22 Dismissal

Here's a plain English summary of this rule:

Once you file a petition with the family court, you can't just walk away from the case on your own. The case stays open and active until a judge officially closes it by issuing a dismissal order.

This means that if you decide you no longer want to move forward with your petition, you need to ask the court to dismiss it. You can't simply stop showing up or tell the other side you're dropping the matter. The judge has to sign off on ending the case, no matter who filed it or why they want it stopped.

For people involved in a family court case, this rule matters because it keeps things official and clear. Without a court order, the case technically remains open, which could cause confusion or problems later on. If you want to end a case you started, talk to the court about filing a request to have it dismissed, so there's a clear record that the matter is truly closed.