Question 1

How long do you have to live in District of Columbia to file for divorce?

Accepted Answer

One spouse must have been a genuine (bona fide) resident of the District of Columbia for at least 6 months before filing for divorce or legal separation. A service member who lives in D.C. for 6 continuous months during military service counts as a resident. Same-sex couples married in D.C. may divorce there even if neither lives in D.C., if they live where their marriage would not be dissolved.

Question 2

Is District of Columbia a no-fault divorce state?

Accepted Answer

D.C. is a no-fault jurisdiction. A divorce may be granted when one or both spouses state that they no longer wish to remain married. There are no fault grounds.

Question 3

Is there a waiting period for divorce in District of Columbia?

Accepted Answer

The current D.C. divorce statute does not require a period of separation or a waiting period before filing; a divorce may be granted on a spouse's statement that they no longer wish to remain married.

Question 4

Is District of Columbia a community property state?

Accepted Answer

D.C. uses equitable distribution. Unless a valid prenuptial or postnuptial agreement resolves property, the court assigns each spouse their separate property: property owned before the marriage, gifts and inheritances received during the marriage, any increase in them, and property acquired in exchange for them. All other property and debt accumulated during the marriage is divided in an equitable, just and reasonable way, regardless of whose name is on the title, considering factors such as the length of the marriage, each spouse's age, health, income, skills, assets, debts and needs, custody arrangements, contributions as a homemaker or to the other's education, dissipation of assets, taxes, and circumstances leading to the breakdown, including physical, emotional or financial abuse.

Question 5

How is alimony decided in District of Columbia?

Accepted Answer

When a divorce or legal separation is granted, the court may order either spouse to pay alimony if it seems just and proper. Alimony may be indefinite or for a set term, and may be retroactive to the filing date of the request. Factors include the requesting spouse's ability to be self-supporting, time needed for education or training, the marital standard of living (recognizing there will be two households), the length of the marriage, circumstances of the breakdown including abuse, each spouse's age and health, the payer's ability to pay, and each spouse's income, assets, obligations and retirement rights. The statute sets no formula.

Question 6

How is child custody decided in District of Columbia?

Accepted Answer

The child's best interest is the primary consideration. There is a rebuttable presumption that joint custody is in the child's best interest, except where the court has found an intrafamily offense, child abuse or neglect, or parental kidnapping. Factors include the child's wishes where practicable, the parents' wishes, the child's relationships with family members, adjustment to home, school and community, the mental and physical health of everyone involved, any intrafamily offense, the parents' ability to communicate and make shared decisions, willingness to share custody, each parent's prior involvement, how close the homes are, work demands, and the age and number of children. A parent's race, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity alone is not a conclusive consideration.

Question 7

How is child support calculated in District of Columbia?

Accepted Answer

D.C. uses an income shares guideline: the parents' combined adjusted gross income is used to find the basic obligation in the Schedule of Basic Child Support Obligations, and each parent pays a share based on their percentage of the combined income, with adjustments for shared custody. The guideline does not apply presumptively above $240,000 a year in combined income. The Office of the Attorney General's Child Support Services Division provides an online Child Support Guideline Calculator; its estimate is informational and the court decides the final amount.

Question 8

Can you get a legal separation in District of Columbia?

Accepted Answer

Yes. A legal separation from bed and board may be granted when at least one spouse states they intend to pursue a separate life without getting a divorce. The same 6-month residency rule applies, and the court can divide property and award alimony. The court can revoke the separation on both spouses' joint request, or convert it to a divorce on the request of the spouse who obtained it.

Question 9

What are the grounds for annulment in District of Columbia?

Accepted Answer

A marriage may be annulled if one spouse was still married to someone else, if it was entered during a spouse's insanity (unless they lived together voluntarily after discovering it), if it was obtained by fraud or coercion, if a spouse was incapable of the marriage relationship without the other's knowledge and remains so, or if a spouse was under 18 (only at the request of the underage spouse). Marriages between close relatives and bigamous marriages are void from the start.

Question 10

Do grandparents have visitation rights in District of Columbia?

