Matthew J. Ruff Domestic Violence Law Blog on Lawyers.com

Domestic violence is a class of offenses whose definition varies from state to state.  california has been somewhat progressive in how it treats domestic violence cases and how it directs the police and the Courts and what special treatment should be given to victims of these crimes.  California law defines domestic violence generally as abuse commited against an adult or emancipated minor who is a spouse, former spouse, cohabitant, former cohabitant or any person with whom the victim has had a dating relationship, or has a child from that individual see Penal Code 13700.

The California family code also has a definition for domestic violence set forth in Family Code 6211.  This section is more broad than the penal code.  Distinctions are made between criminal and non-criminal domestic violence situations.