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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>73118</law_id><section_number>20-146.31</section_number><catch_line>Hearing and order</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="3">Enforcement</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Unless the <span class="dictionary">court</span> <span class="dictionary">issues</span> a temporary emergency <span class="dictionary">order</span> pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Temporary emergency jurisdiction" href="/20-146.15/">20-146.15</a>, upon a <span class="dictionary">finding</span> that a <span class="dictionary">petitioner</span> is entitled to immediate physical <span class="dictionary">custody</span> of the child, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall <span class="dictionary">order</span> that the <span class="dictionary">petitioner</span> may take immediate physical <span class="dictionary">custody</span> of the child unless the <span class="dictionary">respondent</span> establishes that: <a id="paragraph-263276" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-146.31/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> The child <span class="dictionary">custody</span> determination has not been registered under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Registration of child custody determination" href="/20-146.26/">20-146.26</a> and that:
				a. The issuing <span class="dictionary">court</span> did not have <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> under Article 2 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Initial child custody jurisdiction" href="/20-146.12/">20-146.12</a> et seq.);
				b. The child <span class="dictionary">custody</span> determination for which enforcement is sought has been vacated, stayed, or modified by a <span class="dictionary">court</span> of a state having <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> to do so under Article 2 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Initial child custody jurisdiction" href="/20-146.12/">20-146.12</a> et seq.); or
				c. The <span class="dictionary">respondent</span> was entitled to notice, but notice was not given in accordance with the standards of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Notice to persons outside state" href="/20-146.7/">20-146.7</a>, in the proceedings before the <span class="dictionary">court</span> that issued the <span class="dictionary">order</span> for which enforcement is sought; or <a id="paragraph-263277" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-146.31/#A1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> The child <span class="dictionary">custody</span> determination for which enforcement is sought was registered under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Registration of child custody determination" href="/20-146.26/">20-146.26</a>, but has been vacated, stayed, or modified by a <span class="dictionary">court</span> of a state having <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> to do so under Article 2 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Initial child custody jurisdiction" href="/20-146.12/">20-146.12</a> et seq.). <a id="paragraph-263278" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-146.31/#A2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> The <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall award the fees, costs, and expenses authorized under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Costs, fees, and expenses" href="/20-146.33/">20-146.33</a> and may grant additional relief, including a request for the assistance of <span class="dictionary">law</span>-enforcement officials, and set a further <span class="dictionary">hearing</span> to determine whether additional relief is appropriate. <a id="paragraph-263279" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-146.31/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> If a <span class="dictionary">party</span> called to testify refuses to answer on the ground that the <span class="dictionary">testimony</span> may be self-incriminating, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> may draw an adverse inference from the refusal. <a id="paragraph-263280" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-146.31/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> A <span class="dictionary">privilege</span> against disclosure of communications between spouses and a defense of immunity based on the relationship between spouses or between parent and child may not be invoked in a proceeding under this article. <a id="paragraph-263281" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-146.31/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2001, c. 305; 2020, c. 900.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