Accepted Answer

D.C. does not have a separate grandparent visitation statute in the sections read. A third party, such as a grandparent, may seek custody of a child if the parent who has been the primary caretaker in the past 3 years consents, if the third party has lived with the child for at least 4 of the last 6 months and primarily taken on a parent's duties, or if the third party lives with the child and exceptional circumstances make custody necessary to prevent harm. A person proven to be a de facto parent by clear and convincing evidence is treated as a parent.

Question 11

How do you change your name back after a divorce in District of Columbia?

Accepted Answer

In a divorce, the court must, at the request of a spouse who took a new name on marriage and wants to stop using it, state in the divorce decree the birth name or other previous name that spouse wants to use.

Question 12

At what age does child support end in District of Columbia?

Accepted Answer

In the District of Columbia, child support usually lasts until the child turns 21. A support case can be started any time from after the fourth month of pregnancy until the child turns 21.

Question 13

How do I file for child support in District of Columbia?

Accepted Answer

The Office of the Attorney General's Child Support Services Division (CSSD) helps establish parentage, get a support order and collect payments. If your children do not receive TANF or Medicaid, fill out CSSD's online child support enrollment form and staff will contact you; if they do receive TANF or Medicaid, contact CSSD by phone or email. There is no income limit for CSSD services. You can also file a Petition to Establish Parentage and/or for Child Support yourself, online or at the Family Court Central Intake Center. CSSD: (202) 442-9900, cssdcustomerservice@dc.gov.

Question 14

What happens if you don't pay child support in District of Columbia?

Accepted Answer

Support is normally collected by wage withholding. Starting 30 days after a payment is due, CSSD can take unpaid support from state and federal tax refunds and certain other federal payments; locate, freeze and seize bank and financial accounts; claim insurance payouts and lottery winnings; report arrears to credit bureaus; ask the DMV to suspend or revoke a driver's license or vehicle registration; ask the U.S. State Department to deny or suspend a passport; file a lien on real estate; withhold from disability checks and seize workers' compensation; and file a motion for civil or criminal contempt of court.

Question 15

How do you modify child support in District of Columbia?

Accepted Answer

Every three years, either parent can ask CSSD for a review and adjustment conference; if the guideline amount differs from the current order by 15% or more, a motion to modify can be filed. Outside the three-year cycle, a parent can ask for a review, or file a motion in court, if there has been a substantial and material change in the child's needs or the paying parent's ability to pay. If the parents agree at the conference, CSSD files a consent order that takes effect when a judge signs it; otherwise a motion to modify must be filed and the court holds a hearing (generally within about 45 days). A parent being sentenced to 30 days or more may ask to modify support at sentencing or during incarceration; changes apply only from the filing date forward. CSSD Enforcement Unit: (202) 442-9900, #4.

Question 16

How do you get emergency custody in District of Columbia?

Accepted Answer

While a divorce or annulment case is pending, the Superior Court may decide the care and custody of minor children until the final decision. Under the interstate custody law, a D.C. court has temporary emergency jurisdiction if the child is in the District and has been abandoned, or emergency action is needed to protect the child because the child, a sibling or a parent is being mistreated or abused or threatened with it.

Question 17

Are divorce records public in District of Columbia, and how do I get a copy?

Accepted Answer

Divorce cases are filed with the Superior Court's Family Court, Domestic Relations Branch, which provides certified copies and review of public case files. To request a copy of documents, email FamilyCourtCertifiedCopies@dcsc.gov or call (202) 879-1212. The clerk's office is in the Moultrie Courthouse, 500 Indiana Avenue NW (Room JM-30), open weekdays 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Question 18

How do you get a marriage license in District of Columbia?

Accepted Answer

Marriage licenses are issued by the Clerk of the D.C. Superior Court. Before issuing a license, the clerk examines each applicant under oath about their names, ages, any prior marriages and whether they are related (and how closely); false swearing on these matters is perjury. D.C. no longer has a waiting period for issuing a license (the former waiting-period rule, D.C. Code § 46-409, was repealed in 2014).

Question 19

What is the legal age to get married in District of Columbia?

Accepted Answer

The minimum age to marry is 18, and the clerk may not issue a license to anyone under 18. There is no exception for parental consent or court approval.

Question 20

What are the requirements to adopt a child in District of Columbia?

