§ 913 Support and family offense proceedings

Here's a plain English summary of this rule.

If you're involved in a family court case, the judge doesn't have to wait for you to ask for certain things. At any point during the case, the judge can decide on their own to start a support case or a family offense case, even if nobody requested it.

A support case deals with things like child support or spousal support payments. A family offense case deals with situations involving abuse or violence between family members, sometimes called domestic violence cases.

This rule gives judges the power to act quickly if they see a need for support or protection, without waiting for one of the parties to file paperwork first. This can help protect children or family members faster if the judge notices a problem during a hearing.