{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/20-88.57.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/20-88.57.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/20-88.57.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/20-88.57.html"}],"law_id":353751,"edition_id":2,"section_id":353751,"structure_id":50647,"section_number":"20-88.57","catch_line":"Limited immunity of petitioner","history":"1994, c. 673; 2005, c. 754.","full_text":"A\n\nParticipation by a petitioner in a proceeding under this chapter before a responding tribunal, whether in person, by private attorney, or through services provided by the support enforcement agency, does not confer personal jurisdiction over the petitioner in another proceeding.\n\nB\n\nA petitioner is not amenable to service of civil process while physically present in the Commonwealth to participate in a proceeding under this chapter.\n\nC\n\nThe immunity granted by this section does not extend to civil litigation based on acts unrelated to a proceeding under this chapter committed by a party while present in the Commonwealth to participate in the proceeding.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1317836,"text":"Participation by a petitioner in a proceeding under this chapter before a responding tribunal, whether in person, by private attorney, or through services provided by the support enforcement agency, does not confer personal jurisdiction over the petitioner in another proceeding.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":1317837,"text":"A petitioner is not amenable to service of civil process while physically present in the Commonwealth to participate in a proceeding under this chapter.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":1317838,"text":"The immunity granted by this section does not extend to civil litigation based on acts unrelated to a proceeding under this chapter committed by a party while present in the Commonwealth to participate in the proceeding.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B"}},"ancestry":[{"id":50647,"edition_id":2,"name":"Civil Provisions of General Application","identifier":"5","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":5,"parent_id":50642,"metadata":{"child_laws":19,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:30:39","date_modified":"2026-08-02 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12:30:49","permalink":{"id":1405077,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50619,"identifier":"20","token":"20","url":"\/20\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":353738,"structure_id":50647,"section_number":"20-88.44","catch_line":"Proceedings under this chapter","url":"\/20-88.44\/","token":"20\/5.3\/5\/20-88.44","metadata":false},{"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},{"id":353740,"structure_id":50647,"section_number":"20-88.46","catch_line":"Application of law of the Commonwealth","url":"\/20-88.46\/","token":"20\/5.3\/5\/20-88.46","metadata":false},{"id":353741,"structure_id":50647,"section_number":"20-88.47","catch_line":"Duties of initiating tribunal","url":"\/20-88.47\/","token":"20\/5.3\/5\/20-88.47","metadata":false},{"id":353742,"structure_id":50647,"section_number":"20-88.48","catch_line":"Duties and powers of responding tribunal","url":"\/20-88.48\/","token":"20\/5.3\/5\/20-88.48","metadata":false},{"id":353743,"structure_id":50647,"section_number":"20-88.49","catch_line":"Inappropriate tribunal","url":"\/20-88.49\/","token":"20\/5.3\/5\/20-88.49","metadata":false},{"id":353744,"structure_id":50647,"section_number":"20-88.50","catch_line":"Duties of support enforcement agency","url":"\/20-88.50\/","token":"20\/5.3\/5\/20-88.50","metadata":false},{"id":353745,"structure_id":50647,"section_number":"20-88.51","catch_line":"Duty of Secretary of Health and Human Resources","url":"\/20-88.51\/","token":"20\/5.3\/5\/20-88.51","metadata":false},{"id":353746,"structure_id":50647,"section_number":"20-88.52","catch_line":"Private counsel","url":"\/20-88.52\/","token":"20\/5.3\/5\/20-88.52","metadata":false},{"id":353747,"structure_id":50647,"section_number":"20-88.53","catch_line":"Duties of state information agency","url":"\/20-88.53\/","token":"20\/5.3\/5\/20-88.53","metadata":false},{"id":353748,"structure_id":50647,"section_number":"20-88.54","catch_line":"Pleadings and accompanying documents","url":"\/20-88.54\/","token":"20\/5.3\/5\/20-88.54","metadata":false},{"id":353749,"structure_id":50647,"section_number":"20-88.55","catch_line":"Nondisclosure of information in exceptional circumstances","url":"\/20-88.55\/","token":"20\/5.3\/5\/20-88.55","metadata":false},{"id":353750,"structure_id":50647,"section_number":"20-88.56","catch_line":"Costs and fees","url":"\/20-88.56\/","token":"20\/5.3\/5\/20-88.56","metadata":false},{"id":353751,"structure_id":50647,"section_number":"20-88.57","catch_line":"Limited immunity of petitioner","url":"\/20-88.57\/","token":"20\/5.3\/5\/20-88.57","metadata":false},{"id":353752,"structure_id":50647,"section_number":"20-88.58","catch_line":"Nonparentage as 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fees","url":"\/20-88.56\/","token":"20\/5.3\/5\/20-88.56","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":353752,"structure_id":50647,"section_number":"20-88.58","catch_line":"Nonparentage as defense","url":"\/20-88.58\/","token":"20\/5.3\/5\/20-88.58","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/20-88.57\/","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 1 time. 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. That modification is as follows: in 2005, chapter 754<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":1405801,"object_type":"law","relational_id":353751,"identifier":"20-88.57","token":"20\/5.3\/5\/20-88.57","url":"\/20-88.57\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/20-88.57\/","token":"20\/5.3\/5\/20-88.57","dublin_core":{"Title":"Limited immunity of petitioner","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 20-88.57","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> Participation by a petitioner in a proceeding under this chapter before a responding tribunal<\/span>, whether in person<\/span>, by private attorney, or through services provided by the support enforcement agency<\/span>, does not confer personal jurisdiction<\/span> over the petitioner in another proceeding. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> A petitioner is not amenable to service of civil process while physically present in the Commonwealth to participate in a proceeding under this chapter. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> The immunity granted by this section does not extend to civil litigation<\/span> based on acts unrelated to a proceeding under this chapter committed by a party<\/span> while present in the Commonwealth to participate in the proceeding. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nLIMITED IMMUNITY OF PETITIONER (\u00a7 20-88.57)\n\nA. Participation by a petitioner in a proceeding under this chapter before a\nresponding tribunal, whether in person, by private attorney, or through services\nprovided by the support enforcement agency, does not confer personal\njurisdiction over the petitioner in another proceeding.\n\nB. A petitioner is not amenable to service of civil process while physically\npresent in the Commonwealth to participate in a proceeding under this chapter.\n\nC. The immunity granted by this section does not extend to civil litigation\nbased on acts unrelated to a proceeding under this chapter committed by a party\nwhile present in the Commonwealth to participate in the proceeding.\n\nHISTORY: 1994, c. 673; 2005, c. 754.","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"}}