Title XLIII, Domestic Relations

I. Except as otherwise provided in RSA 458-A:15, a court of this state which has made a child-custody determination consistent with RSA 458-A:12 or RSA 458-A:14 has exclusive, continuing jurisdiction over the determination until: (a) A court of this state determines that neither …

Except as otherwise provided in RSA 458-A:15, 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 RSA 458-A:12, I(a) or (b) and: I. The court of th…

I. 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 emergency to protect the child because the child, or a sibling or parent of the child, is subjected to or threatened with …

I. Before a child-custody determination is made under this chapter, notice and an opportunity to be heard in accordance with the standards of RSA 458-A:7 must be given to all persons entitled to notice under the law of this state as in child-custody proceedings between residents …

I. Except as otherwise provided in RSA 458-A:15, a court of this state may not exercise its jurisdiction under this subdivision 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 h…

I. 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 appr…

I. Except as otherwise provided in RSA 458-A:15, 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 jurisdiction unless: (a) The parents and…

This chapter does not govern an adoption proceeding or a proceeding pertaining to the authorization of emergency medical care for a child.

I. 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 has lived during the last 5 years, and the…

I. 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 ch…

In this subdivision: I. "Petitioner" means 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 determination. II. "Respondent" means a person against wh…

Under this subdivision 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.

I. 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 jurisdiction…

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

I. 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 office of the clerk of the superior court: (a) A letter or other document requesting registration; (b) Tw…

I. 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. II. A court of this state shall recognize and enforce, but may not modify, except in accordance with …

If a proceeding for enforcement under this subdivision 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 RSA 458-A:12 through RS…

I. A petition under this subdivision 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. II. A petition fo…

I. A child-custody proceeding that pertains to an Indian child as defined in the Indian Child Welfare Act, 25 U.S.C. section 1901 et seq., is not subject to this chapter to the extent that it is governed by the Indian Child Welfare Act. II. A court of this state shall treat a tri…

Except as otherwise provided in RSA 458-A:32, the petition and order must be served, by any method authorized by the law of this state, upon the respondent and any person who has physical custody of the child.

I. Unless the court issues a temporary emergency order pursuant to RSA 458-A:15, 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 responde…

I. 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 immediately likely to suffer serious physical harm or be remov…

I. 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's fees, investigative fees, expenses for witnesses, travel expenses, and child care during …

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 subdivision in accordance with expedited appellate procedures in other civil cases. Unless the court enters a temporary emergency order under RSA 458-A:15, the enforcing court may not stay an order enforcing a c…

I. In a case arising under this chapter or involving the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, the prosecutor or other appropriate public official may take any lawful action, including resort to a proceeding under this subdivision or any other av…

At the request of a prosecutor or other appropriate public official acting under RSA 458-A:36, a law enforcement officer may take any lawful action reasonably necessary to locate a child or a party and assist a prosecutor or appropriate public official with responsibilities under…

If the respondent is not the prevailing party, the court may assess against the respondent all direct expenses and costs incurred by the prosecutor or other appropriate public official and law enforcement officers under RSA 458-A:36 or RSA 458-A:37.

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.

I. 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 RSA 458-A:1 through RSA 458-A:21. II. Except as otherwise provided in paragraph III, a child-custody determination made in a foreign country under factual…

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…

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 RSA 458-A:7 or who have submitted to the jurisdiction of the court,…

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, shall be given priority on the calendar and handled expeditiously.

I. 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 or by the law of the state in which the service is made. Notice must be given in a manner reasonably calcula…

I. 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 by rea…

I. A court of this state may communicate with a court in another state concerning a proceeding arising under this chapter. II. 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 …