Rule 6 - Disclosures; Additional Discovery; Initial Hearings(a) MANDATORY DISCLOSURES. Except as provided in Rule 6(d), at the initial hearing and any hearing thereafter, the parties must exchange the following documents: (1) 2 most recent pay statements;(2) most recent W-2, 1099, K-1, or other end-of-year income statement;(3) proof of other income and means tested public benefits, such as unemployment compensation, workers' compensation, Social Security disability, veteran's benefits, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Supplemental Security Income, and any other source of income as defined in the Child Support Guideline;(4) proof of Social Security derivative benefits received on behalf of the child(ren) subject to the case;(5) most recent tax return, if self-employed;(6) proof of alimony paid to the other party in the case or received from any person;(7) proof of court-ordered child support for another child(ren) and proof of payment of the same;(8) proof that other child(ren) reside in the home whom the party has a legal duty to support;(9) proof of the increase in a parent or custodian's health insurance premium for including or adding child(ren) to the parent or custodian's health insurance plan;(10) health insurance card, if the child(ren) is/are already covered by a health insurance plan;(11) proof of any extraordinary medical expenses incurred on behalf of the child(ren) subject to the case that a party seeks to have included in the child support calculation;(12) proof of child care expenses incurred for the child(ren) due to employment or education; and(13) any other document required by the court. (b) RESPONSIBILITY TO PRODUCE. Where the District of Columbia is the named party and the custodial parent has assigned his or her rights to support to the District of Columbia, the District of Columbia through the IV-D agency is responsible for producing the documents on behalf of the District of Columbia. In all other cases where the District of Columbia is the named party, the District of Columbia through the IV-D agency is responsible for producing the documents on behalf of the custodial parent.(c) FAILURE TO PRODUCE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS. If the documents in Rule 6(a) are not produced but are necessary for the computation of the child support guidelines, a continuance may be granted.(d) THIRD PARTY CUSTODIANS. A third party custodian is not required to provide the documents listed in Rule 6(a)(1)-(8).(e) ADDITIONAL DISCOVERY. Any party may obtain additional discovery in accordance with Domestic Relations Rules 26 through 37.(f) INITIAL HEARING. (1)In General. At the initial hearing, the judge or magistrate judge may: (A) explore the possibilities for early resolution through settlement or alternative dispute resolution or for expediting the case by use of stipulations;(B) explore issues of service, notice, and identity of necessary parties and enter any appropriate orders regarding the same;(C) determine whether parentage has been legally established and, if parentage has not been legally established, enter any appropriate orders, including adjudications of parentage based on in-court acknowledgment or genetic testing;(D) determine any outstanding motions, if time allows and the parties are prepared, or set a date for hearing the motions;(E) determine whether mandatory disclosures were made and whether there should be modifications to the mandatory disclosures specific to the case and enter any appropriate orders regarding the same;(F) after consulting with the parties, set dates for future events in the case with the goal of establishing a permanent child support order at the earliest possible date- which may include a deadline by which mandatory disclosures or other discovery must be completed, a deadline by which motions must be filed, and a deadline for the filing of any legal memoranda-and require that the parties exchange additional information or documents, including that set forth in Domestic Relations Rule 26(a)(1);(G) enter a temporary or permanent child support order; or(H) order the parent(s) to search for a job and to provide proof of job search efforts.(2)Modifying Schedule. The schedule set at the initial hearing may be modified by agreement of the parties, except that dates for court proceedings may not be modified without the court's leave.COMMENT
Rule 6(d) exempts third party custodians from the requirement to provide the documents listed in Rule 6(a)(1)-(8) because, under D.C. Code § 16-916.01(d)(8) (2018 Supp.), the income of a third party custodian is not considered when calculating child support.