Title 25, Marital and Domestic Relations

(a) Before a child custody determination is made under this chapter, notice and an opportunity to be heard in accordance with AS 25.30.840 shall be given to all persons entitled to notice under the law of this state as in child custody proceedings between residents of this state,…

(a) Except as otherwise provided in AS 25.30.330, a court of this state may not exercise its jurisdiction under AS 25.30.300 — 25.30.390 if, at the time of the commencement of the proceeding, a proceeding concerning the custody of the child had been previously commenced in a cour…

(a) A court of this state that 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 appr…

(a) Except as otherwise provided in AS 25.30.330, if a court of this state has jurisdiction under this chapter because a person invoking the jurisdiction has engaged in wrongful conduct, the court shall decline to exercise its jurisdiction unless (1) the parents and all persons a…

(a) Subject to a contravening court order, 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 the child ha…

(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 personally with or without the child. The court may order a person who is in this state and who has physical custody or control of the ch…

Under AS 25.30.400 — 25.30.590, a court of this state may enforce an order for the return of a child made under the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction as if the order were a child custody determination.

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

(a) A court of this state that 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; or (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 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 AS 2…

If a proceeding for enforcement under AS 25.30.400 — 25.30.590 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 provisions subs…

(a) A petition under AS 25.30.400 — 25.30.590 must be verified. A certified copy, or a copy of a certified copy, of the orders sought to be enforced and of an order, if any, confirming registration must be attached to the petition. (b) A petition for enforcement of a child custod…

Except as otherwise provided in AS 25.30.490, the petition and order shall be served, by a method authorized by the law of this state, on the respondent and a person who has physical custody of the child.

(a) Unless the court issues a temporary emergency order under AS 25.30.330, on 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 respondent esta…

(a) On 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 either to suffer serious physical harm or to …

(a) To the extent authorized by court rules, the court shall award the prevailing party, including a state, necessary and reasonable expenses incurred by or on behalf of the party, including costs, communication expenses, attorney fees, investigative fees, expenses for witnesses,…

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

An appeal taken from a final order in a proceeding under AS 25.30.400 — 25.30.590 shall be given calendar priority to the extent allowed for other civil appellate cases and shall be handled expeditiously. Unless the court enters a temporary emergency order under AS 25.30.330, the…

In AS 25.30.400 — 25.30.590, (1) “petitioner” means a person who seeks enforcement of an order for the return of the child under the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction or enforcement of a child custody determination; (2) “respondent” means a pe…

(a) This chapter does not govern an adoption proceeding or a proceeding pertaining to the authorization of emergency medical care for a child. (b) A child custody proceeding that pertains to an Indian child as defined in 25 U.S.C. 1901 — 1963 (Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978) is…

(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 AS 25.30.400 — 25.30.590. (b) Except as provided in (c) of this section, a child custody determination made in a foreign country under factual circumstan…

A child custody determination made by a court of this state that had jurisdiction under this chapter binds all persons who have been served notice under Rule 4, Alaska Rules of Civil Procedure, who have been notified under AS 25.30.840, or who have submitted to the jurisdiction o…

If a question of existence or exercise of jurisdiction under this chapter is raised in a child custody proceeding, the question, on request of a party, shall be given priority on the calendar and handled expeditiously.

(a) Notice required for the exercise of jurisdiction when a person is outside this state may be given under Rule 4, Alaska Rules of Civil Procedure, or in a manner prescribed by the law of the state in which the service is made. Notice shall be given in a manner reasonably calcul…

(a) 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 proceeding or purpose solely becaus…

(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 shall be give…

(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 under procedures of that state; (3) order that an evaluation be made with respect to the custody of a child involved in …

In applying and construing this chapter, consideration shall be given to the need to promote uniformity of the law with respect to its subject matter among states that enact laws substantially similar.

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

In this chapter, (1) “abandoned” means left without provision for reasonable and necessary care or supervision; (2) “child” means an individual who has not attained 18 years of age; (3) “child custody determination” means a judgment, decree, or other order of a court providing fo…

This chapter may be cited as the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act.