Title 16, Particular Actions, Proceedings and Matters. [Enacted title]

Upon divorce from the bond of marriage, the court shall, on request of a party who assumed a new name on marriage and desires to discontinue using it, state in the decree of divorce either the birth-given or other previous name which such person desires to use.

(a) Whenever a spouse or domestic partner shall fail or refuse to maintain his or her needy spouse, domestic partner, minor children, or both, although able to do so, or whenever any parent shall fail or refuse to maintain his or her children by a marriage since dissolved, althou…

(a) In any case that involves the establishment of child support, or in any case that seeks to modify an existing support order, if the judicial officer finds that there is an existing duty of child support, the judicial officer shall conduct a hearing on child support, make a fi…

[APPENDICES I. Schedule of Basic Child Support Obligations, II. Worksheet A: Sole Physical Custody, and III. Worksheet B: Shared Physical Custody to follow.] Combined Adjusted Gross Income One Child Two Children Three Children Four or More Children 12,382 3,261 4,634 5,410 6,063 …

(a) There is established a Child Support Guideline Commission (“Commission”). The Commission shall study and make recommendations on the child support guidelines to the Mayor. (b) The Commission shall consist of a chairperson and 8 members who are District of Columbia residents. …

The court may consider child support matters, as it deems appropriate, in any proceeding to determine the care and custody of a minor child or children.

(a) In all cases under this chapter, where the court deems it necessary or proper, a disinterested attorney may be appointed by the court to enter his appearance for the defendant and actively defend the cause. (b) In any proceeding wherein the custody of a child is in question, …

A decree for a divorce, or a decree annulling a marriage, may not be rendered on default, without proof; and an admission contained in the answer of the defendant may not be taken as proof of the facts charged as the ground of the application, but shall be proved by other evidenc…

A decree or judgment annulling or dissolving a marriage, granting an absolute divorce, or terminating a domestic partnership, shall become effective to dissolve the bonds of matrimony or domestic partnership 30 days after the docketing of the decree or judgment unless either part…

When the validity of an alleged marriage is denied by either of the parties thereto the other party may institute an action for affirming the marriage, and upon due proof of the validity thereof the court shall decree it to be valid. The decree shall be conclusive upon all partie…

This chapter does not invalidate any marriage solemnized according to law before January 1, 1902, or any decree or judgment of divorce pronounced before that date.

Causes of action for breach of promise, alienation of affections, and criminal conversation are hereby abolished.

(a) In any case brought under D.C. Official Code, section 11-1101(1), (3), (10), or (11), involving the establishment or enforcement of child support, or in any case seeking to modify an existing child support order, where a magistrate judge in the Family Court of the Superior Co…

(a) The Mayor shall promulgate rules and establish procedures to implement safeguards, applicable to all confidential information handled by the IV-D agency or executive branch agencies in cooperative agreements with the IV-D agency, to protect the privacy rights of parties in IV…

For the purposes of this subchapter, the term: (1) “Attorney General” means the Attorney General for the District of Columbia. (2) “Court” means the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. (3) “Custodian” shall have the meaning as provided in § 16-2301(12). (4) “Domestic part…

A petitioner has a right to seek relief under this subchapter. This right does not depend on the decision of the Attorney General, the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, or a prosecuting attorney in any jurisdiction to initiate or not to initiate a criminal or d…

(a) A person 16 years of age or older may petition the Domestic Violence Division for a civil protection order against a respondent who has allegedly committed or threatened to commit: (1) An intrafamily offense, where the petitioner is the victim, or, if the offense is punishabl…

(a) Upon receipt of a petition filed pursuant to § 16-1003, the Domestic Violence Division shall: (1) Order that a hearing be held to determine whether to issue a civil protection order against the respondent; and (2) Where appropriate, consolidate the case with other matters bef…

(a) Parties served with notice in accordance with § 16-1007 shall appear at the hearing. (a-1)(1) In a case in which the Attorney General intervenes pursuant to [§ 16-1003(f)(1)(A)], the petitioner is not a required party. (2) In a case in which an individual described in § 16-10…

A petitioner may file a petition for protection under this subchapter if: (1) The petitioner resides, lives, works, or attends school in the District of Columbia: (2) The petitioner is under the legal custody of a District government agency; or (3) The underlying offense occurred…

(a) Pursuant to the Rules of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, the respondent, and in cases where the respondent is a minor, the respondent's custodial parent, guardian, or custodian, shall be served with notice of the hearing, an order to appear, a copy of the peti…

For the purposes of this subchapter, the term: (1) “Child” means a person under the age of 16 years of age. (2) “District” means the District of Columbia. (3) “Lawful custodian” means a person who is authorized to have custody by an order of the Superior Court of the District of …

