Legislatures Consider Replacing UCCJA With UCCJEA

Universally-Adopted Law for Determining Child Custody Jurisdiction Between the States is Not Good Enough. Legislatures Look at Commissioners' Official Rewrite.

[Note: The UCCJEA was finally enacted in Virginia, in slightly different form, two years after this article appeared. An article summarizing the statute and noting the latest changes is "GENERAL ASSEMBLY ADOPTS UCCJEA TO REPLACE UCCJA". As of the end of 2001 the UCCEJA had been enacted in at least 28 states]

Article by Richard Crouch, Attorney at Law, Crouch & Crouch, Arlington, Virginia; (703) 528-6700;
Copyright Richard Crouch 1999. Originally Published in Family Law News, a Virginia
State Bar Publication

1-Page Summary of Recommendations
Introduction
Former Section 1 -- INTRODUCTION, PURPOSES AND CONSTRUCTION SECTION.
UCCJEA Section 102 -- DEFINITIONS
UCCJEA SECTION 103 - Non-Application to Adoption or Medical Care [no commentary included]
UCCJEA SECTION 104 - Application to Indian tribes. [no commentary included]
UCCJEA Section 105 -- INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION
UCCJEA Section 106 -- THE BINDING FORCE OF A CUSTODY DETERMINATION
UCCJEA SECTION 107 - Priority. [no commentary included]
UCCJEA Section 108 -- NOTICE TO PERSONS OUTSIDE THE STATE
UCCJEA Section 109 -- APPEARANCE AND LIMITED IMMUNITY
UCCJEA Section 110 -- COMMUNICATION BETWEEN COURTS
UCCJEA Section 111 -- TAKING TESTIMONY IN ANOTHER STATE
UCCJEA Section 112 -- Cooperation between courts [no commentary included]
UCCJEA Section 201 -- HOME STATE PRIORITY - INITIAL CUSTODY JURISDICTION
UCCJEA SECTION 202 ON EXCLUSIVE CONTINUING JURISDICTION
UCCJEA SECTION 203 Jurisdiction to modify [no commentary included]
UCCJEA Section 204 -- TEMPORARY EMERGENCY JURISDICTION
UCCJEA Section 205 -- NOTICE; OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD; JOINDER
UCCJEA Section 206 -- SIMULTANEOUS PROCEEDINGS
UCCJEA Section 207 -- GIVING UP EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION -- FORUM NON CONVENIENS
UCCJEA Section 208 -- CLEAN HANDS -- JURISDICTION DECLINED
UCCJEA Section 209 -- INFORMATION TO BE SUBMITTED
UCCJEA Section 210 -- ORDER TO APPEAR WITH CHILD
UCCJEA Section 305 -- REGISTRATION OF ORDERS
UCCJEA Sections 306 to 314 -- ENFORCEMENT
UCCJEA Section 315 -- ROLES OF PROSECUTORS
UCCJEA Sections 316-317 -- Police involvement, costs
UCCJEA Sections 401-405 -- MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

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