§22-60.1. Definitions

May 14, 2021 | Criminal Procedure, Oklahoma

As used in the Protection from Domestic Abuse Act and in the Domestic Abuse Reporting Act, Sections 40.5 through 40.7 of this title and Section 150.12B of Title 74 of the Oklahoma Statutes:

1. “Domestic abuse” means any act of physical harm, or the threat of imminent physical harm which is committed by an adult, emancipated minor, or minor child thirteen (13) years of age or older against another adult, emancipated minor or minor child who are family or household members or who are or were in a dating relationship;

2. “Stalking” means the willful, malicious, and repeated following or harassment of a person by an adult, emancipated minor, or minor thirteen (13) years of age or older, in a manner that would cause a reasonable person to feel frightened, intimidated, threatened, harassed, or molested and actually causes the person being followed or harassed to feel terrorized, frightened, intimidated, threatened, harassed or molested. Stalking also means a course of conduct composed of a series of two or more separate acts over a period of time, however short, evidencing a continuity of purpose or unconsented contact with a person that is initiated or continued without the consent of the individual or in disregard of the expressed desire of the individual that the contact be avoided or discontinued. Unconsented contact or course of conduct includes, but is not limited to:

a.following or appearing within the sight of that individual,

b.approaching or confronting that individual in a public place or on private property,

c.appearing at the workplace or residence of that individual,

d.entering onto or remaining on property owned, leased, or occupied by that individual,

e.contacting that individual by telephone,

f.sending mail or electronic communications to that individual, or

g.placing an object on, or delivering an object to, property owned, leased or occupied by that individual;

3. “Harassment” means a knowing and willful course or pattern of conduct by a family or household member or an individual who is or has been involved in a dating relationship with the person, directed at a specific person which seriously alarms or annoys the person, and which serves no legitimate purpose. The course of conduct must be such as would cause a reasonable person to suffer substantial emotional distress, and must actually cause substantial distress to the person. “Harassment” shall include, but not be limited to, harassing or obscene telephone calls in violation of Section 1172 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes and fear of death or bodily injury;

4. “Family or household members” means:

a.spouses,

b.ex-spouses,

c.present spouses of ex-spouses,

d.parents, including grandparents, stepparents, adoptive parents and foster parents,

e.children, including grandchildren, stepchildren, adopted children and foster children,

f.persons otherwise related by blood or marriage,

g.persons living in the same household or who formerly lived in the same household, and

h.persons who are the biological parents of the same child, regardless of their marital status, or whether they have lived together at any time. This shall include the elderly and handicapped;

5. “Dating relationship” means a courtship or engagement relationship. For purposes of this act, a casual acquaintance or ordinary fraternization between persons in a business or social context shall not constitute a dating relationship;

6. “Foreign protective order” means any valid order of protection issued by a court of another state or a tribal court;

7. “Rape” means rape and rape by instrumentation in violation of Sections 1111 and 1111.1 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes;

8. “Victim support person” means a person affiliated with a certified domestic violence or sexual assault program, certified by the Attorney General or certified by a recognized Native American Tribe if operating mainly within tribal lands, who provides support and assistance for a person who files a petition under the Protection from Domestic Violence Act; and

9. “Mutual protective order” means a final protective order or orders issued to both a plaintiff who has filed a petition for a protective order and a defendant included as the defendant in the plaintiff’s petition restraining the parties from committing domestic violence, stalking, harassment or rape against each other. If both parties allege domestic abuse, violence, stalking, harassment or rape against each other, the parties shall do so by separate petition pursuant to Section 60.4 of this title.

Added by Laws 1982, c. 255, § 2, eff. Oct. 1, 1982. Amended by Laws 1986, c. 197, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 1986; Laws 1991, c. 112, § 2, eff. Sept. 1, 1991; Laws 1992, c. 42, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1992; Laws 1994, c. 290, § 54, eff. July 1, 1994; Laws 1995, c. 297, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 1995; Laws 1996, c. 247, § 29, eff. July 1, 1996; Laws 2000, c. 85, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2000; Laws 2000, c. 370, § 5, eff. July 1, 2000; Laws 2001, c. 279, § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 2001; Laws 2003, c. 407, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2003; Laws 2005, c. 348, § 14, eff. July 1, 2005; Laws 2010, c. 116, § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 2010.