Family courts across the country are reporting a sharp increase in interstate child custody disputes, driven in large part by the remote work revolution that has enabled parents to relocate far from their former partners. Judges are struggling to apply the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act to increasingly complex multi-state scenarios.
The most contentious cases involve parents who relocated during or after the pandemic and established new lives in different states, creating competing claims about which jurisdiction should have authority over custody arrangements. Courts must balance the child's established connections with both locations.
Family law attorneys recommend that parents contemplating relocation consult legal counsel before moving, as unauthorized relocations can severely damage a parent's standing in custody proceedings and potentially result in court orders to return to the original state.
