Definitions
Sec. 2. As used in this chapter:
(1) "contestant" means a person, including a parent, who claims
a right to custody or parenting time rights with respect to a
child;
(2) "custody determination" means a court decision and court
orders and instructions providing for the custody of a child,
including parenting time rights; it does not include a decision
relating to child support or any other monetary obligation of any
person;
(3) "custody proceeding" includes proceedings in which a
custody determination is one of several issues, such as an action
for dissolution of marriage, but does not include child in need
of services proceedings;
(4) "decree" or "custody decree" means a custody determination
contained in a judicial decree or order made in a custody
proceeding, and includes an initial decree and a modification
decree;
(5) "home state" means the state in which the child,
immediately preceding the time involved, lived with the child's
parents, a parent, or a person acting as parent, for at least six (6)
consecutive months, and in the case of a child less than six (6)
months old the state in which the child lived from birth with any
of the persons mentioned. Periods of temporary absence of any
of the named persons are counted as part of the six (6) month or
other period;
(6) "initial decree" means the first custody decree concerning a
particular child;
(7) "modification decree" means a custody decree which
modifies or replaces a prior decree, whether made by the court
which rendered the prior decree or by another court;
(8) "physical custody" means actual possession and control of
a child;
(9) "person acting as parent" means a person, other than a
parent, who has physical custody of a child and who has either
been awarded custody by a court or claims a right to custody;
and
(10) "state" means any state, territory, or possession of the
United States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the
District of Columbia.
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.9. Amended by P.L.68-2005, SEC.37.
Last modified: May 24, 2006