2023 District of Columbia Code › Title 16 - Particular Actions, Proceedings and Matters. [Enacted title] › Chapter 46 - Uniform Child-Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement › Subchapter I - General Provisions › § 16–4601.01. Definitions

§ 16–4601.01. Definitions.
For the purposes of this chapter, the term:
(1) “Abandoned” means left without provision for reasonable and necessary care or supervision.
(2) “Child” means an individual who has not attained 18 years of age.
(3) “Child-custody determination” means a judgment, decree, or other order of a court providing for the legal custody, physical custody, or visitation with respect to a child. The term includes a permanent, temporary, initial, and modification order. The term does not include an order relating to child support or other monetary obligation of an individual.
(4) “Child-custody proceeding” means a proceeding in which legal custody, physical custody, or visitation with respect to a child is an issue. The term includes a proceeding for divorce, separation, neglect, abuse, dependency, guardianship, adoption, paternity, termination of parental rights, and protection from domestic violence, in which the issue may appear. The term does not include a proceeding involving juvenile delinquency, contractual emancipation, or enforcement under subchapter III of this chapter.
(5) “Commencement” means the filing of the first pleading in a proceeding.
(6) “Court” means an entity authorized under the law of a state to establish, enforce, or modify a child-custody determination.
(7) “District” means the District of Columbia.
(8) “Home state” means the state in which a child lived with a parent or a person acting as a parent for at least 6 consecutive months immediately before the commencement of a child-custody proceeding. In the case of a child less than 6 months of age, the term means the state in which the child lived from birth with any of the persons mentioned. A period of temporary absence of any of the mentioned persons is part of the period.
(9) “Initial determination” means the first child-custody determination concerning a particular child.
(10) “Issuing court” means the court that makes a child-custody determination for which enforcement is sought under this chapter.
(11) “Issuing state” means the state in which a child-custody determination is made.
(12) “Modification” means a child-custody determination that changes, replaces, supersedes, or is otherwise made after a previous determination concerning the same child, whether or not it is made by the court that made the previous determination.
(13) “Person” means an individual, corporation, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, limited liability company, association, joint venture, government, governmental subdivision, agency, or instrumentality, public corporation, or any other legal or commercial entity.
(14) “Person acting as a parent” means a person, other than a parent, who:
(A) Has physical custody of the child or has had physical custody for a period of 6 consecutive months, including any temporary absence, within one year immediately before the commencement of a child-custody proceeding; and
(B) Has been awarded legal custody by a court or claims a right to legal custody under the law of the District.
(15) “Physical custody” means the physical care and supervision of a child.
(16) “State” means a state of the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, or any territory or insular possession subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.
(17) “Warrant” means an order issued by a court authorizing law enforcement officers to take physical custody of a child.
(Apr. 27, 2001, D.C. Law 13-293, § 2(d), 48 DCR 2214.)
Section References
This section is referenced in § 16-4604.05.
Editor's Notes
Uniform Law: This section is based upon § 102 of the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (1997 Act).