§709-906 Abuse of family or household members; penalty. [Repeal and reenactment on June 30, 2026. L 2020, c 19, §15; L 2021, c 238, §4.] (1) It shall be unlawful for any person, singly or in concert, to physically abuse a family or household member or to refuse compliance with the lawful order of a police officer under subsection (4). The police, in investigating any complaint of abuse of a family or household member, upon request, may transport the abused person to a hospital or safe shelter.
(2) Any police officer, with or without a warrant, may arrest a person if the officer has reasonable grounds to believe that the person is physically abusing, or has physically abused, a family or household member and that the person arrested is guilty thereof.
(3) A police officer who has reasonable grounds to believe that the person is physically abusing, or has physically abused, a family or household member shall prepare a written report.
(4) Any police officer, with or without a warrant, shall take the following course of action, regardless of whether the physical abuse or harm occurred in the officer's presence:
(5) Abuse of a family or household member and refusal to comply with the lawful order of a police officer under subsection (4) are misdemeanors and the person shall be sentenced as follows:
(6) It shall be a petty misdemeanor for a person to intentionally or knowingly strike, shove, kick, or otherwise touch a family or household member in an offensive manner; subject the family member or household member to offensive physical contact; or exercise coercive control, as defined in section 586-1, over a family or household member and the person shall be sentenced as provided in sections 706-640 and 706-663. Upon conviction and sentencing of the defendant, the court may order that the defendant immediately be incarcerated to serve the mandatory minimum sentence imposed; provided that the defendant may be admitted to bail pending appeal pursuant to chapter 804. The court may stay the imposition of the sentence if special circumstances exist.
(7) Whenever a court sentences a person or grants a motion for deferral pursuant to subsections (5) and (6), it shall also require that the offender first complete, within a specified time frame, an assessment at any available domestic violence intervention program, and then complete a domestic violence intervention or anger management course as determined by the domestic violence program, and, if the offense involved the presence or abuse of a minor, any available parenting classes ordered by the court. The court shall revoke the defendant's probation or set aside the defendant's deferred acceptance of guilty plea and enter an adjudication of guilt, if applicable, and sentence or resentence the defendant to the maximum term of incarceration if:
provided that, after a hearing on an order to show cause, the court finds that the defendant has failed to show good cause why the defendant has not timely completed the domestic violence intervention course, anger management course, or parenting classes, if applicable, or why the defendant violated any other term or condition of the defendant's sentence. However, the court may suspend any portion of a jail sentence, except for the mandatory sentences under subsection (5)(a) and (b), upon the condition that the defendant remain arrest-free and conviction-free or complete court-ordered intervention.
(8) For a third or any subsequent offense that occurs within two years of a second or subsequent conviction, the offense shall be a class C felony.
(9) Where the physical abuse consists of intentionally or knowingly causing bodily injury by impeding the normal breathing or circulation of the blood by:
abuse of a family or household member is a class C felony; provided that infliction of visible bodily injury shall not be required to establish an offense under this subsection.
For the purposes of this subsection, "bodily injury" shall have the same meaning as in section 707-700.
(10) Where physical abuse occurs in the presence of a minor, as defined in section 706-606.4, and the minor is a family or household member less than fourteen years of age, abuse of a family or household member is a class C felony.
(11) Any police officer who arrests a person pursuant to this section shall not be subject to any civil or criminal liability; provided that the police officer acts in good faith, upon reasonable belief, and does not exercise unreasonable force in effecting the arrest.
(12) The family or household member who has been physically abused or harmed by another person may petition the family court, with the assistance of the prosecuting attorney of the applicable county, for a penal summons or arrest warrant to issue forthwith or may file a criminal complaint through the prosecuting attorney of the applicable county.
(13) The defendant shall be taken into custody and brought before the family court at the first possible opportunity. The court may dismiss the petition or hold the defendant in custody, subject to bail. Where the petition is not dismissed, a hearing shall be set.
(14) This section shall not operate as a bar against prosecution under any other section of this Code in lieu of prosecution for abuse of a family or household member.
(15) It shall be the duty of the prosecuting attorney of the applicable county to assist any victim under this section in the preparation of the penal summons or arrest warrant.
(16) This section shall not preclude the physically abused or harmed family or household member from pursuing any other remedy under law or in equity.
(17) When a person is ordered by the court to complete any domestic violence intervention course, anger management course, or parenting classes, that person shall provide adequate proof of compliance with the court's order. The court shall order a subsequent hearing at which the person is required to make an appearance, on a date certain, to determine whether the person has completed the ordered domestic violence intervention course, anger management course, or parenting classes. The court may waive the subsequent hearing and appearance where a court officer has established that the person has completed the intervention ordered by the court.
(18) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the court may grant a deferred acceptance of guilty plea pursuant to chapter 853 for misdemeanor or petty misdemeanor offenses of abuse of a family or household member when the defendant:
for any offense charged in family court under this section regardless of the final plea.
(19) For the purposes of this section:
"Business day" means any calendar day, except Saturday, Sunday, or any state holiday.
"Family or household member":