Virginia legal term
Family or household member in Virginia Criminal Law
Current through 2026 Virginia legislative session
In Virginia criminal law, “Family or household member” is a term defined by statute rather than by its everyday meaning. Its statutory definition — quoted verbatim below — controls how the term is applied throughout the Virginia criminal code.
What does “Family or household member” mean in Virginia criminal law?
"Family or household member" means (i) the person's spouse, whether or not such spouse resides in the same home with the person; (ii) the person's former spouse, whether or not such person resides in the same home with the person; (iii) the person's parents, stepparents, children, stepchildren, brothers, sisters, half-brothers, half-sisters, grandparents, and grandchildren, regardless of whether such persons reside in the same home with the person; (iv) the person's mother-in-law, father-in-law, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, brothers-in-law, and sisters-in-law who reside in the same home with (Va. Code Ann. § 16.1-228)
Statutes defining or using this term
Charges using this term
Related terms in the same statutes
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.