(a) A petitioner may file a direct request seeking establishment or modification of a support order or determination of parentage of a child. In the proceeding, the law of the District applies.
(b) A petitioner may file a direct request seeking recognition and enforcement of a support order or support agreement. In the proceeding, §§ 46-357.06 through 46-357.13 apply.
(c) In a direct request for recognition and enforcement of a Convention support order or foreign support agreement:
(1) A security, bond, or deposit is not required to guarantee the payment of costs and expenses; and
(2) An obligee or obligor that in the issuing country has benefited from free legal assistance is entitled to benefit, at least to the same extent, from any free legal assistance provided for by the law of the District under the same circumstances.
(d) A petitioner filing a direct request is not entitled to assistance from the Office of the Attorney General.
(e) This subchapter does not prevent the application of laws of the District that provide simplified, more expeditious rules regarding a direct request for recognition and enforcement of a foreign support order or foreign support agreement.
(Feb. 27, 2016, D.C. Law 21-73, § 705, 63 DCR 222.)
Structure District of Columbia Code
Chapter 3A - Uniform Interstate Family Support
Subchapter VI - Registration, Enforcement, and Modification of Support Order
Part D - Registration and Modification of Foreign Child-Support Order
§ 46–356.15. Jurisdiction to modify child-support order of foreign country
§ 46–356.16. Procedure to register child-support order of foreign country for modification
§ 46–357.03. Relationship of Office of the Attorney General to United States central authority
§ 46–357.04. Initiation by Office of the Attorney General of support proceeding under Convention
§ 46–357.06. Registration of Convention support order
§ 46–357.07. Contest of registered convention support order
§ 46–357.08. Recognition and enforcement of registered convention support order
§ 46–357.09. Partial enforcement
§ 46–357.10. Foreign support agreement
§ 46–357.11. Modification of convention child-support order
§ 46–357.12. Personal information; limit on use
§ 46–357.13. Record in original language; English translation
§ 46–358.01. Grounds for rendition
§ 46–358.02. Conditions of rendition