As used in this chapter:

Terms Used In North Dakota Code 14-14.1-01

  • Individual: means a human being. See North Dakota Code 1-01-49
  • 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.
  • Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
  • Person: means an individual, organization, government, political subdivision, or government agency or instrumentality. See North Dakota Code 1-01-49
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories. See North Dakota Code 1-01-49
  • United States: includes the District of Columbia and the territories. See North Dakota Code 1-01-49
  • year: means twelve consecutive months. See North Dakota Code 1-01-33

1. “Abandoned” means left without provision for reasonable and necessary care or supervision.

2.    “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. The term includes a permanent, temporary, initial, and modification order. The term does not include an order relating to child support or other monetary obligation of an individual.

3.    “Child custody proceeding” means a proceeding in which legal custody, physical custody, or visitation with respect to a child is an issue. 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 issue may appear. The term does not include a proceeding involving juvenile delinquency, contractual emancipation, or enforcement under sections 14-14.1-22 through 14-14.1-37.

4.    “Commencement” means the filing of the first pleading in a proceeding.

5.    “Court” means an entity authorized under the law of a state to establish, enforce, or modify a child custody determination.

6.    “Home state” means the state in which a child lived with a parent or a person acting as a parent for at least six consecutive months immediately before the commencement of a child custody proceeding. 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 persons mentioned.

A period of temporary absence of any of the mentioned persons is part of the period.

7.    “Initial determination” means the first child custody determination concerning a particular child.

8.    “Issuing court” means the court that makes a child custody determination for which enforcement is sought under this chapter.

9.    “Issuing state” means the state in which a child custody determination is made.

10.    “Modification” means a child custody determination 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.

11.    “Person acting as a parent” means a person, other than a parent, who:

a.    Has physical custody of the child or has had physical custody for a period of six consecutive months, including any temporary absence, within one year immediately before the commencement of a child custody proceeding; and

b.    Has been awarded legal custody by a court or claims a right to legal custody under the law of this state.

12.    “Petitioner” means a person who seeks enforcement of an order for return of a child under the Hague convention on the civil aspects of international child abduction or enforcement of a child custody determination.

13.    “Physical custody” means the physical care and supervision of a child.

14.    “Respondent” means a person against whom a proceeding has been commenced for enforcement of an order for return of a child under the Hague convention on the civil aspects of international child abduction or enforcement of a child custody determination.

15.    “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.

16.    “Tribe” means an Indian tribe or band, or Alaskan native village, which is recognized by federal law or formally acknowledged by a state.

17.    “Warrant” means an order issued by a court authorizing law enforcement officers to take physical custody of a child.