Most divorce proceedings that involve children tend to address the issue of child support, as well as custody and visitation. Local courts and state agencies alike take very seriously the matter of support, and will even step in to ensure that the responsible parent follows through with his or her court-ordered financial obligation to a child. In some unique cases, the divorced parents live in separate states or countries, and need assurances that they can seek and enforce a support order, no matter where the responsible parent resides. Fortunately, there are laws that address this situation. If you are considering divorce and concerned about the local laws affecting child support or any other related matter, you are encouraged to contact a family law attorney from the San Diego area, who will work diligently to protect your rights.
Every state in this country has adopted the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act or “UIFSA.” This Act essentially provides procedures for establishing, enforcing and modifying child support orders in cases where more than one state is involved. Together with a related federal law, the UIFSA ensures that only one state can exercise jurisdiction over a child support order at a given time. Section 4909 of the California Family Code codifies these principles, providing that the state which first issues a child support order has “continuing, exclusive jurisdiction” over the order, so long as certain legal conditions are met.
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