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Legal Information: District of Columbia

Restraining Orders

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Updated: 
April 5, 2024

I was granted temporary custody with my protection order. Will I still have temporary custody of my children in D.C.?

As long as the child custody provision complies with certain federal laws,1 D.C. can enforce a temporary custody order that is part of a protection order.  To have someone read over your order and tell you if it meets these standards, contact a lawyer in your area.  To find a lawyer in your area, go to our D.C. Finding a Lawyer page.

1 The federal laws are the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction Act (UCCJA) or the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (UCCJEA), and the Parental Kidnapping Prevention Act of 1980.

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