Title 23, DOMESTIC RELATIONS

(a) Access to be granted.--The secretary or his designees in writing shall have access to all records, and the department in cooperation with all other agencies of the executive branch shall establish a single, uniform system of information clearance and retrieval. Information co…

(a) Central registry created.--A central registry of records shall be maintained in the department showing, as far as it is known, with respect to any absent parent against whom support is sought, all of the following: (1) The full and true name of such parent together with any k…

(a) Administrative powers.--The department shall have Statewide jurisdiction to issue the following administrative orders to expedite the establishment and enforcement of support on behalf of any assistance recipient or nonrecipient receiving Title IV-D services: (1) To order any…

(a) Seeking support required.--Prior to authorization, every applicant for assistance whose circumstances include the reported absence of a legally responsible relative from the household or the presence of a putative father shall appear before the domestic relations section or o…

In accordance with a child support plan approved by the Federal Government, the department shall have the power and its duty shall be to: (1) Require as a condition of eligibility for assistance that an applicant or recipient: (i) Furnish his or her Social Security account number…

(a) Cooperation required.--It is essential to the effective and responsible utilization of assistance funds that applicants and recipients who are caretakers of a child whose circumstances include the reported absence of a legally responsible relative from the household or presen…

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, moneys due from or payable by the Commonwealth, including any agency, instrumentality or authority thereof, due to any individual shall be subject, in like manner and to the same extent as if the Commonwealth were a private person, to l…

The following words and phrases when used in this subchapter shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise: "Date of hire." The first day an employee performs services for remuneration. "Employee." An individual who is an emp…

(a) General rule.--For purposes of enhancing child support enforcement activities, including the location of individuals, the establishment of paternity and the enforcement of child support obligations pursuant to this subchapter, a Commonwealth directory of new hires shall be es…

(a) Access to information.--The domestic relations sections and the department shall have access to all information required under this subchapter for purposes of locating individuals, establishing paternity and establishing, modifying and enforcing child support obligations. The…

The Department of Labor and Industry shall develop guidelines for employers to use to determine if an individual qualifies as an employee under this subchapter.

All information received pursuant to this subchapter shall be confidential and shall be used only for the purposes set forth herein. A person commits a summary offense if he or she discloses information received pursuant to this subchapter to an unauthorized person or for an unau…

An employer that fails to report pursuant to this subchapter may be provided a written warning for the first violation and is subject to a civil penalty of up to $25 for each violation which is subsequent to the warning. The civil penalty shall be payable to the Department of Lab…

This chapter relates to support of indigent persons.

The following words and phrases when used in this chapter shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise: "Court." A court of common pleas and the Philadelphia Municipal Court. "Department." The Department of Public Welfare of…

(a) Liability.-- (1) Except as set forth in paragraph (2), all of the following individuals have the responsibility to care for and maintain or financially assist an indigent person, regardless of whether the indigent person is a public charge: (i) The spouse of the indigent pers…

(a) General rule.--Except as limited by subsection (c), the following apply: (1) Subject to paragraph (2), the personal property of an indigent person shall be liable for the expenses incurred by a public body or public agency for the support, maintenance, assistance and burial o…

(a) Recovery.--Whenever any person shall become a public charge or receive public assistance, the public body or public agency caring for or furnishing the assistance to the person may sue for and recover any sum of money which is due the person. (b) Manner of suit.--A suit under…

(a) Petition.--Any public body or public agency caring for or assisting any indigent person may petition the court of common pleas, if the person is of full age, or the orphans' court, if the person is a minor, for a rule to show cause why the public body, public agency or some o…

(a) Age for entering into contracts.--Any individual 18 years of age and older shall have the right to enter into binding and legally enforceable contracts and the defense of minority shall not be available to such individuals. (b) Age for suing and being sued.--Except where othe…

(a) General rule.--All children shall be legitimate irrespective of the marital status of their parents, and, in every case where children are born out of wedlock, they shall enjoy all the rights and privileges as if they had been born during the wedlock of their parents except a…

(a) Acknowledgment of paternity.--The father of a child born to an unmarried woman may file with the Department of Public Welfare, on forms prescribed by the department, an acknowledgment of paternity of the child which shall include the consent of the mother of the child, suppor…

(a) Short title of section.--This section shall be known and may be cited as the Uniform Act on Blood Tests to Determine Paternity. (b) Scope of section.-- (1) Civil matters.--This section shall apply to all civil matters. (2) Criminal proceedings.--This section shall apply to al…

Notwithstanding the provisions of 54 Pa.C.S. § 702(b) (relating to change by order of court), a child who is 12 years of age or younger shall not be required to submit a set of fingerprints for the purpose of a name change under 54 Pa.C.S. Ch. 7 (relating to judicial change of na…

This chapter relates to uniform child abduction prevention.

