Section 3127.01. Definitions

(A) As used in the Revised Code, "uniform child custody jurisdiction and enforcement act" means the act addressing interstate recognition and enforcement of child custody orders adopted in 1997 by the national conference of commissioners on uniform state laws or any law substantially similar to the act adopted by another state.

(B) As used in sections 3127.01 to 3127.53 of the Revised Code:

(1) "Abandoned" means the parents of a child have failed to visit or maintain contact with the child for more than ninety days, regardless of whether the parents resume contact with the child after that ninety-day period.

(2) "Child" means an individual who has not attained eighteen years of age.

(3) "Child custody determination" means a judgment, decree, or other order of a court that provides for legal custody, physical custody, parenting time, or visitation with respect to a child. "Child custody determination" includes an order that allocates parental rights and responsibilities. "Child custody determination" includes permanent, temporary, initial, and modification orders. "Child custody determination" does not include an order or the portion of an order relating to child support or other monetary obligations of an individual.

(4) "Child custody proceeding" means a proceeding in which legal custody, physical custody, parenting time, or visitation with respect to a child is an issue. "Child custody proceeding" may include a proceeding for divorce, separation, neglect, abuse, dependency, guardianship, parentage, termination of parental rights, or protection from domestic violence. "Child custody proceeding" does not include a proceeding regarding juvenile delinquency, contractual emancipation, or enforcement pursuant to sections 3127.31 to 3127.47 of the Revised Code.

(5) "Commencement" means the filing of the first pleading in a proceeding.

(6) "Court" means an entity authorized under the law of a state to establish, enforce, or modify a child custody determination.

(7) "Home state" means the state in which a child lived with a parent or a person acting as a parent for at least six consecutive months immediately preceding the commencement of a child custody proceeding and, if a child is less than six months old, the state in which the child lived from birth with any of them. A period of temporary absence of any of them is counted as part of the six-month or other period.

(8) "Initial determination" means the first child custody determination concerning a particular child.

(9) "Issuing court" means the court that makes a child custody determination for which enforcement is sought under sections 3127.01 to 3127.53 of the Revised Code.

(10) "Issuing state" means the state in which a child custody determination is made.

(11) "Modification" means a child custody determination that changes, replaces, supersedes, or is otherwise made after a determination concerning the same child, whether or not it is made by the court that made the previous determination.

(12) "Person" means an individual; corporation; business trust; estate; trust; partnership; limited liability company; association; joint venture; government; governmental subdivision, agency, or instrumentality; public corporation; or any other legal or commercial entity.

(13) "Person acting as a parent" means a person, other than the child's parent, who meets both of the following criteria:

(a) The person has physical custody of the child or has had physical custody for a period of six consecutive months, including any temporary absence from the child, within one year immediately before the commencement of a child custody proceeding; and

(b) The person has been awarded legal custody by a court or claims a right to legal custody under the law of this state.

(14) "Physical custody" means the physical care and supervision of a child.

(15) "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.

(16) "Tribe" means an Indian tribe or Alaskan Native village that is recognized by federal or state law.

(17) "Warrant" means an order issued by a court authorizing law enforcement officers to take physical custody of a child.

Effective Date: 04-11-2005