Title 30 — Title 30

This chapter may be cited as the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act. History: (Act 99-438, p. 866, §1.)

In this chapter, the following terms shall have the following meanings: (1) ABANDONED. Left without provision for reasonable and necessary care or supervision. (2) CHILD. An individual who has not attained 19 years of age. (3) CHILD CUSTODY DETERMINATION. A judgment, decree, or o…

This chapter does not govern an adoption proceeding or a proceeding pertaining to the authorization of emergency medical care for a child. History: (Act 99-438, p. 866, §1.)

A child custody proceeding that pertains to an Indian child as defined in the Indian Child Welfare Act, 25 U.S.C. §1901, et seq., is not subject to this chapter to the extent that it is governed by the Indian Child Welfare Act. History: (Act 99-438, p. 866, §1.)

(a) A court of this state shall treat a foreign country as if it were a state of the United States for the purpose of applying this article and Article 2. (b) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (c), a child custody determination made in a foreign country under factual cir…

A child custody determination made by a court of this state that had jurisdiction under this chapter binds all persons who have been served in accordance with the laws of this state or notified in accordance with Section 30-3B-108 or who have submitted to the jurisdiction of the …

If a question of existence or exercise of jurisdiction under this chapter is raised in a child custody proceeding, the question, upon request of a party, must be given priority on the calendar and handled expeditiously. History: (Act 99-438, p. 866, §1.)

(a) Notice required for the exercise of jurisdiction when a person is outside this state may be given in a manner prescribed by the law of this state for service of process. Notice must be given in a manner reasonably calculated to give actual notice but may be by publication if …

(a) When making a special appearance a party to a child custody proceeding, including a modification proceeding, or a petitioner or respondent in a proceeding to enforce or register a child custody determination, is not subject to personal jurisdiction in this state for another p…

(a) A court of this state may communicate with a court in another state concerning a proceeding arising under this chapter. (b) The court may allow the parties to participate in the communication. If the parties are not able to participate in the communication, they must be given…

(a) In addition to other procedures available to a party, a party to a child custody proceeding may offer testimony of witnesses who are located in another state, including testimony of the parties and the child, by deposition or other means allowable in this state for testimony …

(a) A court of this state may request the appropriate court of another state to: (1) Hold an evidentiary hearing; (2) Order a person to produce or give evidence pursuant to procedures of that state; (3) Order that an evaluation be made with respect to the custody of a child invol…

(a) Except as otherwise provided in Section 30-3B-204, a court of this state has jurisdiction to make an initial child custody determination only if: (1) This state is the home state of the child on the date of the commencement of the proceeding, or was the home state of the chil…

(a) Except as otherwise provided in Section 30-3B-204, a court of this state which has made a child custody determination consistent with Section 30-3B-201 or Section 30-3B-203 has continuing, exclusive jurisdiction over the determination until: (1) A court of this state determin…

Except as otherwise provided in Section 30-3B-204, a court of this state may not modify a child custody determination made by a court of another state unless a court of this state has jurisdiction to make an initial determination under Section 30- 3B-201(a)(1) or (2) and: (1) The…

[Effective until October 1, 2026.] AMENDED BY ACT 2026-237, EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1, 2026. SEE ACT FOR REVISED LANGUAGE. (a) A court of this state has temporary emergency jurisdiction if the child is present in this state and the child has been abandoned or it is necessary in an emer…

(a) Before a child custody determination is made under this chapter, notice and an opportunity to be heard in accordance with the standards of Section 30-3B-108 must be given to all persons entitled to notice under the law of this state as in child custody proceedings between res…

(a) Except as otherwise provided in Section 30-3B-204, a court of this state may not exercise its jurisdiction under this article if, at the time of the commencement of the proceeding, a proceeding concerning the custody of the child has been commenced in a court of another state…

(a) A court of this state which has jurisdiction under this chapter to make a child custody determination may decline to exercise its jurisdiction at any time if it determines that it is an inconvenient forum under the circumstances and that a court of another state is a more app…

