intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly causing bodily injury to another family or household member
  • Placing a family or household member in fear of bodily injury
  • Attempting to cause or causing a family or household member to engage in coerced sexual activity by force, threat of force, or intimidation
  • Engaging in a knowing and willful course of conduct that constitutes harassment

'Harassment' is a knowing and willful course of conduct directed at a specific person that seriously alarms, annoys, or harasses the person and that serves no legitimate purpose under law or custom. The course of conduct must be such as would cause a reasonable person to suffer substantial emotional distress and actually must cause substantial emotional distress to the victim.

Defined in Child Abuse Reporting and Child Protection Laws

This issue is not addressed in the statutes reviewed.

Defined in Criminal Laws

Citation: Commonwealth Code Tit. 6, § 1461

'Domestic violence' and 'crime involving domestic violence' mean one or more of the following offenses, or an attempt to commit the offense, by a household member against another household member:

  • A crime against the person under tit. 6, div. 1, part 1
  • Burglary under tit. 6, § 1801
  • Criminal trespass under tit. 6, § 1804
  • Arson or reckless burning under tit. 6, § 1802
  • Criminal mischief under tit. 6, § 1803
  • Riot under tit. 6, § 3102
  • Violating an order for protection under tit. 6, § 1464
  • Disturbing the peace under tit. 6, § 3101
  • Stalking in the first or second degree under tit. 6, §§ 1471 through 1472
  • Interfering with a domestic violence report under tit. 6, § 1462
  • Unlawful contact under tit. 6, § 1463
  • Strangulation under tit. 6, § 1468

Persons Included in the Definition

Citation: Commonwealth Code Tit. 8, § 1902; Tit. 6, § 1461

In civil law: The term 'family or household members' includes any of the following:

  • Adults or minors who are current or former spouses
  • Adults or minors who live together or who have recently lived together
  • Adults or minors who are dating
  • Adults or minors who are engaged in or who have recently engaged in a sexual relationship
  • Adults or minors who are related by blood or adoption
  • Adults or minors who are related by marriage or formerly related by marriage
  • Persons who have a child in common
  • Minor children of a person in a relationship described above

In criminal law: The term 'household member' includes the following:

  • Adults or minors who are current or former spouses
  • Adults or minors who live together or who have lived together
  • Adults or minors who are dating or who have dated
  • Adults or minors who are engaged in or who have engaged in a sexual relationship
  • Adults or minors who are related to each other up to the fourth degree of consanguinity, whether of the whole- or half-blood or by adoption, computed under the rules of civil law
  • Adults or minors who are related or formerly related by marriage
  • Persons who have a child of the relationship
  • Minor children of a person in a relationship that is described above

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