Rule 5.445. Court communication protocol for domestic violence and child custody orders.

(a) Definitions For purposes of this rule:

(1) “Criminal court protective order” means any court order issued under California Penal Code section 136.2 arising from a complaint, an information, or an indictment in which the victim or witness and the defendant have a relationship as defined in Family Code section 6211.

(2) “Court” means all departments and divisions of the superior court of a single county.

(3) “Cases involving child custody and visitation” include family, juvenile, probate, and guardianship proceedings.

(b) Purpose

(1) This rule is intended to:

(A) Encourage courts to share information about the existence and terms of criminal court protective orders and other orders regarding child custody and visitation that involve the defendant and the victim or witness named in the criminal court protective orders.

(B) Encourage courts hearing cases involving child custody and visitation to take every action practicable to ensure that they are aware of the existence of any criminal court protective orders involving the parties to the action currently before them.

(C) Encourage criminal courts to take every action practicable to ensure that they are aware of the existence of any child custody or visitation court orders involving the defendant in the action currently before them.

(D) Permit appropriate visitation between a criminal defendant and his or her children under civil court orders, but at the same time provide for the safety of the victim or witness by ensuring that a criminal court protective order is not violated.

(E) Protect the rights of all parties and enhance the ability of law enforcement to enforce orders.

(F) Encourage courts to establish regional communication systems with courts in neighboring counties regarding the existence of and terms of criminal court protective orders.

(2) This rule is not intended to change the procedures, provided in Family Code section 6380, for the electronic entry of domestic violence restraining orders into the Domestic Violence Restraining Order System.

(c) Local rule required Every superior court must, by January 1, 2004, adopt local rules containing, at a minimum, the following elements:

(1) Court communication

(A) A procedure requiring courts issuing any orders involving child custody or visitation to make reasonable efforts to determine whether there exists a criminal court protective order that involves any party to the action; and

(B) A procedure requiring courts issuing criminal court protective orders to make reasonable efforts to determine whether there exist any child custody or visitation orders that involve any party to the action.

(2) Modification

(3) Penal Code section 136.2

Committee Notes

(Subd (a) amended effective January 1, 2007.)

(Subd (b) amended effective January 1, 2007.)

(Subd (c) amended effective January 1, 2007; previously amended effective January 1, 2005.)