(1) "Court" means judges in the classes of courts identified in Title 15 and any other person while acting as such a judge pursuant to designation as otherwise authorized by law.

(2) "Foreign court" means a court of competent jurisdiction in any state other than this state or any territory or tribal jurisdiction in the United States.

(3) "Foreign protective order" means any temporary order of protection, order of protection, restraining order, injunction, pretrial release order, or sentencing order that prohibits contact, acts of family violence, or stalking issued by a foreign court.

(4) "Law enforcement officer" means any agent or officer of this state, or a political subdivision or municipality thereof, who, as a full-time or part-time employee, is vested either expressly by law or by virtue of public employment or service with authority to enforce the criminal or traffic laws and whose duties include the preservation of public order, the protection of life and property, or the prevention, detection, or investigation of crime. Such term also includes the following: state or local officer, sheriff, deputy sheriff, dispatcher, 9-1-1 operator, police officer, prosecuting attorney, member of the State Board of Pardons and Paroles, a hearing officer of the State Board of Pardons and Paroles, and a community supervision officer of the Department of Community Supervision.

(5) "Modification" means any amendment, dismissal, or continuance.

(6) "Prosecuting attorney" means each attorney elected to represent a judicial circuit in this state and any assistant or deputy district attorney, or solicitor, in each judicial circuit in this state.

(7) "Protective order" means:

(A) An ex parte, temporary, six-month, permanent, restraining, pretrial release, or sentencing order issued by a judge in this state that prohibits contact or that is pursuant to Article 7 of Chapter 5 of Title 16 or this chapter; and

(B) A foreign protective order.

(8) "Registry" means the Georgia Protective Order Registry.