1. (a) In a case arising under this chapter or involving the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, the Attorney General for the District of Columbia may take any lawful action, including resort to a proceeding under this subchapter or any other available civil proceeding, to locate a child, obtain the return of a child, or enforce a child-custody determination if there is:

   1. (1) An existing child-custody determination;
   2. (2) A request to do so from a court in a pending child-custody proceeding;
   3. (3) A reasonable belief that a criminal statute has been violated; or
   4. (4) A reasonable belief that the child has been wrongfully removed or retained in violation of the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction.
2. (b) A member of the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia acting under this section acts on behalf of the court and may not represent any party.

History

Apr. 27, 2001, D.C. Law 13-293, § 2(d), 48 DCR 2214

Mar. 31, 2009, D.C. Law 17-378, § 2(b)(1), 56 DCR 1572

Editor's Notes

Uniform Law: This section is based upon § 315 of the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (1997 Act).

Effect of Amendments

D.C. Law 17-378, in the section heading and subsecs. (a) and (b), substituted “Attorney General for the District of Columbia” for “Corporation Counsel”.

Section References

This section is referenced in § 16-4603.16 and § 16-4603.17.