(a) Upon the filing of a petition seeking enforcement of a child custody determination, the petitioner may file a verified application for the issuance of a warrant to take physical custody of the child if the child is imminently likely to suffer serious physical harm or be removed from this state.
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Terms Used In Alabama Code 30-3B-311

  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • property: includes both real and personal property. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
(b) If the court, upon the testimony of the petitioner or other witness, finds that the child is imminently likely to suffer serious physical harm or be removed from this state, it may issue a warrant to take physical custody of the child. The petition must be heard within 72 hours after the warrant is executed unless impossible. In that event, the court shall hold the hearing on the next judicial day. The application for the warrant must include the statements required by Section 30-3B-308(b).
(c) A warrant to take physical custody of a child must:

(1) Recite the facts upon which a conclusion of imminent serious physical harm or removal from the jurisdiction is based;
(2) Direct law enforcement officers to take physical custody of the child immediately;
(3) Provide for the placement of the child pending final relief; and
(4) Provide the specific facts found by the court that constitute “the exigent circumstances” required under Section 30-3B-311(e) to warrant authorizing the law enforcement officers to make a forcible entry at any hour.
(d) The respondent must be served with the petition, warrant, and order immediately after the child is taken into physical custody.
(e) A warrant to take physical custody of a child is enforceable throughout this state. If the court finds on the basis of the testimony of the petitioner or other witness that a less intrusive remedy is not effective, it may authorize law enforcement officers to enter private property to take physical custody of the child. If required by exigent circumstances of the case, the court may authorize law enforcement officers to make a forcible entry at any hour.
(f) The court may impose conditions upon placement of a child to ensure the appearance of the child and the child’s custodian.
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