Pugliese

I. INTRODUCTION

Petitioner Michele Noel Pugliese (Michele) seeks a writ directing the superior court to set aside an order granting real party in interest Dante J. Pugliese’s (Dante) in limine motion to exclude all references to acts of domestic violence alleged to have occurred three years prior to the date Michele filed her domestic violence complaint. We conclude that domestic violence litigants are entitled to seek recovery for all acts of domestic abuse occurring during the domestic relationship, so long as the litigant proves a continuing course of abusive conduct. Accordingly, we grant the writ of mandate and direct the superior court to set aside its order granting Dante’s in limine motion.

II. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

Michele and Dante were married in January 1989. Michele filed a petition for dissolution of that marriage on April 22, 2002. On April 2, 2004, Michele sued Dante for assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress and violation of civil rights. Michele alleged Dante had engaged in a pattern of domestic abuse, both physical and mental, which began within a few months of the marriage. Although the physical acts allegedly…