Many divorcing parents hope to reside in close proximity to their child after the divorce in hopes of continuing a close relationship. However, sometimes one parent may have to move to a different state for employment or other reasons. Regardless of where parents live they still maintain rights and responsibilities over their child and many try their best to keep regular and meaningful contact despite the geographic distance that separates them from a child.
When parents live in different states, many wonder which state takes on the role of creating and enforcing child custody arrangements, which is where interstate child custody laws come into play. The Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (UCCJEA) is recognized nationwide when determining jurisdiction in interstate child custody matters.
The home state, the state which has jurisdiction over a case, is determined by where the child has resided for the last six months or from birth. In circumstances where a child has not resided in one state for six months, sometimes the court will look to whether a child and parent have a strong connection to a particular state, perhaps where they previously resided.
In cases where a “home state’ is an inconvenient forum because of financial reasons or the fact that both parents no longer reside in the state as examples, it may be possible to have a case handled in a different state.
When you have questions regarding interstate child custody, contact the Libertyville, Illinois law offices of Ronald L Bell & Associates PC. Attorney Bell and his staff have over 30 years of experience handling child custody matters. Contact us today for immediate assistance at 847-495-6000.