2018 Wyoming Statutes
TITLE 20 - DOMESTIC RELATIONS
CHAPTER 5 - CHILD CUSTODY
ARTICLE 2 - GENERAL PROVISIONS
SECTION 20-5-202 - Definitions.
20-5-202. Definitions.
(a) As used in this act:
(i) "Abandoned" means left without provision for reasonable and necessary care or supervision;
(ii) "Child" means an individual who has not attained eighteen (18) years of age;
(iii) "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, including a permanent, temporary, initial or modification order. "Child custody determination" shall not include an order relating to child support or other monetary obligation of an individual;
(iv) "Child custody proceeding" means a proceeding in which legal custody, physical custody or visitation with respect to a child is an issue, including a proceeding for divorce, separation, neglect, abuse, dependency, guardianship, paternity, termination of parental rights or protection from domestic violence in which the issue may appear. "Child custody proceeding" shall not include a proceeding involving juvenile delinquency, contractual emancipation or enforcement under article 4 of this act;
(v) "Commencement" means the filing of the first pleading in a proceeding;
(vi) "Court" means an entity authorized under the law of a state to establish, enforce or modify a child custody determination;
(vii) "Home state" means the state in which a child lived with a parent or a person acting as a parent for at least six (6) consecutive months immediately before the commencement of a child custody proceeding or, in the case of a child less than six (6) months of age, the state in which the child lived from birth with a parent or a person acting as a parent. A period of temporary absence of any of the persons mentioned is part of the period;
(viii) "Initial determination" means the first child custody determination concerning a particular child;
(ix) "Issuing court" means the court that makes a child custody determination for which enforcement is sought under this act;
(x) "Issuing state" means the state in which a child custody determination is made;
(xi) "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;
(xii) "Person" means as defined by W.S. 8-1-102(a)(vi);
(xiii) "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 (6) consecutive months, including any temporary absence, within one (1) 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.
(xiv) "Physical custody" means the physical care and supervision of a child;
(xv) "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;
(xvi) "Tribe" means an Indian tribe or band, or Alaskan native village, which is recognized by federal law or formally acknowledged by a state;
(xvii) "Warrant" means an order issued by a court authorizing law enforcement officers to take physical custody of a child;
(xviii) "This act" means W.S. 20-5-201 through 20-5-502.