Accepted Answer

Any person may petition the D.C. Superior Court to adopt, but a married petitioner's spouse must join the petition (unless the spouse is the child's parent, who only consents). The court has jurisdiction if the petitioner is a legal resident of D.C. or has lived there for the year before filing, the child is in the custody of the District or a licensed D.C. child-placing agency, or the child was born in D.C. For a child under 18, consent is needed from the child if 14 or older, and from both living parents, a court-appointed guardian, or the agency or District after parental rights end. A parent's consent is not needed if the parent cannot be located or abandoned the child and failed to support the child for six months before filing, and the court may proceed without consent it finds withheld against the child's best interest. An agency investigates and reports, and a final decree generally requires the child to have lived with the petitioner for at least six months.

Question 21

How does stepparent adoption work in District of Columbia?

Accepted Answer

When the petitioner is the spouse or domestic partner of the child's parent and that parent consents or joins the petition, the court must skip the agency investigation, report and interlocutory decree. The other parent still must consent unless the court finds that parent cannot be located, abandoned the child and failed to support the child for six months, or is withholding consent against the child's best interest. Required criminal background checks, including fingerprinting, still apply.

Question 22

How do you get guardianship of a child in District of Columbia?

Accepted Answer

When a child has no natural or testamentary guardian (for example, both parents have died), the Probate Court may appoint a guardian of the person on its own or on application of a next friend; guardianship ends at 18 or marriage. A non-parent caring for a child while a parent is living generally seeks third-party custody in Superior Court instead: a third party may file if the parent who has been the primary caretaker within the past three years consents, if the third party has lived with and cared for the child for at least four of the last six months, or if exceptional circumstances make it necessary to prevent harm to the child.

Question 23

How do you get guardianship of an adult in District of Columbia?

Accepted Answer

An adult, or anyone interested in his or her welfare, may petition the D.C. Superior Court for a limited, temporary or general guardian. An incapacitated individual is an adult whose ability to receive and evaluate information or communicate decisions is impaired so much that he or she cannot manage some or all finances or meet essential needs for health and safety without court help. The court appoints a lawyer unless the person already has one, plus an examiner and a visitor (which may be waived in some cases). The court must encourage maximum self-reliance and choose the least restrictive type of guardianship in duration and scope.

Question 24

How do you establish paternity in District of Columbia?

Accepted Answer

Paternity can be established by a written acknowledgment signed under oath by both parents in D.C. after they receive written and oral notice of the consequences; birthing hospitals must offer the form, a notary and the chance to sign, and send completed forms to the Registrar of Vital Records within 14 days. A signer may rescind within the earlier of 60 days or the date of an administrative or court proceeding about the child in which the signer is a party. Paternity can also be established by a laboratory genetic test result showing at least a 99% probability, or by a parentage case in Superior Court.

Question 25

How do you legally change your name in District of Columbia?

Accepted Answer

A D.C. resident files an application in the Superior Court stating the reasons and the name wanted. The former notice/publication section has been repealed. The court may grant the change upon a showing it considers satisfactory.

Question 26

Who handles child support in District of Columbia, and how do I contact them?

Accepted Answer

The Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia, Child Support Services Division (CSSD), is D.C.'s child support agency. It helps establish parentage, locate parents, establish, modify, monitor and enforce support orders, and helps parents with barriers to employment. Apply through the online "Enroll for Child Support" portal (childsupport.dcoag.com; sign in or create an account), make payments at dc.smartchildsupport.com, look up a case at cson.oag.dc.gov, and estimate support with the guideline calculator at csgc.oag.dc.gov. CSSD customer service: 202-442-9900.

Question 27

Is there an official child support calculator in District of Columbia?

Accepted Answer

The D.C. Office of the Attorney General's Child Support Services Division publishes the D.C. Child Support Guideline Calculator, which asks a series of questions to determine each parent's ability to pay. It is based on the DC Child Support Guideline, revised effective April 1, 2007. Helpful documents include pay statements, W-2s and custody orders. Support orders are set by D.C. Superior Court.

