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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>353751</law_id><section_number>20-88.57</section_number><catch_line>Limited immunity of petitioner</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2026/" slug="2026" current="TRUE" last_updated="2026-08-02">2026</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="56" identifier="20">Domestic Relations</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="10" identifier="5.3">Uniform Interstate Family Support Act</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="5" identifier="5">Civil Provisions of General Application</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Participation by a petitioner in a proceeding under this chapter before a <span class="dictionary">responding tribunal</span>, whether in <span class="dictionary">person</span>, by private attorney, or through services provided by the <span class="dictionary">support enforcement agency</span>, does not confer personal <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> over the petitioner in another proceeding. <a id="paragraph-1317836" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-88.57/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">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. <a id="paragraph-1317837" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-88.57/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> The immunity granted by this section does not extend to civil <span class="dictionary">litigation</span> based on acts unrelated to a proceeding under this chapter committed by a <span class="dictionary">party</span> while present in the Commonwealth to participate in the proceeding. <a id="paragraph-1317838" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-88.57/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1994, c. 673; 2005, c. 754.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
