Title 20. Domestic Relations
Chapter 5.3. Uniform Interstate Family Support Act
Article 3. Jurisdiction in Proceedings Involving Two or More States.
§ 20-88.37. Initiating and responding tribunal of the Commonwealth.Under this chapter, a tribunal of the Commonwealth may serve as an initiating tribunal to forward proceedings to a tribunal of another state and as a responding tribunal for proceedings initiated in another state or a foreign country.
§ 20-88.38. Simultaneous proceedings in another state.A. A tribunal of the Commonwealth may exercise jurisdiction to establish a support order if the petition or comparable pleading is filed after a pleading is filed in another state or foreign country only if:
1. The petition or comparable pleading in the Commonwealth is filed before the expiration of the time allowed in the other state or the foreign country for filing a responsive pleading challenging the exercise of jurisdiction by the other state or the foreign country;
2. The contesting party timely challenges the exercise of jurisdiction in the other state or the foreign country; and
3. If relevant, the Commonwealth is the home state of the child.
B. A tribunal of the Commonwealth may not exercise jurisdiction to establish a support order if the petition or comparable pleading is filed before a petition or comparable pleading is filed in another state or foreign country if:
1. The petition or comparable pleading in the other state or foreign country is filed before the expiration of the time allowed in the Commonwealth for filing a responsive pleading challenging the exercise of jurisdiction by the Commonwealth;
2. The contesting party timely challenges the exercise of jurisdiction in the Commonwealth; and
3. If relevant, the other state or foreign country is the home state of the child.
§ 20-88.39. Continuing, exclusive jurisdiction to modify child support order.A. A tribunal of the Commonwealth that has issued a child support order consistent with the law of the Commonwealth has and shall exercise continuing, exclusive jurisdiction to modify its child support order if the order is the controlling order, and:
1. At the time of the filing of a request for modification, the Commonwealth is the residence of the obligor, the individual obligee, or the child for whose benefit the support order is issued; or
2. Even if the Commonwealth is not the residence of the obligor, the individual obligee, or the child for whose benefit the support order is issued, the parties consent in a record that the tribunal of the Commonwealth may continue to exercise its jurisdiction to modify its order.
B. A tribunal of the Commonwealth that has issued a child support order consistent with the law of the Commonwealth may not exercise continuing, exclusive jurisdiction to modify the order if:
1. All of the parties who are individuals file consent in a record with the tribunal of the Commonwealth that a tribunal of another state that has jurisdiction over at least one of the parties who is an individual or who is located in the state of residence of the child may modify the order and assume continuing, exclusive jurisdiction; or
2. Its order is not the controlling order.
C. If a tribunal of another state has issued a child support order pursuant to this chapter or a law substantially similar to this chapter that modifies a child support order of a tribunal of the Commonwealth, tribunals of the Commonwealth shall recognize the continuing, exclusive jurisdiction of the tribunal of the other state.
D. A tribunal of the Commonwealth that lacks continuing, exclusive jurisdiction to modify a child support order may serve as an initiating tribunal to request a tribunal of another state to modify a support order issued in that state.
E. A temporary support order issued ex parte or pending resolution of a jurisdictional conflict does not create continuing, exclusive jurisdiction in the issuing tribunal.
F. The support enforcement agency of the Commonwealth is not authorized to establish or enforce a support order for spousal support only.
1994, c. 673; 1996, cc. 882, 925; 1997, cc. 797, 897; 2005, c. 754.
§ 20-88.40. Continuing jurisdiction to enforce child support order.A. A tribunal of the Commonwealth that has issued a child support order consistent with the law of the Commonwealth may serve as an initiating tribunal to request a tribunal of another state to enforce:
1. The order if the order is the controlling order and has not been modified by a tribunal of another state that assumed jurisdiction pursuant to this chapter; or
2. A money judgment for arrears of support and interest on the order accrued before a determination that an order of a tribunal of another state is the controlling order.
B. A tribunal of the Commonwealth having continuing jurisdiction over a support order may act as a responding tribunal to enforce the order.