Residency requirement	One spouse must have been a genuine (bona fide) resident of the District of Columbia for at least 6 months before filing for divorce or legal separation. A service member who lives in D.C. for 6 continuous months during military service counts as a resident. Same-sex couples married in D.C. may divorce there even if neither lives in D.C., if they live where their marriage would not be dissolved. Re-verified 2026-10-27. Source: D.C. Code § 16-902
Grounds for divorce	D.C. is a no-fault jurisdiction. A divorce may be granted when one or both spouses state that they no longer wish to remain married. There are no fault grounds. Re-verified 2026-10-27. Source: D.C. Code § 16-904(a) (as amended by D.C. Law 25-115, effective January 26, 2024)
Waiting period	The current D.C. divorce statute does not require a period of separation or a waiting period before filing; a divorce may be granted on a spouse's statement that they no longer wish to remain married. Earlier versions of the law required six months or one year of separation; the separation requirement was removed in 2024. Court scheduling still affects how long a case takes. Re-verified 2026-10-27. Source: D.C. Code § 16-904(a)

Child custody	The child's best interest is the primary consideration. There is a rebuttable presumption that joint custody is in the child's best interest, except where the court has found an intrafamily offense, child abuse or neglect, or parental kidnapping. Factors include the child's wishes where practicable, the parents' wishes, the child's relationships with family members, adjustment to home, school and community, the mental and physical health of everyone involved, any intrafamily offense, the parents' ability to communicate and make shared decisions, willingness to share custody, each parent's prior involvement, how close the homes are, work demands, and the age and number of children. A parent's race, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity alone is not a conclusive consideration. No fixed age is set for the child's wishes. Re-verified 2026-10-27. Source: D.C. Code § 16-914
Emergency and temporary custody	While a divorce or annulment case is pending, the Superior Court may decide the care and custody of minor children until the final decision. Under the interstate custody law, a D.C. court has temporary emergency jurisdiction if the child is in the District and has been abandoned, or emergency action is needed to protect the child because the child, a sibling or a parent is being mistreated or abused or threatened with it. Temporary emergency jurisdiction: https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/16-4602.04. The Family Court Self-Help Center (Moultrie Courthouse, Room JM-570, 202-879-0096) can explain how to request emergency or temporary custody. Re-verified 2026-10-27. Source: D.C. Code §§ 16-911(a)(5), 16-4602.04
Grandparents' rights	D.C. does not have a separate grandparent visitation statute in the sections read. A third party, such as a grandparent, may seek custody of a child if the parent who has been the primary caretaker in the past 3 years consents, if the third party has lived with the child for at least 4 of the last 6 months and primarily taken on a parent's duties, or if the third party lives with the child and exceptional circumstances make custody necessary to prevent harm. A person proven to be a de facto parent by clear and convincing evidence is treated as a parent. Re-verified 2026-10-27. Source: D.C. Code §§ 16-831.02, 16-831.03

