DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CHARGE REQUIRES A SPECIFICALLY DEFINED RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PARTIES

In Colorado, for an offense to be classified as a "domestic violence" offense, the alleged victim has to be one that the person charged with an offense was in an "intimate relationship" with. That "intimate relationship" is defined as a relationship between spouses, former spouses, past or present unmarried couples, or persons who are both the parents of the same child. So "intimacy" is not a requirement and having been "intimate" is not necessarily the deciding factor. I have handled cases where, although the people had engaged in sexual intercourse, they did not consider themselves a "couple" and so the offense was not a "domestic violence" offense. Worth considering if you are interested in avoiding the "domestic violence" tag on a case.