You want to know that your child custody order is upheld no matter where you travel. If your ex takes your child out of state, you want to know no other court can reverse the decision of the judge in your home state. The Uniform Child Custody Act supports you in this regard.
What is the Uniform Child Custody Act?
The Uniform Child Custody Act is an act that attempts to eliminate and minimize any risk of conflicts between states when it comes to child custody arrangements and orders. Thanks the UCCA, it’s easier to enforce custody orders that are from other states. That means that even if one parent lives in Wisconsin and another lives in Florida, the child custody order can be upheld.
Every state has recognized and adopted this law. It has been in place since 1981. Prior to the law, it was normal for non-custodial parents to take their children to another state in hopes that they’d locate a sympathetic judge who would rule in their favor and reverse any child custody orders that were unfavorable for those parents. Today, that’s not possible, because courts must abide by the rulings of courts in other states. It’s possible to have a second trial or to appeal in a different court, but the initial order must be respected until that occurs.
The UCCA doesn’t give priority to a child’s home state, but it does make a requirement that any ruling already decided for child custody must be upheld by other states until the original state no longer has jurisdiction. Since it’s normal for parents to move to different states, there may be a time when the original order’s court no longer has jurisdiction over the case. At that point, any custody disputes should be taken to the new state courts and go from there.
Our website has more on relocation and child custody orders. Your attorney can help make sure your custody orders are upheld.