Child support	D.C. uses an income shares guideline: the parents' combined adjusted gross income is used to find the basic obligation in the Schedule of Basic Child Support Obligations, and each parent pays a share based on their percentage of the combined income, with adjustments for shared custody. The guideline does not apply presumptively above $240,000 a year in combined income. The Office of the Attorney General's Child Support Services Division provides an online Child Support Guideline Calculator; its estimate is informational and the court decides the final amount. Calculator: https://csgc.oag.dc.gov/application/main/intro.aspx Re-verified 2026-10-27. Source: D.C. Code § 16-916.01; D.C. OAG Child Support Services Division, Child Support Guideline Calculator
How to apply for child support	The Office of the Attorney General's Child Support Services Division (CSSD) helps establish parentage, get a support order and collect payments. If your children do not receive TANF or Medicaid, fill out CSSD's online child support enrollment form and staff will contact you; if they do receive TANF or Medicaid, contact CSSD by phone or email. There is no income limit for CSSD services. You can also file a Petition to Establish Parentage and/or for Child Support yourself, online or at the Family Court Central Intake Center. CSSD: (202) 442-9900, cssdcustomerservice@dc.gov. Source: D.C. Office of the Attorney General, CSSD – Opening a Child Support Case
When child support ends	In the District of Columbia, child support usually lasts until the child turns 21. A support case can be started any time from after the fourth month of pregnancy until the child turns 21. Source: D.C. Superior Court, Parentage and Child Support Branch
Changing a child support order	Every three years, either parent can ask CSSD for a review and adjustment conference; if the guideline amount differs from the current order by 15% or more, a motion to modify can be filed. Outside the three-year cycle, a parent can ask for a review, or file a motion in court, if there has been a substantial and material change in the child's needs or the paying parent's ability to pay. If the parents agree at the conference, CSSD files a consent order that takes effect when a judge signs it; otherwise a motion to modify must be filed and the court holds a hearing (generally within about 45 days). A parent being sentenced to 30 days or more may ask to modify support at sentencing or during incarceration; changes apply only from the filing date forward. CSSD Enforcement Unit: (202) 442-9900, #4. Source: D.C. Office of the Attorney General, CSSD – Modifying a Child Support Order
If child support isn't paid	Support is normally collected by wage withholding. Starting 30 days after a payment is due, CSSD can take unpaid support from state and federal tax refunds and certain other federal payments; locate, freeze and seize bank and financial accounts; claim insurance payouts and lottery winnings; report arrears to credit bureaus; ask the DMV to suspend or revoke a driver's license or vehicle registration; ask the U.S. State Department to deny or suspend a passport; file a lien on real estate; withhold from disability checks and seize workers' compensation; and file a motion for civil or criminal contempt of court. Source: D.C. Office of the Attorney General, CSSD – Failure to Pay Support: Enforcement Tools
State child support agency	The Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia, Child Support Services Division (CSSD), is D.C.'s child support agency. It helps establish parentage, locate parents, establish, modify, monitor and enforce support orders, and helps parents with barriers to employment. Apply through the online "Enroll for Child Support" portal (childsupport.dcoag.com; sign in or create an account), make payments at dc.smartchildsupport.com, look up a case at cson.oag.dc.gov, and estimate support with the guideline calculator at csgc.oag.dc.gov. CSSD customer service: 202-442-9900. Source: Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia, Child Support Services Division
Official child support calculator	The D.C. Office of the Attorney General's Child Support Services Division publishes the D.C. Child Support Guideline Calculator, which asks a series of questions to determine each parent's ability to pay. It is based on the DC Child Support Guideline, revised effective April 1, 2007. Helpful documents include pay statements, W-2s and custody orders. Support orders are set by D.C. Superior Court. Source: Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia, Child Support Services Division, D.C. Child Support Guideline Calculator

Legal separation	Yes. A legal separation from bed and board may be granted when at least one spouse states they intend to pursue a separate life without getting a divorce. The same 6-month residency rule applies, and the court can divide property and award alimony. The court can revoke the separation on both spouses' joint request, or convert it to a divorce on the request of the spouse who obtained it. Re-verified 2026-10-27. Source: D.C. Code §§ 16-904(b), 16-905, 16-902
Annulment	A marriage may be annulled if one spouse was still married to someone else, if it was entered during a spouse's insanity (unless they lived together voluntarily after discovering it), if it was obtained by fraud or coercion, if a spouse was incapable of the marriage relationship without the other's knowledge and remains so, or if a spouse was under 18 (only at the request of the underage spouse). Marriages between close relatives and bigamous marriages are void from the start. Re-verified 2026-10-27. Source: D.C. Code §§ 16-904(d), 16-903, 46-401.01, 46-403
Changing your name after divorce	In a divorce, the court must, at the request of a spouse who took a new name on marriage and wants to stop using it, state in the divorce decree the birth name or other previous name that spouse wants to use. Re-verified 2026-10-27. Source: D.C. Code § 16-915
Divorce records	Divorce cases are filed with the Superior Court's Family Court, Domestic Relations Branch, which provides certified copies and review of public case files. To request a copy of documents, email FamilyCourtCertifiedCopies@dcsc.gov or call (202) 879-1212. The clerk's office is in the Moultrie Courthouse, 500 Indiana Avenue NW (Room JM-30), open weekdays 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Source: D.C. Superior Court, Family Court – Domestic Relations Branch

