The UCCJEA and UIFSA are Statutes that apply to multi-state jurisdictional issues involving children. UCCJEA stands for Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act. UIFSA stands for Uniform Interstate Family Support Act. These acts allow for joint cooperation between the States that have adopted it.
UCCJEA governs a State’s right to modify or enforce an existing child custody/visitation Order issued by a different State for non-native american children. Generally the new state must enforce the original state’s order. A parent must register the order from the original state with the child’s new home state by certain procedures to ensure that the new home state to recognize and enforce the order. The new state can issue emergency order’s where it believes the child’s life in danger.
UIFSA determine’s a State’s jurisdictional right to modify and enfroce a child support or spousal support order. It generally requires the new state to defer to the support order of child’s original home state where the order was issued. A parent must register the child support order of the original state with the child’s new home state by certain procedures so that the child’s new home state can collect child support for the child from the payor. Under certain circumstances the new state might change the order if it did not believe the child’s best interests were being protected.
If you are seeking to enforce or modify another State’s child custody/vistiation or child/spousal support order in the State of Michigan, contact Diana Mohyi Attorney at Law for a consultation.