Opinion ID: 1927407
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Significant Connections

Text: We agree with the Superior Court that once the trial court completes its home state analysis, it then must analyze whether the children have a significant connection with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania pursuant to Section 5344(a)(2). If so, the trial court must determine whether it is in the best interest of the children for the court to exercise jurisdiction. In the instant matter, the Court fulfilled this obligation by addressing Section 5344(a)(2) in its Opinion, and noting, The children simply have no significant connection to this Commonwealth. Their sole connection with Pennsylvania is that they have occasionally traveled to Norristown to visit their maternal grandparents. Trial Court Opinion, May 1, 1995 at 4. Although not a detailed analysis, our review of the record shows that the trial court correctly identified the children's strongest connection to Pennsylvania. The Superior Court remanded this matter to the trial court with direction that it compares the extent to which the children's contacts with Belgium outweigh their significant connections with Pennsylvania. Dincer, 446 Pa.Super. at 11, 666 A.2d at 286. The Superior Court noted that significant connection is not defined in the UCCJA, but determined that the term must be applied flexibly, taking into account the unique circumstances of the particular child or children, Id. at 11, 666 A.2d at 285, because the analysis is based on the children's best interest. However, the comment to the relevant paragraph of the model UCCJA states: Paragraph (2) [23 Pa.C.S.A. § 5344(a)(2) ] perhaps more than any other paragraph of the Act requires that it be interpreted in the spirit of the legislative purpose expressed in section 1 [23 Pa.C.S.A. § 5342]. The paragraph was phrased in general terms in order to be flexible enough to cover many fact situations too diverse to lend themselves to exact description. But its purpose is to limit jurisdiction rather than to proliferate it. . . . There must be maximum rather than minimum contact with the state. 9 Uniform Laws Annotated, p. 145, West Publishing Co., 1979 (emphasis added); Black v. Black, 441 Pa.Super. 358, 366, 657 A.2d 964, allocatur denied, 542 Pa. 655, 668 A.2d 1119 (1995); Barndt v. Barndt, 397 Pa.Super. 321, 328, 580 A.2d 320, 323 (1990). The courts of this Commonwealth have referred to this as the maximum significant contacts test. Barndt, 397 Pa.Super. at 329, 580 A.2d at 324; Aldridge v. Aldridge, 326 Pa.Super. 49, 473 A.2d 602 (1984); Commonwealth ex. rel . D. v. S., 297 Pa.Super. 78, 443 A.2d 307 (1982). By applying its flexible standard, the Superior Court considered the following contact with Pennsylvania to be regular and ongoing, Dincer, 446 Pa.Super. at 11, 666 A.2d at 286:(1) the children's annual visits to Pennsylvania; (2) the maternal grandparents' visits to Belgium; (3) Mother's birth in Pennsylvania, and her residence here until marriage; and (4) the children's physical presence in the Commonwealth since December 1994. The first three factors cannot be considered maximum contacts. Furthermore, the fact that there is available in this Commonwealth substantial evidence concerning the present or future care, protection, training and personal relationships of the child(ren), Section 5344(a)(2)(ii), because of their presence here since December 1994, is of no moment because jurisdiction is determined at the time the action is commenced. Black, 441 Pa.Super. at 368, 657 A.2d at 969. When Mother filed her action, the children had only been Pennsylvania for two weeks, and accordingly, no school records or other evidence regarding their care or training was available here. To allow Mother to gain an advantage by bringing the children to Pennsylvania, and then settling with them here, in opposition to Father's wishes, would be contrary to Section 5344(5) of the UCCJA, 23 Pa.C.S.A. § 5344(5), which provides that one of the purposes of the Act is to deter the unilateral removal of children from other jurisdictions to obtain custody awards. To determine jurisdiction, the Superior Court directed the trial court to evaluate the degree to which the children's contacts with Belgium outweigh their significant connections with Pennsylvania. Dincer, 446 Pa.Super. at 11, 666 A.2d at 286. We find no basis in the UCCJA or in our case law to support the conclusion that a balancing of interests analysis is appropriate for determining whether the Commonwealth has jurisdiction of a custody matter. Pennsylvania either meets the criteria for jurisdiction pursuant to Section 5344(a)-(c), or it does not, without considering any other forum. The sole exception is that where no other state has jurisdiction, or another state has declined jurisdiction in favor of the Commonwealth, the Commonwealth may determine custody if to do so is in the best interest of the child. Section 5344(d). This is not true here, because the children have extensive contacts with Belgium, a country that has exercised jurisdiction over their custody. It is only after the Commonwealth determines that it has jurisdiction that it may measure its claim against another forum also having jurisdiction. [4] Jurisdiction is determined according to Section 5344(a)-(c), and not by comparison to another state or country. Therefore, the Superior Court erred in ordering the trial court to weigh the strength of the connections against those of Belgium. [5]