{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/20-88.63.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/20-88.63.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/20-88.63.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/20-88.63.html"}],"law_id":75756,"edition_id":1,"section_id":75756,"structure_id":14319,"section_number":"20-88.63","catch_line":"Establishment of support order","history":"1994, c. 673; 2005, c. 754; 2015, c. 727.","full_text":"A\n\nIf a support order entitled to recognition under this chapter has not been issued, a responding tribunal of the Commonwealth with personal jurisdiction over the parties may issue a support order if (i) the individual seeking the order resides outside the Commonwealth or (ii) the support enforcement agency seeking the order is located outside the Commonwealth.B\n\nThe tribunal may issue a temporary child support order if the tribunal determines that such an order is appropriate and the individual ordered to pay is:1\n\nA presumed father of the child;2\n\nPetitioning to have his paternity adjudicated;3\n\nIdentified as the father of the child through genetic testing;4\n\nAn alleged father who has declined to submit to genetic testing;5\n\nShown by clear and convincing evidence to be the father of the child;6\n\nAn acknowledged father as provided by applicable state law;7\n\nThe mother of the child; or8\n\nAn individual who has been ordered to pay child support in a previous proceeding and the order has not been reversed or vacated.C\n\nUpon finding, after notice and opportunity to be heard, that an obligor owes a duty of support, the tribunal shall issue a support order directed to the obligor and may issue other orders pursuant to § 20-88.48.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":271990,"text":"If a support order entitled to recognition under this chapter has not been issued, a responding tribunal of the Commonwealth with personal jurisdiction over the parties may issue a support order if (i) the individual seeking the order resides outside the Commonwealth or (ii) the support enforcement agency seeking the order is located outside the Commonwealth.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":271991,"text":"The tribunal may issue a temporary child support order if the tribunal determines that such an order is appropriate and the individual ordered to pay is:","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"B1"},"2":{"id":271992,"text":"A presumed father of the child;","type":"section","prefixes":["B","1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"B1","prefix_anchor":"B1","level":2,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"B2"},"3":{"id":271993,"text":"Petitioning to have his paternity adjudicated;","type":"section","prefixes":["B","2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"B2","prefix_anchor":"B2","level":2,"prior_prefix":"B1","next_prefix":"B3"},"4":{"id":271994,"text":"Identified as the father of the child through genetic testing;","type":"section","prefixes":["B","3"],"prefix":"3","entire_prefix":"B3","prefix_anchor":"B3","level":2,"prior_prefix":"B2","next_prefix":"B4"},"5":{"id":271995,"text":"An alleged father who has declined to submit to genetic testing;","type":"section","prefixes":["B","4"],"prefix":"4","entire_prefix":"B4","prefix_anchor":"B4","level":2,"prior_prefix":"B3","next_prefix":"B5"},"6":{"id":271996,"text":"Shown by clear and convincing evidence to be the father of the child;","type":"section","prefixes":["B","5"],"prefix":"5","entire_prefix":"B5","prefix_anchor":"B5","level":2,"prior_prefix":"B4","next_prefix":"B6"},"7":{"id":271997,"text":"An acknowledged father as provided by applicable state law;","type":"section","prefixes":["B","6"],"prefix":"6","entire_prefix":"B6","prefix_anchor":"B6","level":2,"prior_prefix":"B5","next_prefix":"B7"},"8":{"id":271998,"text":"The mother of the child; or","type":"section","prefixes":["B","7"],"prefix":"7","entire_prefix":"B7","prefix_anchor":"B7","level":2,"prior_prefix":"B6","next_prefix":"B8"},"9":{"id":271999,"text":"An individual who has been ordered to pay child support in a previous proceeding and the order has not been reversed or vacated.","type":"section","prefixes":["B","8"],"prefix":"8","entire_prefix":"B8","prefix_anchor":"B8","level":2,"prior_prefix":"B7","next_prefix":"C"},"10":{"id":272000,"text":"Upon finding, after notice and opportunity to be heard, that an obligor owes a duty of support, the tribunal shall issue a support order directed to the obligor and may issue other orders pursuant to § 20-88.48.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B8"}},"ancestry":[{"id":14319,"edition_id":1,"name":"Establishment of Support Order or Determination of Parentage","identifier":"6","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":14136,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:47:44","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:47:44","permalink":{"id":178823,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14319,"identifier":"6","token":"20\/5.3\/6","url":"\/20\/5.3\/6\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":14136,"edition_id":1,"name":"Uniform Interstate Family Support Act","identifier":"5.3","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12711,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:46:59","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:46:59","permalink":{"id":178595,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14136,"identifier":"5.3","token":"20\/5.3","url":"\/20\/5.3\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12711,"edition_id":1,"name":"Domestic Relations","identifier":"20","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","permalink":{"id":178075,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12711,"identifier":"20","token":"20","url":"\/20\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":75756,"structure_id":14319,"section_number":"20-88.63","catch_line":"Establishment of support order","url":"\/20-88.63\/","token":"20\/5.3\/6\/20-88.63","metadata":false},{"id":55613,"structure_id":14319,"section_number":"20-88.63:1","catch_line":"Proceeding to determine parentage","url":"\/20-88.63_1\/","token":"20\/5.3\/6\/20-88.63_1","metadata":false}],"next_section":{"id":55613,"structure_id":14319,"section_number":"20-88.63:1","catch_line":"Proceeding to determine parentage","url":"\/20-88.63_1\/","token":"20\/5.3\/6\/20-88.63_1","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/20-88.63\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1994. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 673<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. It has been modified 2 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 2005, chapter 754<\/a>; in 2015, chapter 727<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":79696,"section_number":"20-88.48","catch_line":"Duties and powers of responding tribunal","order_by":null,"url":"\/20-88.48\/"}],"permalink":{"id":178825,"object_type":"law","relational_id":75756,"identifier":"20-88.63","token":"20\/5.3\/6\/20-88.63","url":"\/20-88.63\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/20-88.63\/","token":"20\/5.3\/6\/20-88.63","dublin_core":{"Title":"Establishment of support order","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 20-88.63","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> If a support order<\/span> entitled to recognition under this chapter has not been issued, a responding tribunal<\/span> of the Commonwealth with personal jurisdiction<\/span> over the parties may issue<\/span> a support order<\/span> if (i) the individual seeking the order resides outside the Commonwealth<\/span> or (ii) the support enforcement agency<\/span> seeking the order is located outside the Commonwealth<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> The tribunal may issue<\/span> a temporary child support order<\/span> if the tribunal determines that such an order is appropriate and the individual ordered to pay is: <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> A presumed father of the child; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> Petitioning to have his paternity adjudicated; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

