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

(a) A person initiates an arbitration proceeding by giving notice in a record to the other parties to the agreement to arbitrate by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested and obtained, or by service as authorized for the commencement of a civil action. The notice …

(a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (c) of this section, upon motion of a party to an agreement to arbitrate or to an arbitration proceeding, the court may order consolidation of separate arbitration proceedings as to all or some of the claims if: (1) There are separat…

(a) If the parties to an agreement to arbitrate agree on a method for appointing an arbitrator, that method shall be followed, unless the method fails. If the parties have not agreed on a method, the agreed method fails, or an arbitrator appointed fails or is unable to act and a …

(a) Before accepting appointment, an individual who is requested to serve as an arbitrator, after making a reasonable inquiry, shall disclose to all parties to the agreement to arbitrate and arbitration proceeding, and to any other arbitrators, any known facts that a reasonable p…

If there is more than one arbitrator, the powers of an arbitrator shall be exercised by a majority of the arbitrators, but all of them shall conduct the hearing under § 16-4415(c).

(a) An arbitrator is immune from civil liability to the same extent as a judge of a court of the District of Columbia acting in a judicial capacity. (b) The immunity afforded by this section supplements any immunity under other law. (c) The failure of an arbitrator to make a disc…

(a) An arbitrator may conduct an arbitration in such manner as the arbitrator considers appropriate for a fair and expeditious disposition of the proceeding. The authority conferred upon the arbitrator includes the power to hold conferences with the parties to the arbitration pro…

A party to an arbitration proceeding may be represented by a lawyer.

(a) An arbitrator may issue a subpoena for the attendance of a witness and for the production of records and other evidence at any hearing and may administer oaths. A subpoena shall be served in the manner for service of subpoenas in a civil action and, upon motion to the court b…

If an arbitrator makes a preaward ruling in favor of a party to the arbitration proceeding, the party may request the arbitrator to incorporate the ruling into an award under § 16-4419. A prevailing party may make a motion to the court for an expedited order to confirm the award …

(a) An arbitrator shall make a record of an award. The record shall be signed or otherwise authenticated by any arbitrator who concurs with the award. The arbitrator or the arbitration organization shall give notice, as provided for in § 16-4409, of the award, including a copy of…

(a) On motion to an arbitrator by a party to an arbitration proceeding, the arbitrator may modify or correct an award: (1) Upon a ground stated in § 16-4424(a)(1) or (3); (2) Because the arbitrator has not made a final and definite award upon a claim submitted by the parties to t…

(a) An arbitrator may award punitive damages or other exemplary relief if such an award is authorized by law in a civil action involving the same claim and the evidence produced at the hearing justifies the award under the legal standards otherwise applicable to the claim. (b) An…

After a party to an arbitration proceeding receives notice of an award, the party may make a motion to the court for an order confirming the award at which time the court shall issue a confirming order unless the award is modified or corrected pursuant to § 16-4420 or 16-4424 or …

(a) Upon motion to the court by a party to an arbitration proceeding, the court shall vacate an award made in the arbitration proceeding if: (1) The award was procured by corruption, fraud, or other undue means; (2) There was: (A) Evident partiality by an arbitrator appointed as …

(a) Upon motion made within 90 days after the movant receives notice of the award pursuant to § 16-4419 or within 90 days after the movant receives notice of a modified or corrected award pursuant to § 16-4420, the court shall modify or correct the award if: (1) There was an evid…

(a) Upon granting an order confirming, vacating without directing a rehearing, modifying, or correcting an award, the court shall enter a judgment in conformity therewith. The judgment may be recorded, docketed, and enforced as any other judgment in a civil action. (b) A court ma…

(a) A court of the District of Columbia having jurisdiction over the controversy and the parties may enforce an agreement to arbitrate. (b) An agreement to arbitrate providing for arbitration in the District of Columbia confers exclusive jurisdiction on the court to enter judgmen…

(a) An appeal may be taken from: (1) An order denying or granting a motion to compel arbitration; (2) An order granting a motion to stay arbitration; (3) An order confirming or denying confirmation of an award; (4) An order modifying or correcting an award; (5) An order vacating …

In applying and construing this uniform act, consideration shall be given to the need to promote uniformity of the law with respect to its subject matter among states that enact it.

This chapter modifies, limits, and supersedes the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, approved June 30, 2000 (114 Stat. 467; 15 U.S.C. § 7001 et. seq.), but does not modify, limit, or supersede section 101(c) of that act (15 U.S.C. § 7001(c) ) or authorize …

(a) Any arbitration organization that administers or otherwise is involved in 50 or more consumer arbitrations a year shall collect, publish at least quarterly, and make available to the public in a computer-searchable database that permits searching with multiple search terms in…

(a) A party drafting a consumer arbitration agreement shall clearly and conspicuously disclose in regard to any arbitration: (1) The filing fee; (2) The average daily cost for an arbitrator and hearing room if the consumer elects to appear in person; (3) Other charges that the ar…

This chapter does not affect an action or proceeding commenced or right accrued before the effective date of this chapter. Subject to § 16-4403, an arbitration agreement made before the effective date of this chapter is governed by §§ 16-4301 to 16-4319.

