Delaware Code Title 13 Sec. 1928 – Information to be submitted to court
(a) Subject to the rules of the court, in a child custody proceeding, each party, in its first pleading or in an attached affidavit, shall give information, if reasonably ascertainable, under oath as to the child’s present address or whereabouts, the places where the child has lived during the last 5 years, and the names and present addresses of the persons with whom the child has lived during that period. The pleading or affidavit must state whether the party:
(1) Has participated, as a party or witness or in any other capacity, in any other proceeding concerning the custody of or visitation with the child and, if so, identify the court, the case number and the date of the child custody determination, if any;
(2) Knows of any proceeding that could affect the current proceeding, including proceedings for enforcement and proceedings relating to domestic violence, protective orders, termination of parental rights, and adoptions and, if so, identify the court, the case number and the nature of the proceeding; and
(3) Knows the names and addresses of any person not a party to the proceeding who has physical custody of the child or claims rights of legal custody or physical custody of or visitation with the child and, if so, the names and addresses of those persons.
Terms Used In Delaware Code Title 13 Sec. 1928
- Affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, before a notary or officer having authority to administer oaths.
- Child: means an individual who has not attained 18 years of age. See Delaware Code Title 13 Sec. 1902
- 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 Delaware Code Title 13 Sec. 1902
- Court: means the Family Court of the State. See Delaware Code Title 13 Sec. 1902
- 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.
- Oath: includes affirmation in all cases where an affirmation may be substituted for an oath, and "sworn" includes affirmed; and the forms shall be varied accordingly. See Delaware Code Title 1 Sec. 302
- Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
- Person: 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. See Delaware Code Title 13 Sec. 1902
- Physical custody: means the physical care and supervision of a child. See Delaware Code Title 13 Sec. 1902
- State: means a State of the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the United State Virgin Islands or any territory or insular possession subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. See Delaware Code Title 13 Sec. 1902
(b) If the information required by subsection (a) of this section is not furnished, the court, upon motion of a party or its own motion, may stay the proceeding until the information is furnished.
(c) If the declaration as to any of the items described in paragraphs (a)(1)-(3) of this section is in the affirmative, the declarant shall give additional information under oath as required by the court. The court may examine the parties under oath as to details of the information furnished and other matters pertinent to the court’s jurisdiction and the disposition of the case.
(d) Each party has a continuing duty to inform the court of any proceeding in this or any other state that could affect the current proceeding.
(e) If a party alleges in an affidavit or a pleading under oath that the health, safety or liberty of a party or child would be jeopardized by disclosure of identifying information, the information must be sealed and may not be disclosed to the other party or the public unless the court orders the disclosure to be made after a hearing in which the court takes into consideration the health, safety or liberty of the party or child and determines that the disclosure is in the interest of justice.