§ 158 Protective custody of material witness; duration

If a child under 16 is a material witness in a family court case, the judge can place that child in protective custody to keep them safe or make sure they're available to testify. This gives the court a legal way to look after the child during the case.

This protective custody can't last forever. The judge can order it for up to 14 days at a time. If there's a good reason, the judge can renew it for more 14-day periods. But no matter what, the child can't stay in protective custody for more than 42 days total. This limit makes sure kids aren't held longer than necessary while the case moves forward.