Getting a marriage license	Marriage licenses are issued by the Clerk of the D.C. Superior Court. Before issuing a license, the clerk examines each applicant under oath about their names, ages, any prior marriages and whether they are related (and how closely); false swearing on these matters is perjury. D.C. no longer has a waiting period for issuing a license (the former waiting-period rule, D.C. Code § 46-409, was repealed in 2014). Statute: https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/46-410 Re-verified and corrected 2026-10-27. Source: D.C. Code §§ 46-409 (repealed), 46-410
Minimum marriage age	The minimum age to marry is 18, and the clerk may not issue a license to anyone under 18. There is no exception for parental consent or court approval. Re-verified 2026-10-27. Source: D.C. Code §§ 46-403(4), 46-411
Legal name change	A D.C. resident files an application in the Superior Court stating the reasons and the name wanted. The former notice/publication section has been repealed. The court may grant the change upon a showing it considers satisfactory. Re-verified 2026-10-27. Source: D.C. Code §§ 16-2501, 16-2502 (repealed), 16-2503

District of Columbia Divorce Laws: Residency, Waiting Period, Custody and Support

Quick answers for District of Columbia

Filing for divorce

Property and alimony

Children: custody and support

Child support

Separation, annulment, records and marriage

Marriage and name changes

Adoption, guardianship and paternity

Where to get help in District of Columbia

Divorce & Family Law FAQ

More District of Columbia law

Adoption requirements	Any person may petition the D.C. Superior Court to adopt, but a married petitioner's spouse must join the petition (unless the spouse is the child's parent, who only consents). The court has jurisdiction if the petitioner is a legal resident of D.C. or has lived there for the year before filing, the child is in the custody of the District or a licensed D.C. child-placing agency, or the child was born in D.C. For a child under 18, consent is needed from the child if 14 or older, and from both living parents, a court-appointed guardian, or the agency or District after parental rights end. A parent's consent is not needed if the parent cannot be located or abandoned the child and failed to support the child for six months before filing, and the court may proceed without consent it finds withheld against the child's best interest. An agency investigates and reports, and a final decree generally requires the child to have lived with the petitioner for at least six months. Who may adopt: https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/16-302 ; jurisdiction: https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/16-301 Re-verified 2026-10-27. Source: D.C. Code §§ 16-301, 16-302, 16-304, 16-309
Stepparent adoption	When the petitioner is the spouse or domestic partner of the child's parent and that parent consents or joins the petition, the court must skip the agency investigation, report and interlocutory decree. The other parent still must consent unless the court finds that parent cannot be located, abandoned the child and failed to support the child for six months, or is withholding consent against the child's best interest. Required criminal background checks, including fingerprinting, still apply. Re-verified 2026-10-27. Source: D.C. Code §§ 16-302, 16-304(d)-(e), 16-308
Guardianship of a child	When a child has no natural or testamentary guardian (for example, both parents have died), the Probate Court may appoint a guardian of the person on its own or on application of a next friend; guardianship ends at 18 or marriage. A non-parent caring for a child while a parent is living generally seeks third-party custody in Superior Court instead: a third party may file if the parent who has been the primary caretaker within the past three years consents, if the third party has lived with and cared for the child for at least four of the last six months, or if exceptional circumstances make it necessary to prevent harm to the child. Third-party custody: https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/16-831.02 Re-verified 2026-10-27. Source: D.C. Code §§ 21-101, 21-103, 21-104, 16-831.02
Guardianship of an adult	An adult, or anyone interested in his or her welfare, may petition the D.C. Superior Court for a limited, temporary or general guardian. An incapacitated individual is an adult whose ability to receive and evaluate information or communicate decisions is impaired so much that he or she cannot manage some or all finances or meet essential needs for health and safety without court help. The court appoints a lawyer unless the person already has one, plus an examiner and a visitor (which may be waived in some cases). The court must encourage maximum self-reliance and choose the least restrictive type of guardianship in duration and scope. Re-verified 2026-10-27. Source: D.C. Code §§ 21-2011(11), 21-2041, 21-2044
Establishing paternity	Paternity can be established by a written acknowledgment signed under oath by both parents in D.C. after they receive written and oral notice of the consequences; birthing hospitals must offer the form, a notary and the chance to sign, and send completed forms to the Registrar of Vital Records within 14 days. A signer may rescind within the earlier of 60 days or the date of an administrative or court proceeding about the child in which the signer is a party. Paternity can also be established by a laboratory genetic test result showing at least a 99% probability, or by a parentage case in Superior Court. Re-verified 2026-10-27. Source: D.C. Code §§ 16-909.01, 16-909.03, 16-2345