Child Custody Jurisdiction

This lesson is intended to be used as both an introduction to Child Custody Jurisdiction and as a review for students who have already studied the material.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of the lesson, the student will be able to:

1. Discuss the two statutes governing child custody and visitation jurisdiction and their respective roles.
2. Analyze when a state can exercise jurisdiction over child custody and visitation, and apply the appropriate rules to determine proper jurisdiction in a case.
3. Compare the jurisdictional requirements for initial, modification, and emergency child custody and visitation orders.
4. Discuss some circumstances under which a court might decline to exercise jurisdiction in a child custody case.