Terms Used In California Codes > Health and Safety Code > Division 102 > Part 1 > Chapter 9 > Article 1 - General Provisions

• Child: means an individual who has not attained 18 years of age. See California Family Code 3402
• Child custody determination: means a judgment, decree, or other order of a court providing for the legal custody, physical custody, or visitation with respect to a child. See California Family Code 3402
• Court: means an entity authorized under the law of a state to establish, enforce, or modify a child custody determination. See California Family Code 3402
• Department: means the State Department of Developmental Services. See California Welfare and Institutions Code 4401
• Issuing court: means the court that makes a child custody determination for which enforcement is sought under this part. See California Family Code 3402
• Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
• order: include a decree, as appropriate under the circumstances. See California Family Code 100
• Person: means an individual, corporation, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, limited liability company, association, joint venture, or government. See California Family Code 3402
• Petitioner: includes plaintiff, where appropriate. See California Family Code 126
• Physical custody: means the physical care and supervision of a child. See California Family Code 3402
• Proceeding: includes an action. See California Family Code 110
• Respondent: includes defendant, where appropriate. See California Family Code 127
• State: means the State of California, unless applied to the different parts of the United States. See California Health and Safety Code 23
• State: means a state of the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, or any territory or insular possession subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. See California Family Code 3402