Custody / Visitation
Legal Information
-
Child Custody and Visitation Fact Sheet
Custody is a legal arrangement that establishes who has the right to make decisions about a child and where a child will live. Custody only applies to children under the age of 18. When you get a custody order from a judge, it will determine two types of custody: legal custody and physical custody. Read More
- Read this in:
- Amharic / አማርኛ
- Spanish / Español
-
Complaint for Third Party Custody or Visitation
Use this form to file for custody of a child or children to whom you are not a biological parent Content Detail
-
Fee Waivers Fact Sheet
In D.C. Family Court, it costs $80 to start a divorce, custody, visitation or child support case. Once the case has been started, it costs $20 to file a counterclaim or a motion. There may also be other costs, such as witness fees or publication of notices. This two page flyer will explain how to get court fees waived in D.C. Read More
- Read this in:
- Amharic / አማርኛ
- Spanish / Español
-
Filing For A Fee Waiver
Information about how to get court fees waived in family law cases. Read More
- Read this in:
- Spanish / Español
-
General Information About Custody
Basic information about seeking custody of a child. Read More
- Read this in:
- Spanish / Español
-
Getting Ready for Court
Frequently asked questions and answers on how you should prepare and what actually happens when you go to court. Content Detail
-
Handbook for People Who Represent Themselves in Divorce, Custody, and Child Support Cases
The court publishes this handbook to assist unrepresented individuals who have cases in family court in DC. It provides basic information about how the court works, how certain kinds of cases are handled, and what to expect during the course of a case. Content Detail
-
Motion to Intervene - Third Party Custodian
Use this motion if you are a third party custodian wishing to intervene in a previously filed custody case. Content Detail
-
Self-Help Court Form: Application to Proceed without Prepayment of Costs or Fees
This document provides a link to a website that will help you complete a court form, called an Application Proceed without Prepayment of Costs or Fees. You can use this form for civil, family, landlord-tenant, and small claims cases. You may use this form if you want to ask the Court to waive your court costs and fees due to financial hardship. Any party in a case may use this form. Read More
- Read this in:
- Spanish / Español
-
Serving Court Papers
Information on your options when serving court papers. Content Detail
- Read this in:
- Spanish / Español
-
Serving Court Papers Fact Sheet
When you file papers with the court, all parties involved in the case are entitled to receive a copy. You, not the court, are responsible for getting the copies to them. This is called service of process. Different situations require different types of service. Read More
- Read this in:
- Amharic / አማርኛ
- Spanish / Español
