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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>82783</law_id><section_number>20-146.1</section_number><catch_line>Definitions</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="20">Domestic Relations</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="7.1">Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="1">General Provisions</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>In this act:
		&#x201C;Child&#x201D; means an individual who has not attained eighteen years of age.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Child custody determination</span>&#x201D; means a <span class="dictionary">judgment</span>, <span class="dictionary">decree</span>, or other <span class="dictionary">order</span> of a court providing for the legal custody, <span class="dictionary">physical custody</span>, or visitation with respect to a child. The term includes a permanent, temporary, initial, or <span class="dictionary">modification</span> <span class="dictionary">order</span>. The term does not include an <span class="dictionary">order</span> relating to child support or other monetary obligation of an individual.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Child custody proceeding</span>&#x201D; means a proceeding in which legal custody, <span class="dictionary">physical custody</span>, or visitation with respect to a child is an <span class="dictionary">issue</span>. The term includes a proceeding for divorce, separation, neglect, abuse, dependency, guardianship, paternity, termination of parental rights, and protection from domestic violence, in which the <span class="dictionary">issue</span> may appear. The term does not include a proceeding involving juvenile delinquency, contractual emancipation, or enforcement under Article 3 (&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/20-146.22/">20-146.22</a> et seq.) of this chapter.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Commencement</span>&#x201D; means the filing of the first pleading in a proceeding.
		&#x201C;Court&#x201D; means a court of competent <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> as determined by otherwise applicable Virginia <span class="dictionary">law</span> to establish, enforce, or modify a <span class="dictionary">child custody determination</span> or an entity authorized under the <span class="dictionary">law</span> of another state to establish, enforce or modify a <span class="dictionary">child custody determination</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Home state</span>&#x201D; means the state in which a child lived with a parent or a <span class="dictionary">person acting as a parent</span> for at least six consecutive months immediately before the <span class="dictionary">commencement</span> of a <span class="dictionary">child custody proceeding</span>. In the case of a child less than six months of age, the term means the state in which the child lived from birth with any of the <span class="dictionary">persons</span> mentioned. A period of temporary absence of any of the mentioned <span class="dictionary">persons</span> is part of the period.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Initial determination</span>&#x201D; means the first <span class="dictionary">child custody determination</span> concerning a particular child.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Issuing court</span>&#x201D; means the court that makes a <span class="dictionary">child custody determination</span> for which enforcement is sought under this act.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Issuing state</span>&#x201D; means the state in which a <span class="dictionary">child custody determination</span> is made.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Modification</span>&#x201D; means a <span class="dictionary">child custody determination</span> 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.
		&#x201C;Person&#x201D; 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.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Person acting as a parent</span>&#x201D; means a person, other than a parent, who has (i) <span class="dictionary">physical custody</span> of the child or has had <span class="dictionary">physical custody</span> for a period of six consecutive months, including any temporary absence, within one year immediately before the <span class="dictionary">commencement</span> of a <span class="dictionary">child custody proceeding</span> and (ii) been awarded legal custody by a court or claims a right to legal custody under the <span class="dictionary">laws</span> of this Commonwealth.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Physical custody</span>&#x201D; means the physical care and supervision of a child.
		&#x201C;State&#x201D; means a state of the United <span class="dictionary">States</span>, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the United <span class="dictionary">States</span> Virgin Islands, or any territory or insular <span class="dictionary">possession</span> subject to the <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> of the United <span class="dictionary">States</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Tribe</span>&#x201D; means an Indian <span class="dictionary">tribe</span> or band, or Alaskan Native village, which is recognized by federal <span class="dictionary">law</span> or formally acknowledged by a state.</p></section></text><history>1979, c. 229, &#xA7; 20-125; 2001, c. 305.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