(a) No parent, or any person acting pursuant to directions from the parent, may intentionally conceal a child from the child’s other parent. (b) No relative, or any person acting pursuant to directions from the relative, who knows that another person is the lawful custodian of a …

(a) No person violates this subchapter if the action: (1) Is taken to protect the child from imminent physical harm; (2) Is taken by a parent fleeing from imminent physical harm to the parent; (3) Is consented to by the other parent; or (4) Is otherwise authorized by law. (b) If …

(a) A person who violates any provision of § 16-1022 and who takes the child to a place within the District, or detains or conceals the child within the District of Columbia is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to fine not exceeding $250 or performance of commu…

Prosecutions under this subchapter shall be brought in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia in name of the District by the Corporation Counsel.

Any parent convicted in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia of violating any provision of this subchapter with respect to his or her child may apply to the court for an order to expunge from all official records all records relating to the conviction at such time that …

(a) A law enforcement officer shall arrest a person if the law enforcement officer has probable cause to believe that the person: (1) Committed an intrafamily offense that resulted in physical injury, including physical pain or illness, regardless of whether or not the intrafamil…

Any law enforcement officer who investigates an intrafamily offense shall file a written report of the incident with the District of Columbia Metropolitan Police force (“Police force”), including the law enforcement officer’s disposition of the case. The Police force shall mainta…

A law enforcement officer shall not be civilly liable solely because he or she makes an arrest in good faith and without malice pursuant to this subchapter.

(a) The Police force shall incorporate in its educational program for new law enforcement officers training in: (1) The nature, dimension, and causes of intrafamily offenses; (2) The legal rights and remedies available to a victim or perpetrator of an intrafamily offense; (3) The…

For purposes of this subchapter, the term: (1) “District” means the District of Columbia. (2) “Foreign protection order” means a protection order issued by a tribunal of another State. (3) “Issuing State” means the State whose tribunal issues a protection order. (4) “Mutual forei…

(a) A person authorized by the law of the District to seek enforcement of a protection order may seek enforcement of a valid foreign protection order in a tribunal of the District. The tribunal shall enforce the terms of the order, including terms that provide relief that a tribu…

(a) A law enforcement officer, upon determining that there is probable cause to believe that a valid foreign protection order exists and that the order has been violated, shall enforce the order as if it were the order of a tribunal of the District. Presentation of a protection o…

(a) The Superior Court of the District of Columbia is authorized, subject to appropriations, to create a registry in the District of Columbia for foreign protection orders and protection orders issued in the District of Columbia. (b) Any individual may register a foreign protecti…

The District and its officers and employees, a law enforcement officer, prosecuting attorney, clerk of court, or any state or local governmental official acting in an official capacity, is immune from civil and criminal liability for conduct arising out of the registration or enf…

A protected individual who pursues remedies under this subchapter is not precluded from pursuing other legal or equitable remedies against the respondent.

In applying and construing this Uniform Act, consideration must be given to the need to promote uniformity of the law with respect to its subject matter among States that enact it.

This subchapter applies to protection orders issued before the effective date of this subchapter and to continuing actions for enforcement of foreign protection orders commenced before the effective date of this subchapter. A request for enforcement of a foreign protection order …

For purposes of this subchapter, the term: (1) “Board” means the Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board. (2) “District” means the District of Columbia. (3) “Domestic violence fatality” means: (A) A homicide under any of the following circumstances: (i) The alleged perpetrator an…

(a) There is established, as part of the District of Columbia government, a Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board. Facilities and other administrative support may be provided in a specific department or through the Board, as determined by the Mayor. (b) The purpose of the Board…

(a) The Mayor shall appoint one representative from each of the following District agencies: (1) Metropolitan Police Department; (2) Office of the Chief Medical Examiner; (3) Office of the Attorney General; (4) Department of Corrections; (5) Fire and Emergency Medical Services De…

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, immediately upon the request of the Board and as necessary to carry out the Board’s purpose and duties, the Board shall be provided, without cost and without authorization of the persons to whom the information or records relate, ac…

(a) When necessary for the discharge of its duties, the Board shall have the authority to issue subpoenas to compel witnesses to appear and testify and to produce books, papers, correspondence, memoranda, documents, or other relevant records. (b) Except as provided in subsection …

(a) Except as provided in this section, information and records obtained or created by the Board are confidential and not subject to civil discovery or to disclosure pursuant to subchapter II of Chapter 5 of Title 2. (b) Information and records presented to the Board for review s…

(a) Any health-care provider or any other person or institution providing information to the Board pursuant to this subchapter shall have immunity from liability, administrative, civil, or criminal, that might otherwise be incurred or imposed with respect to the disclosure of inf…