{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/20-88.44.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/20-88.44.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/20-88.44.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/20-88.44.html"}],"law_id":353738,"edition_id":2,"section_id":353738,"structure_id":50647,"section_number":"20-88.44","catch_line":"Proceedings under this chapter","history":"1994, c. 673; 2005, c. 754; 2015, c. 727.","full_text":"A\n\nExcept as otherwise provided in this chapter, this article applies to all proceedings under this chapter.\n\nB\n\nAn individual or a support enforcement agency may initiate a proceeding authorized under this chapter by filing a petition in an initiating tribunal for forwarding to a responding tribunal or by filing a petition or a comparable pleading directly in a tribunal of another state or foreign country that has or can obtain personal jurisdiction over the respondent.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1317781,"text":"Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, this article applies to all proceedings under this chapter.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":1317782,"text":"An individual or a support enforcement agency may initiate a proceeding authorized under this chapter by filing a petition in an initiating tribunal for forwarding to a responding tribunal or by filing a petition or a comparable pleading directly in a tribunal of another state or foreign country that has or can obtain personal jurisdiction over the respondent.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A"}},"ancestry":[{"id":50647,"edition_id":2,"name":"Civil Provisions of General 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discovery","url":"\/20-88.61\/","token":"20\/5.3\/5\/20-88.61","metadata":false},{"id":353756,"structure_id":50647,"section_number":"20-88.62","catch_line":"Receipt and disbursement of payments","url":"\/20-88.62\/","token":"20\/5.3\/5\/20-88.62","metadata":false}],"next_section":{"id":353739,"structure_id":50647,"section_number":"20-88.45","catch_line":"Action by minor parent","url":"\/20-88.45\/","token":"20\/5.3\/5\/20-88.45","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/20-88.44\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1994. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 673<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. It has been modified 2 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 2005, chapter 754<\/a>; in 2015, chapter 727<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":353736,"section_number":"20-88.43:1","catch_line":"Application to nonresident subject to personal jurisdiction","order_by":null,"url":"\/20-88.43_1\/"},{"id":353742,"section_number":"20-88.48","catch_line":"Duties and powers of responding tribunal","order_by":null,"url":"\/20-88.48\/"}],"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":1405749,"object_type":"law","relational_id":353738,"identifier":"20-88.44","token":"20\/5.3\/5\/20-88.44","url":"\/20-88.44\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/20-88.44\/","token":"20\/5.3\/5\/20-88.44","dublin_core":{"Title":"Proceedings under this chapter","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 20-88.44","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, this article applies to all proceedings under this chapter. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> An individual or a support enforcement agency<\/span> may initiate a proceeding authorized under this chapter by filing a petition<\/span> in an initiating tribunal<\/span> for forwarding to a responding tribunal<\/span> or by filing a petition<\/span> or a comparable pleading directly in a tribunal of another state<\/span> or foreign country<\/span> that has or can obtain personal jurisdiction<\/span> over the respondent. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nPROCEEDINGS UNDER THIS CHAPTER (\u00a7 20-88.44)\n\nA. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, this article applies to all\nproceedings under this chapter.\n\nB. An individual or a support enforcement agency may initiate a proceeding\nauthorized under this chapter by filing a petition in an initiating tribunal for\nforwarding to a responding tribunal or by filing a petition or a comparable\npleading directly in a tribunal of another state or foreign country that has or\ncan obtain personal jurisdiction over the respondent.\n\nHISTORY: 1994, c. 673; 2005, c. 754; 2015, c. 727.","edition":{"id":2,"name":"2026","slug":"2026","date_created":"2026-07-16 18:40:23","date_modified":"2026-08-02 15:14:36","current":1,"order_by":2,"last_import":"2026-08-02 12:37:30"}}