(a) Except as otherwise provided in Section 30-3B-204 or by other law of this state, if a court of this state has jurisdiction under this chapter because a person seeking to invoke its jurisdiction has engaged in unjustifiable conduct, the court shall decline to exercise its juri…

(a) Except, as otherwise provided in subsection (e), in a child custody proceeding, each party, in its first pleading or in an attached affidavit, shall give information, if reasonably ascertainable, under oath as to the child’s present address or whereabouts, the places where th…

(a) In a child custody proceeding in this state, the court may order a party to the proceeding who is in this state to appear before the court in person with or without the child. The court may order any person who is in this state and who has physical custody or control of the c…

In this article, the following terms shall have the following meanings: (1) PETITIONER. A person who seeks enforcement of an order for return of a child under The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction or enforcement of a child custody determinatio…

Under this article a court of this state may enforce an order for the return of the child made under The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction as if it were a child custody determination. History: (Act 99-438, p. 866, §1.)

(a) A court of this state shall recognize and enforce a child custody determination of a court of another state if the latter court exercised jurisdiction in substantial conformity with this chapter or the determination was made under factual circumstances meeting the jurisdictio…

(a) A court of this state which does not have jurisdiction to modify a child custody determination, may issue a temporary order enforcing: (1) A visitation schedule made by a court of another state; (2) The visitation provisions of a child custody determination of another state t…

(a) A child custody determination issued by a court of another state may be registered in this state, with or without a simultaneous request for enforcement, by sending to the appropriate court in this state: (1) A letter or other document requesting registration; (2) Two copies,…

(a) A court of this state may grant any relief normally available under the law of this state to enforce a registered child custody determination made by a court of another state. (b) A court of this state shall recognize and enforce, but may not modify, except in accordance with…

If a proceeding for enforcement under this article is commenced in a court of this state and the court determines that a proceeding to modify the determination is pending in a court of another state having jurisdiction to modify the determination under Article 2, the enforcing co…

(a) A petition under this article must be verified. Certified copies of all orders sought to be enforced and of any order confirming registration must be attached to the petition. A copy of a certified copy of an order may be attached instead of the original. (b) A petition for e…

Except as otherwise provided in Section 30-3B-311, the petition and order must be served, by any method authorized by the Alabama Rules of Civil Procedure, upon respondent and any person who has physical custody of the child. History: (Act 99-438, p. 866, §1.)

(a) Unless the court issues a temporary emergency order pursuant to Section 30- 3B-204, upon a finding that a petitioner is entitled to immediate physical custody of the child, the court shall order that the petitioner may take immediate physical custody of the child unless the r…

(a) Upon the filing of a petition seeking enforcement of a child custody determination, the petitioner may file a verified application for the issuance of a warrant to take physical custody of the child if the child is imminently likely to suffer serious physical harm or be remov…

(a) The court may award any party, including a state, necessary and reasonable expenses incurred by or on behalf of the party, including costs, communication expenses, attorney’s fees, investigative fees, expenses for witnesses, travel expenses, and child care during the course o…

A court of this state shall accord full faith and credit to an order issued by another state and consistent with this chapter which enforces a child custody determination by a court of another state unless the order has been vacated, stayed, or modified by a court having jurisdic…

An appeal may be taken from a final order in a proceeding under this article in accordance with Alabama law. Unless the court enters a temporary emergency order under Section 30-3B-204, the enforcing court may not stay an order enforcing a child custody determination pending appe…

In applying and construing this chapter, consideration must be given to the need to promote uniformity of the law with respect to its subject matter among states that enact it. History: (Act 99-438, p. 866, §1.)

If any provision of this chapter or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the invalidity does not affect other provisions or applications of this chapter which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end the provision…

This chapter takes effect January 1, 2000. History: (Act 99-438, p. 866, §1.)

Effective January 1, 2000, the following sections and all amendments thereto and all other sections and parts of sections of this code inconsistent herewith are repealed: The Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction Act located at Sections 30-3-20 through 30-3-44. No actions may be fil…

A motion or other request for relief made in a child custody proceeding or to enforce a child custody determination which was commenced before January 1, 2000, is governed by the law in effect at the time the motion or other request was made. History: (Act 99-438, p. 866, §1.)