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Language of Domestic Violence
A Legal Glossary

• Abuse — Maryland law defines abuse as the occurrence of one or more of the following acts between family or household members: Assault; An act that places a person in fear of imminent serious bodily harm; An act that causes serious bodily harm; Rape or sexual offense; Attempted rape or sexual offense; Stalking; and False imprisonment.

• Domestic violence protective order (DVPO) — an order made by a civil court that protects a victim from physical injury or even threat of physical injury. The four types of orders are:
interim protective order — If a victim is in immediate danger of abuse and the court is closed, this type of order can be obtained by going to the district court commissioner. The order, which lasts until a judge can hold a temporary hearing, goes into effect as soon as a member of law enforcement serves it to the abuser.
temporary (ex parte) protective orders — When a victim files for a final protective order in court, she can also ask for a temporary order. This type of order stays in effect for seven days after it is served. Then, a full court hearing is held for a final protective order.
final protective order — This type of order is issued only after a full court hearing where the victim and abuser both tell their sides of the story to a judge. A final protective order typically lasts for one year but can be extended.
permanent protective order — If a victim has previously had a protective order against her abuser, but he has been convicted of certain crimes and has served at least five years for those crimes, the judge can grant this type of order, which can be terminated only at the victim’s request.

Source: Women’s Law (womenslaw.org)