2023 District of Columbia Code
Title 16 - Particular Actions, Proceedings and Matters. [Enacted title]
Chapter 9 - Divorce, Annulment, Separation, Support, Etc
§ 16–901. Definitions

Universal Citation: DC Code § 16–901 (2023)
§ 16–901. Definitions.

For the purposes of this chapter, the term:

(1) “Cash medical support” means an amount ordered to be paid toward the cost of health insurance provided by a public entity or by another parent, through employment or otherwise, or for extraordinary medical expenses as defined in § 16-916(j)(1) [§ 16-916.01(j)(1)], or for other medical costs not covered by insurance.

(2) “Court” means the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.

(3) “Domestic partner” shall have the same meaning as provided in § 32-701(3).

(4) “Domestic partnership” shall have the same meaning as provided in § 32-701(4).

(5) “IV-D agency” means the organizational unit of the District government, or any successor organizational unit, that is responsible for administering or supervising the administration of the District’s State Plan under title IV, part D, of the Social Security Act, approved January 4, 1975 (88 Stat. 2351; 42 U.S.C. § 651 et seq.), pertaining to parent locator services, paternity establishment, and the establishment, modification, and enforcement of support orders.

(6) “IV-D case” means a case in which the IV-D agency provides services for the purpose of establishing paternity or establishing, modifying, or enforcing a child support obligation.

(6A) “Gender identity or expression” shall have the same meaning as provided in § 2-1401.02(12A).

(7) “Health insurance coverage” means benefits consisting of amounts paid for the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease, or amounts paid for the purpose of affecting any structure or function of the body (provided directly, through insurance or reimbursement, or otherwise, and includes items and services) under any hospital or medical service policy or certificate, hospital, or medical service plan contract, or health maintenance organization contract offered by a health insurer that is available to either parent, under which medical services could be provided to a dependent child.

(8) “Support order” means a judgment, decree, or order, whether temporary, final, or subject to modification, issued by a court or an administrative agency of competent jurisdiction, for the support and maintenance of a child, including a child who has attained the age of majority under the law of the issuing state, or a child and the parent with whom the child is living, which provides for monetary support, health care, arrearages, or reimbursement and which may include related costs and fees, interest and penalties, income withholding, attorneys’ fees, and other relief.

(Dec. 23, 1963, Pub. L. 88-241, § 1, 77 Stat. 560; July 29, 1970, 84 Stat. 557, Pub. L. 91-358, title I, § 145(e)(1); June 18, 1991, D.C. Law 9-5, § 2(b), 38 DCR 2717; Aug. 17, 1991, D.C. Law 9-39, § 2(b), 38 DCR 4970; Apr. 20, 1999, D.C. Law 12-241, § 9, 46 DCR 905; Apr. 3, 2001, D.C. Law 13-269, § 106(b), 48 DCR 1270; Mar. 30, 2004, D.C. Law 15-130, § 202(a), 51 DCR 1615; Apr. 4, 2006, D.C. Law 16-79, § 4(c), 53 DCR 1035; Mar. 20, 2008, D.C. Law 17-128, § 2(a), 55 DCR 1525; June 25, 2008, D.C. Law 17-177,§ 10(a), 55 DCR 3696.)

Prior Codifications

1981 Ed., § 16-901.

1973 Ed., § 16-901.

Effect of Amendments

D.C. Law 13-269 rewrote par. (2) which formerly read:

“(2) ‘IV-D agency’ means a District of Columbia agency responsible for the establishment and enforcement of a child support order and the establishment of paternity for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Program on Work, Employment, and Responsibility, or other public assistance recipients and nonpublic assistance recipients pursuant to title IV, part D of the Social Security Act, approved January 4, 1975 (88 Stat. 2351; 42 U.S.C. 651 et seq.).”

D.C. Law 15-130 added par. (4).

D.C. Law 16-79 added pars. (1A) and (1B).

D.C. Law 17-128 rewrote the section.

D.C. Law 17-177 added par. (6A).

Emergency Legislation

For temporary amendment of section, see § 5(b) of the Child Support and Welfare Reform Compliance Emergency Amendment Act of 1997 (D.C. Act 12-222, December 23, 1997, 44 DCR 114), § 5(b) of the Child Support and Welfare Reform Compliance Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 1998 (D.C. Act 12-309, March 20, 1998, 45 DCR 1923), § 5(b) of the Child Support and Welfare Reform Compliance Second Emergency Amendment Act of 1998 (D.C. Act 12-439, August 12, 1998, 45 DCR 6110), § 5(b) of the Child Support and Welfare Reform Compliance Legislative Review Emergency Amendment Act of 1998 (D.C. Act 12-503, October 27, 1998, 45 DCR 8495), and § 5(b) of the Child Support and Welfare Reform Compliance Second Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 1998 (D.C. Act 12-600, January 20, 1999, 46 DCR 1239).

