Protecting and Serving Children and Families
Visitation Custody Violation Report Form
The Yolo County District Attorney’s Child Abduction Unit exists to enforce child custody/visitation orders and to assist in locating/returning children who have been maliciously taken, detained or concealed in violation of court orders.
When the Child Abduction Unit investigates a case; we do so as a representative of the Superior Court and/or the People of the State of California. The District Attorney does not represent you as an individual. There is no attorney-client relationship, therefore, any information that you provide is not confidential and may be subject to disclosure.
What are?
Abductions – The child has been moved/taken with the intent of depriving the other parent’s custodial rights. The Child Abduction Unit can begin an investigation whether or not there was an order in place at the time of the abduction. You may be required to obtain an order during the course of the investigation and prior to the child being retrieved.
Concealments/Detentions – You are having a problem enforcing a current court order due to the child’s removal from the court’s jurisdiction, or other parent’s habitual denial of your visitation rights. The Child Abduction unit can only enforce current court orders.
Visitation Problems – There are violations of the existing current order: i.e., not meeting at the ordered pick-up location, not receiving/returning the child at the ordered times, not allowing ordered phone calls, etc. The Child Abduction Unit does not generally investigate visitation problem cases unless chronic or extreme in nature. Generally, in order to resolve visitation problems, you must take the matter back to meditation and/or court. However, you can submit a visitation violation report to our office. See below for further details.
What Do I Do To Get My Case Investigated?
Abductions – Contact your local police or sheriff’s department to file a missing/abducted child report. The child is entered into the nationwide missing persons system and law enforcement can take immediate action to locate the child.
Concealments/Detentions – Contact the Child Abduction unit directly or after being referred by a law enforcement agency. When the Child Abduction Unit investigates a case, we do so as a representative of the Superior Court and/or the People of the State of California. The District Attorney does not represent you as an individual. There is not attorney-client relationship, therefore, any information that you provide is not confidential and may be subject to disclosure.
The Child Abduction staff meets regularly with local law enforcement personnel to provide information about the unit and specific training in the realm of child abduction. They have also traveled to several states and some foreign countries to assist in the return of abducted children.
Reporting Visitation Violation
The District Attorney’s Office has implemented a self-reporting system to report violations of court ordered visitation. This form is for use by Yolo County residents and non Yolo County Residents with court orders issued in Yolo County. If deemed appropriate, this office may take further action once your report is accepted. The report will be kept on file in our office and will be available only to the court or pursuant to a subpoena duces tecum for records only.
If you choose not to make a visitation violation report, or if you do not have a California visitation order, you may want to consider contacting a family law attorney for advice on how to enforce your order or get the matter before the court. To make a visitation violation report, click on Visitation Custody Violation Report Form and follow the instructions at the top of the online form. PLEASE NOTE: You must have the full version of Adobe Acrobat in order to fill out and send the form via email. If you are using the free Adobe Acrobat PDF Reader, you can fill out the form, print it and send via mail but you can not email the form as the data will not be saved.
Additional References
California Famly Law Code, Sections 3130-3135 et al.
California Penal Code, Sections 166.4, 278, and 278.5
The Uniform Child-Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act
National Child Abduction Remedies Act (ICARA) 42 USC 11601 et. Seq.
Diane Ortiz – Deputy District Attorney
Jesse Martinez – Investigator
Angela Smith – Enforcement Officer
301 Second Street | Woodland, CA 95695 | Phone: (530) 666-8400 | Fax: (530) 666-8399
