§ 13A-6-132 — Domestic Violence - Third Degree

(a)(1) A person commits domestic violence in the third degree if the person commits the crime of assault in the third degree pursuant to Section 13A-6-22; the crime of menacing pursuant to Section 13A-6-23; the crime of reckless endangerment pursuant to Section 13A-6-24; the crime of criminal coercion pursuant to Section 13A-6-25; the crime of harassment pursuant to subsection (a) of Section 13A-11-8; the crime of criminal surveillance pursuant to Section 13A-11-32; the crime of harassing communications pursuant to subsection (b) of Section 13A-11-8; the crime of criminal trespass in the third degree pursuant to Section 13A-7-4; the crime of criminal mischief in the second or third degree pursuant to Sections 13A-7-22 and 13A-7-23; or the crime of arson in the third degree pursuant to Section 13A-7-43; and the victim is a current or former spouse, parent, step-parent, child, step-child, grandparent, step-grandparent, grandchild, step-grandchild, any person with whom the defendant has a child in common, a present household member, or a person who has or had a dating relationship with the defendant.
(2) For the purpose of this section, a household member excludes non-romantic or non-intimate co-residents, and a dating relationship means a current or former relationship of a romantic or intimate nature characterized by the expectation of affectionate or sexual involvement by either party.
(b) Domestic violence in the third degree is a Class A misdemeanor. The minimum term of imprisonment imposed under subsection (a) shall be 30 days without consideration of reduction in time if a defendant willfully violates a protection order issued by a court of competent jurisdiction and in the process of violating the order commits domestic violence in the third degree.
(c) A second conviction under subsection (a) is a Class A misdemeanor, except the defendant shall serve a minimum term of imprisonment of 10 days in a city or county jail or detention facility without consideration for any reduction in time.
(d) A third or subsequent conviction under subsection (a) is a Class C felony.
(e) If the defendant has a previous conviction for domestic violence in the first degree pursuant to Section 13A-6-130, domestic violence in the second degree pursuant to Section 13A-6-131, domestic violence by strangulation or suffocation pursuant to Section 13A-6-138, or a domestic violence conviction or other substantially similar conviction from another state or jurisdiction, a conviction under subsection (a) is a Class C felony.
(f) For purposes of determining second, third, or subsequent number of convictions, convictions in municipal court shall be included.

Legislative History

(Act 2000-266, p. 411, §3; Act 2011-581, p. 1273, §1; Act 2015-493, p. 1679, §2; Act 2019-252, §1; Act 2023-494, §1.)