The following words and phrases when used in this chapter shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise: "Abduction." The wrongful removal or wrongful retention of a child. "Child." An unemancipated individual who is under 18…

Sections 5410 (relating to communication between courts), 5411 (relating to taking testimony in another state) and 5412 (relating to cooperation between courts; preservation of records) apply to cooperation and communication among courts in proceedings under this chapter.

(a) Court.--A court on its own motion may order abduction prevention measures in a child custody proceeding if the court finds that the evidence establishes a credible risk of abduction of the child. (b) Party.--A party to a child custody determination or another individual or en…

(a) General rule.--A petition under this chapter may be filed only in a court that has jurisdiction to make a child custody determination with respect to the child at issue under Chapter 54 (relating to uniform child custody jurisdiction and enforcement). (b) Emergency jurisdicti…

A petition under this chapter must be verified and include a copy of any existing child custody determination, if available. The petition must specify the risk factors for abduction, including the relevant factors described under section 5207 (relating to factors to determine ris…

(a) Evidence supporting risk.--In determining whether there is a credible risk of abduction of a child, the court shall consider any evidence that the petitioner or respondent: (1) has previously abducted or attempted to abduct the child; (2) has threatened to abduct the child; (…

(a) Contents of discretionary orders.--If a petition is filed under this chapter, the court may enter an order that must include: (1) the basis for the court's exercise of jurisdiction; (2) the manner in which notice and opportunity to be heard were given to the persons entitled …

(a) Ex parte.--If a petition under this chapter contains allegations and the court finds that there is a credible risk that the child is imminently likely to be wrongfully removed, the court may issue an ex parte warrant to take physical custody of the child. (b) Hearing.--The re…

An abduction prevention order remains in effect until the earliest of: (1) the time stated in the order; (2) the emancipation of the child; (3) the child's attaining 18 years of age; or (4) the time the order is modified, revoked, vacated or superseded by a court with jurisdictio…

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

To the extent permitted by section 102 of the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (Public Law 106-229, 15 U.S.C. § 7002), this chapter may supersede provisions of that act.

This chapter applies to disputes relating to child custody matters. There are additional provisions applicable to child custody matters involving military personnel in 51 Pa.C.S. Ch. 46 (relating to uniform deployed parents custody and visitation). (Oct. 27, 2025, P.L.131, No.40,…

(a) This chapter.--The following words and phrases when used in this chapter shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise: "Abuse." As follows: (1) As defined in section 6102 (relating to definitions). The term includes t…

(a) Types of award.--After considering the factors set forth in section 5328 (relating to factors to consider when awarding custody), the court may award any of the following types of custody if it is in the best interest of the child: (1) Shared physical custody. (2) Primary phy…

The following individuals may file an action under this chapter for any form of physical custody or legal custody: (1) A parent of the child. (2) A person who stands in loco parentis to the child. (3) A grandparent of the child who is not in loco parentis to the child: (i) whose …

In addition to situations set forth in section 5324 (relating to standing for any form of physical custody or legal custody), grandparents and great-grandparents may file an action under this chapter for partial physical custody or supervised physical custody in the following sit…

Any rights to seek physical custody or legal custody rights and any custody rights that have been granted under section 5324 (relating to standing for any form of physical custody or legal custody) or 5325 (relating to standing for partial physical custody and supervised physical…

(a) Between parents.--In any action regarding the custody of the child between the parents of the child, there shall be no presumption that custody should be awarded to a particular parent. (b) Between a parent and third party.--In any action regarding the custody of the child be…

(a) Factors.--In ordering any form of custody, the court shall determine the best interest of the child by considering all relevant factors, giving substantial weighted consideration to the factors specified under paragraphs (1), (2), (2.1) and (2.2) which affect the safety of th…

(a) Offenses.--Where a party seeks any form of custody, the court shall consider whether that party or member of that party's household has been convicted of or has pleaded guilty or no contest to any of the offenses in this section or an offense in another jurisdiction substanti…

(a) Information sharing.--In accordance with section 6340(a)(5.1) (relating to release of information in confidential reports), where a party seeks any form of custody, subject to the examination of the parties, the court shall determine: (1) With respect to child abuse under Cha…