Title 15, Title 15 Relations

(a) Except as otherwise provided, 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 child within six (6) mont…

(a) Except as otherwise provided, a court of this state which has made a child custody determination consistent with this chapter has exclusive, continuing jurisdiction over the determination until: (1) A court of this state determines that neither the child, the child’s parents,…

Except as otherwise provided, 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, and: (1) The court of the other state determines it no longer has excl…

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

(a) Before a child custody determination is made under this chapter, notice and an opportunity to be heard in accordance with this chapter must 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, a court of this state may not exercise its jurisdiction under this chapter 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 having jurisdiction …

(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…

As used in this chapter the following words and phrases shall have the following meanings unless the context shall indicate another or different meaning or intent: (1) “Abandoned” means left without provision for reasonable and necessary care or supervision; (2) “Child” means an …

(a) Except as otherwise provided, 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: (1) The parents and all persons ac…

(a) Subject to any law providing for the confidentiality of procedures, addresses, and other identifying information 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…

(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…

(1) “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. (2) “Respondent” means a person against whom a proceeding has …

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.

(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; or (2) The visitation provisions of a child custody determination of another state…

(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 (2) cop…

(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 chapter 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 this chapter, the enforcing…

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

(a) A petition under this chapter 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, the petition and order must be served, by any method authorized by the law of this state, upon respondent and any person who has physical custody of the child.

(a) Unless the court issues a temporary emergency order, 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 respondent establishes that: (1)…

(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 immediately likely to suffer serious physical harm or be remo…

(a) The court may award the prevailing party, including a state, necessary and reasonable expenses incurred by or on behalf of the party, including costs, communication expenses, attorneys’ fees, investigative fees, expenses for witnesses, travel expenses, and child care during t…

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 chapter in accordance with expedited appellate procedures in other civil cases. Unless the court enters a temporary emergency order, the enforcing court may not stay an order enforcing a child custody determinat…

(a) 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 resorting to a proceeding under this chapter or any other av…

At the request of a prosecutor or other appropriate public official, 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.

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.

(a) 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.” (b) A court of this state shall treat a trib…

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.

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 motion or other request for relief made in a child custody proceeding or to enforce a child custody determination which was commenced before the effective date of this chapter [July 17, 2003] is governed by the law in effect at the time the motion or other request was made.

(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 chapter. (b) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (c) of this section, a child custody determination made in a foreign country under factual c…

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 this chapter 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, must 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 in a manner prescribed by the law of this state for service of process or by law of the state in which the service is made. Notice must be given in a manner reasonably calculated…

(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 by re…