Domestic violence is a serious offense in Arizona! Domestic violence is a crime committed by one family member against another family member. A family member could mean your adopted brothers step mother, so the term is used loosely (a list is provided below). Some charges are more serious than others depending on what happened, if a weapon was involved, or if there was an injury. As mentioned, domestic violence really centers around family relationships. If a crime is committed within a family relationship (the person who commits the crime has a family relationship with the person the crime is against) it will be given the name of domestic violence. The following list is what the Court uses to determine whether a family relationship exists:

Married or formally married

Resides in same household

Have a child together, even if adopted

Pregnant with child together

Family of spouse or former spouse

Adopted family members

Step family, including step parents, step siblings, and other family members related to step family

Kids living in same household and their families, including kids that previously lived in same household

Involved in a romantic relationship