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 or…

This chapter does not govern a proceeding pertaining to: (1) The authorization of emergency medical care for a child; (2) An adoption proceeding pursuant to § 16-301; or (3) A proceeding to adjudicate the parentage of a child pursuant to § 16-909(b-2).

A child-custody proceeding that pertains to an Indian child as defined in the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978, approved November 8, 1978 (92 Stat. 3069; 25 U.S.C. § 1901 et seq.), is not subject to this chapter to the extent that it is governed by the Indian Child Welfare Act of…

(a) A court of the District shall treat a foreign country as if it were a state of the United States for the purpose of applying subchapters I and II of this chapter. (b) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (c) of this section, a child-custody determination made in a forei…

A child-custody determination made by a court of the District that had jurisdiction under this chapter binds all persons who have been served in accordance with the laws of the District or notified in accordance with § 16-4601.07 or who have submitted to the jurisdiction of the c…

If a question of existence or exercise of jurisdiction under this chapter is raised in a child-custody proceeding, the question, upon request of a party, must be given priority on the calendar and handled expeditiously.

(a) Notice required for the exercise of jurisdiction when a person is outside the District may be given in a manner prescribed by the law of the District for service of process or by the law of the state in which the service is made. Notice must be given in a manner reasonably ca…

(a) A party to a child-custody proceeding, including a modification proceeding, or a petitioner or respondent in a proceeding to enforce or register a child-custody determination, is not subject to personal jurisdiction in the District for another proceeding or purpose solely by …

(a) A court of the District may communicate with a court in another state concerning a proceeding arising under this chapter. (b) The court may allow the parties to participate in the communication. If the parties are not able to participate in the communication, they must be giv…

(a) In addition to other procedures available to a party, a party to a child-custody proceeding may offer testimony of witnesses who are located in another state, including testimony of the parties and the child, by deposition or other means allowable in the District for testimon…

(a) A court of the District may request the appropriate court of another state to: (1) Hold an evidentiary hearing; (2) Order a person to produce or give evidence pursuant to procedures of that state; (3) Order that an evaluation be made with respect to the custody of a child inv…

(a) Except as otherwise provided in § 16-4602.04, a court of the District has jurisdiction to make an initial child-custody determination only if: (1) The District is the home state of the child on the date of the commencement of the proceeding, or was the home state of the child…

(a) Except as otherwise provided in § 16-4602.04, a court of the District which has made a child-custody determination consistent with §§ 16-4602.01 or 16-4602.03 has exclusive, continuing jurisdiction over the determination until: (1) A court of the District determines that neit…

Except as otherwise provided in § 16-4602.04, a court of the District may not modify a child-custody determination made by a court of another state unless a court of the District has jurisdiction to make an initial determination under § 16-4602.01(a)(1) or (2) and: (1) The court …

(a) A court of the District has temporary emergency jurisdiction if the child is present in the District and the child has been abandoned or it is necessary in an emergency to protect the child because the child, or a sibling or parent of the child, is subjected to or threatened …

(a) Before a child-custody determination is made under this chapter, notice and an opportunity to be heard in accordance with the standards of § 16-4601.07 must be given to all persons entitled to notice under the law of the District as in child-custody proceedings between reside…

(a) Except as otherwise provided in § 16-4602.04, a court of the District may not exercise its jurisdiction under this subchapter if, at the time of the commencement of the proceeding, a proceeding concerning the custody of the child has been commenced in a court of another state…

(a) A court of the District which has jurisdiction under this chapter to make a child-custody determination may decline to exercise its jurisdiction at any time if it determines that it is an inconvenient forum under the circumstances and that a court of another state is a more a…

(a) Except as otherwise provided in § 16-4602.04, if a court of the District has jurisdiction under this chapter because a person seeking to invoke its jurisdiction has engaged in unjustifiable conduct, the court shall decline to exercise its jurisdiction unless: (1) The parents …

(a) In a child-custody proceeding, each party, in its first pleading or in an attached affidavit, shall give information, if reasonably ascertainable, under oath as to the child’s present address or whereabouts, the places where the child has lived during the last 5 years, and th…

(a) In a child-custody proceeding in the District, the court may order a party to the proceeding who is in the District to appear before the court in person, with or without the child. The court may order any person who is in the District and who has physical custody or control o…

For the purposes of this subchapter, the term: (1) “Petitioner” means a person who seeks enforcement of an order for return of a child under the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction or enforcement of a child-custody determination. (2) “Respondent…