3.<\/span> Identified as the father of the child through genetic testing; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

4.<\/span> An alleged father who has declined to submit to genetic testing; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

5.<\/span> Shown by clear and convincing evidence<\/span> to be the father of the child; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

6.<\/span> An acknowledged father as provided by applicable state<\/span> law<\/span>; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

7.<\/span> The mother of the child; or <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

8.<\/span> An individual who has been ordered to pay child support in a previous proceeding and the order has not been reversed or vacated. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> Upon finding<\/span>, after notice and opportunity to be heard, that an obligor<\/span> owes a duty of support<\/span>, the tribunal shall issue<\/span> a support order directed to the obligor<\/span> and may issue<\/span> other orders<\/span> pursuant to § 20-88.48<\/a>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nESTABLISHMENT OF SUPPORT ORDER (\u00a7 20-88.63)\n\nA. If a support order entitled to recognition under this chapter has not been\nissued, a responding tribunal of the Commonwealth with personal jurisdiction\nover the parties may issue a support order if (i) the individual seeking the\norder resides outside the Commonwealth or (ii) the support enforcement agency\nseeking the order is located outside the Commonwealth.\n\nB. The tribunal may issue a temporary child support order if the tribunal\ndetermines that such an order is appropriate and the individual ordered to pay\nis:\n\n 1. A presumed father of the child;\n\n 2. Petitioning to have his paternity adjudicated;\n\n 3. Identified as the father of the child through genetic testing;\n\n 4. An alleged father who has declined to submit to genetic testing;\n\n 5. Shown by clear and convincing evidence to be the father of the child;\n\n 6. An acknowledged father as provided by applicable state law;\n\n 7. The mother of the child; or\n\n 8. An individual who has been ordered to pay child support in a previous\n proceeding and the order has not been reversed or vacated.\n\nC. Upon finding, after notice and opportunity to be heard, that an obligor owes\na duty of support, the tribunal shall issue a support order directed to the\nobligor and may issue other orders pursuant to § 20-88.48.\n\nHISTORY: 1994, c. 673; 2005, c. 754; 2015, c. 727.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}