For temporary amendment of section, see § 9 of the Self-Sufficiency Promotion Emergency Amendment Act of 1998 (D.C. Act 12-372, June 9, 1998, 45 DCR 4270), § 9 of the Self-Sufficiency Promotion Legislative Review Emergency Amendment Act of 1998 (D.C. Act 12-425, July 31, 1998, 45 DCR 5682), § 9 of the Self-Sufficiency Promotion Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 1998 (D.C. Act 12-552, December 24, 1998, 46 DCR 521), and § 9 of the Self-Sufficiency Promotion Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 1999 (D.C. Act 13-19, February 17, 1999, 46 DCR 2492).

For temporary repeal of D.C. Law 12-103, see § 13 of the Child Support and Welfare Reform Compliance Second Emergency Amendment Act of 1998 (D.C. Act 12-439, August 12, 1998, 45 DCR 6110).

For temporary amendment of section, see § 105(b) of the Child Support and Welfare Reform Compliance Emergency Amendment Act of 1999 (D.C. Act 13-126, August 4, 1999, 46 DCR 6606).

For temporary repeal of D.C. Law 12-210, see § 113 of the Child Support and Welfare Reform Compliance Emergency Amendment Act of 1999 (D.C. Act 13-126, August 4, 1999, 46 DCR 6606).

For temporary (90-day) amendment of section, see § 105(b) of the Child Support and Welfare Reform Compliance Emergency Amendment Act of 1999 (D.C. Act 13-126, August 4, 1999, 46 DCR 6606).

For temporary (90-day) amendment of section, see § 105(b) of the Child Support and Welfare Reform Compliance Legislative Review Emergency Amendment Act of 1999 (D.C. Act 13-177, November 2, 1999, 46 DCR 9678).

For temporary (90-day) amendment of section, see § 105(b) of the Child Support and Welfare Reform Compliance Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 1999 (D.C. Act 13-241, January 11, 2000, 47 DCR 581).

For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 105(b) of the Child Support and Welfare Reform Compliance Emergency Amendment Act of 2000 (D.C. Act 13-446, November 7, 2000, 47 DCR 9213).

For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 106(b) of Child Support and Welfare Reform Compliance Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2001 (D.C. Act 14-5, February 13, 2001, 48 DCR 2440).

For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 202(a) of Medical Support Establishment and Enforcement Emergency Amendment Act of 2002 (D.C. Act 14-485, October 3, 2002, 49 DCR 9631).

For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 202(a) of Medical Support Establishment and Enforcement Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2002 (D.C. Act 14-600, January 7, 2003, 50 DCR 664).

For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 202(a) of Medical Support Establishment and Enforcement Emergency Amendment Act of 2003 (D.C. Act 15-208, October 24, 2003, 50 DCR 9856).

For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 202(a) of Medical Support Establishment and Enforcement Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2004 (D.C. Act 15-330, January 28, 2004, 51 DCR 1603).

Temporary Legislation

For temporary (225 day) amendment of section, see § 5(b) of Child Support and Welfare Reform Compliance Temporary Amendment Act of 1998 (D.C. Law 12-103, May 8, 1998, law notification 45 DCR 3254).

For temporary (225 day) amendment of section, see § 5(b) of Child Support and Welfare Reform Compliance Temporary Amendment Act of 1998 (D.C. Law 12-210, April 13, 1999, law notification 46 DCR 3832).

For temporary (225 day) amendment of section, see § 9 of Self-Sufficiency Promotion Temporary Amendment Act of 1998 (D.C. Law 12-230, April 20, 1999, law notification 46 DCR 4143).

For temporary (225 day) amendment of section, see § 105(b) of Child Support and Welfare Reform Compliance Temporary Amendment Act of 1999 (D.C. Law 13-57, March 7, 2000, law notification 47 DCR 1979).

For temporary (225 day) amendment of section, see § 105(b) of Child Support and Welfare Reform Compliance Temporary Amendment Act of 2000 (D.C. Law 13-207, March 31, 2001, law notification 48 DCR 3238).

For temporary (225 day) amendment of section, see § 202(a) of Medical Support Establishment and Enforcement Temporary Amendment Act of 2002 (D.C. Law 14-238, March 25, 2003, law notification 50 DCR 2751).

For temporary (225 day) amendment of section, see § 202(a) of Medical Support Establishment and Enforcement Temporary Amendment Act of 2003 (D.C. Law 15-84, March 10, 2004, law notification 51 DCR 3376).

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