Can a woman claim residence in a home owned by her husband's relative?

Does the Domestic Violence Act protect residence only in a home owned or rented by the husband, or can a shared household include a relative's home where the woman lived in a domestic relationship?

A father-in-law sought possession of a property. The daughter-in-law said she had lived there in a domestic relationship and claimed residence protection under the Domestic Violence Act. The dispute required the Supreme Court to interpret the Act's shared-household language.

The Supreme Court read the definition of shared household broadly enough to include a household where the aggrieved woman lives or has lived in a domestic relationship, even when the property belongs to a relative. It also explained that civil courts must consider statutory residence claims when relevant.

Ownership alone does not end the residence inquiry in a qualifying domestic-violence claim. The judgment helps people understand why home, title and safety need to be discussed separately.

People worried about losing housing during a relationship breakdown, families discussing shared homes, and anyone trying to understand the difference between ownership and residence protection.