Section was formerly classified to section 522 of the former Appendix to this title prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.
A prior section 202 of act Oct. 17, 1940, ch. 888, art. II, 54 Stat. 1181, related to fines and penalties on contracts, prior to the general amendment of this Act by Pub. L. 108–189. See section 3933 of this title.
2008—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 110–181 inserted “, including any child custody proceeding,” after “civil action or proceeding” in introductory provisions.
2004—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 108–454 inserted “plaintiff or” before “defendant” in introductory provisions.
Section applicable to any case not final before
Pub. L. 102–12, § 6, “(a) In any judicial action or proceeding (other than a criminal proceeding) in which a member of the Armed Forces described in subsection (b) is involved (either as plaintiff or defendant), the court shall, upon application by such member (or some other person on the member’s behalf) at any stage before final judgment is entered, stay the action or proceeding until a date after “(b) A member of the Armed Forces is covered by subsection (a) if at the time of application for the stay of a judicial action or proceeding the member—“(1) is on active duty; and“(2) is serving outside the State in which the court having jurisdiction over the action or proceeding is located.“(c) For purposes of this section, the term ‘State’ includes the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Guam.”