§ 598C.102 — Definitions

Iowa § 598C.102

• Jurisdiction: Iowa
• Title XV: JUDICIAL BRANCH AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURES
• Ch. 598C: UNIFORM DEPLOYED PARENTS CUSTODY AND VISITATION ACT

Text

As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires:
1. “Adult”meansanindividualwhohasattainedeighteenyearsofageorisanemancipated
minor.
2. “Caretaking authority” means the right to live with and care for a child on a day-to-day
basis. “Caretaking authority” relative to a child includes physical custody, parenting time,
right to access, and visitation.
3. “Child” means any of the following:
§598C.102, UNIFORM DEPLOYED PARENTS CUSTODY AND VISITATION ACT 2
a. An unemancipated individual who has not attained eighteen years of age.
b. An adult son or daughter by birth or adoption, or under a law of this state other than
this chapter, who is the subject of a court order concerning custodial responsibility.
4. “Close and substantial relationship” means a relationship in which a significant bond
exists between a child and a nonparent.
5. “Court” means a tribunal, including an administrative agency, authorized under a law
ofthisstateotherthanthischaptertomake, enforce, ormodifyadecisionregardingcustodial
responsibility.
6. “Custodial responsibility” includes all powers and duties relating to caretaking
authority and decision-making authority for a child. “Custodial responsibility” includes
physical custody, legal custody, parenting time, right to access, visitation, and authority to
grant limited contact with a child.
7. “Decision-making authority” means the power to make important decisions regarding
a child, including decisions regarding the child’s education, religious training, health care,
extracurricularactivities, andtravel. “Decision-makingauthority”doesnotincludethepower
to make decisions that necessarily accompany a grant of caretaking authority.
8. “Deploying parent” means a service member who is deployed or has been notified of
impending deployment and is any of the following:
a. A parent of a child under a law of this state other than this chapter.
b. An individual who has custodial responsibility for a child under a law of this state other
than this chapter.
9. “Deployment” means the movement or mobilization of a service member for more than
ninety days but less than eighteen months pursuant to uniformed service orders that meet
any of the following conditions:
a. Are designated as unaccompanied.
b. Do not authorize dependent travel.
c. Otherwise do not permit the movement of family members to the location to which the
service member is deployed.
10. “Family member” means a sibling, aunt, uncle, cousin, stepparent, or grandparent of
a child or an individual recognized to be in a familial relationship with a child under a law of
this state other than this chapter.
11. “Limited contact” means the authority of a nonparent to visit a child for a limited time.
“Limited contact” includes authority to take the child to a place other than the residence of
the child.
12. “Nonparent” means an individual other than a deploying parent or other parent.
13. “Other parent” means an individual who, in common with a deploying parent, is one
of the following:
a. A parent of a child under a law of this state other than this chapter.
b. An individual who has custodial responsibility for a child under a law of this state other
than this chapter.
14. “Record” means information that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that is stored
in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in perceivable form.
15. “Returnfromdeployment” means the conclusion of a service member’s deployment as
specified in uniformed service orders, less any terminal, medical, or annual leave authorized
to the service member.
16. “Service member” means a member of a uniformed service.
17. “Sign”means,withpresentintenttoauthenticateoradoptarecord,toexecuteoradopt
a tangible symbol or to attach to or logically associate with the record an electronic symbol,
sound, or process.
18. “State” means a state of the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the
United States Virgin Islands, or any territory or insular possession subject to the jurisdiction
of the United States.
19. “Uniformed service” means any of the following:
a. Active and reserve components of the army, navy, air force, marine corps, or coast
guard of the United States; the United States merchant marine; the commissioned corps of
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the United States public health service; or the commissioned corps of the national oceanic
and atmospheric administration of the United States.
b. The national guard of a state, whether or not activation or performance of duties is
pursuant to federal or to state authority.