(1) Except as otherwise provided in Section 81-11-204, 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 minor child had been previously commenced in a court of another state having jurisdiction substantially in conformity with this chapter, unless the proceeding has been terminated or is stayed by the court of the other state because a court of this state is a more convenient forum under Section 81-11-207. (2) (a) Except as otherwise provided in Section 81-11-204, a court of this state, before hearing a child custody proceeding, shall examine the court documents and other information supplied by the parties in accordance with Section 81-11-209. (b) If the court determines that a child custody proceeding was previously commenced in a court in another state having jurisdiction substantially in accordance with this chapter, the court of this state shall stay the court's proceeding and communicate with the court of the other state. (c) If the court of the state having jurisdiction substantially in accordance with this chapter does not determine that the court of this state is a more appropriate forum, the court of this state shall dismiss the proceeding. (3) (a) In a proceeding to modify a child custody determination, a court of this state shall determine whether a proceeding to enforce the determination has been commenced in another state. (b) If a proceeding to enforce a child custody determination has been commenced in another state, the court may: (i) stay the proceeding for modification pending the entry of an order of a court of the other state enforcing, staying, denying, or dismissing the proceeding for enforcement; (ii) enjoin the parties from continuing with the proceeding for enforcement; or (iii) proceed with the modification under conditions it considers appropriate. Renumbered and Amended by Chapter 426, 2025 General Session
‹ Prev All Utah sections Next ›
Lexace provides legal information, not legal advice, and no attorney–client relationship is created. Statute text is provided for general information and may not reflect the most recent amendments; verify against the official state code.