Opinion ID: 2151713
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Heading: Does Iowa Law Require the Iowa District Court to Give the New York Custody Order Full Faith and Credit?

Text: Although the PKPA does not require the Iowa district court to accord full faith and credit to the New York custody order, that does not necessarily mean the Iowa district court is free to ignore it or not to enforce it. Whether the Iowa district court is permitted to do either still depends on state law. As one court noted, [h]aving concluded that neither the Full Faith and Credit Clause nor the provisions of the [PKPA] foreclosed the exercise of jurisdiction by the district court in Wyoming, we still must consider whether the exercise of that jurisdiction was precluded under some provision of Wyoming law. Quenzer v. Quenzer, 653 P.2d 295, 301 (Wyo.1982) (emphasis added); see Davidson, 485 N.W.2d at 453 (upon concluding that the PKPA did not apply to initial custody proceeding, court turned to state law to determine jurisdiction to hear interstate custody dispute). As mentioned, at the time the present modification proceedings began, Iowa Code section 598.21(6) provided that [a]ll orders relating to custody of a child are subject to chapter 598A, Iowa's version of the UCCJA. It is therefore necessary that all jurisdictional requirements under chapter 598A be met where that chapter is applicable to a proceeding to modify a custody decree. Pierce v. Pierce, 287 N.W.2d 879, 882 (Iowa 1980). Clearly, chapter 598A applies to Karna's application to modify the New York custody order. As we also mentioned, Iowa Code section 598A.13 governs whether the Iowa district court was required to give the New York custody order full faith and credit. See O'Neal v. O'Neal, 329 N.W.2d 666, 667 (Iowa 1983). Iowa Code section 598A.14 governs the district court's authority to modify an out-of-state custody decree. Id. Iowa Code section 598A.13 provides: The courts of this state shall recognize and enforce an initial or modification decree of a court of another state which has assumed jurisdiction under statutory provisions substantially in accordance with this chapter, or which was made under factual circumstances meeting the jurisdictional standards of this chapter, so long as this decree has not been modified in accordance with jurisdictional standards substantially similar to those of this chapter. Iowa Code § 598A.13 (emphasis added). Whether the Iowa district court must recognize and enforce an out-of-state custody order pursuant to section 598A.13 depends on a finding from the evidence that the other state had subject matter jurisdiction to enter the original decree. See O'Neal, 329 N.W.2d at 667-69; see also In re Adoption of C.L.W., 467 So.2d 1106, 1109 (Fla.Dist.Ct.App.1985) (interpreting statute identical in language to Iowa Code section 598A.13); In re Wilber, 136 A.D.2d 786, 787, 523 N.Y.S.2d 249, 250 (1988) (same). This determination in turn depends on whether the other state, here, New York, acquired subject matter jurisdiction according to the UCCJA as adopted by that state. See D.B. v. P.B., 692 So.2d 856, 860 (Ala.Civ.App.1997) (holding that pursuant to UCCJA, Alabama court must recognize and enforce valid custody judgment of another state; only if foreign court did not have jurisdiction under its own law to decide issue of custody is its judgment not entitled to full faith and credit); C.L.W., 467 So.2d at 1110. Therefore, we must decide whether the New York court acquired subject matter jurisdiction to determine custody according to the UCCJA as adopted by New York. In short, whether New York had jurisdiction depends on New York law. At the time the New York custody order was entered, the UCCJA was in effect in New York. See N.Y. Dom. Rel. Law §§ 75a-75z (McKinney 1988). Its version is substantially similar to Iowa's. As mentioned, Iowa Code section 598A.3 governs the jurisdiction of the district court to decide child custody matters. The New York counterpart to Iowa Code section 598A.3 is New York Domestic Relations Law section 75-d. Section 75-d is identical to section 598A.3. Therefore, New York has subject matter jurisdictional provisions substantially in accordance with the provisions of chapter 598A. Additionally, the New York custody order has not been modified. However, we find, for reasons that follow, that the New York court could not have assumed jurisdiction under New York law at the time Maurice filed his divorce action in November 1993. For that reason, the Iowa district court was not required to recognize and enforce the New York custody order. We therefore do not reach the issue of the district court's jurisdiction to modify the New York custody decree pursuant to Iowa Code section 598A.14. New York Domestic Relations Law section 75-d provides: 1. A court of this state which is competent to decide child custody matters has jurisdiction to make a child custody determination by initial or modification decree if: (a) this state (i) is the home state of the child at the time of commencement of the proceeding, or (ii) had been the child's home state within six months before commencement of the proceeding and the child is absent from this state because of removal or retention by a person claiming custody or for other reasons, and a parent or person acting as parent continues to live in this state; or (b) it is in the best interest of the child that a court of this state assume jurisdiction because (i) the child and the child's parents, or the child and at least one contestant, have a significant connection with this state, and (ii) there is available in this state substantial evidence concerning the child's present or future care, protection, training, and personal relationships; or (c) the child is physically present in this state, and (i) the child has been abandoned or (ii) it is necessary in an emergency to protect the child because the child has been subjected to or threatened with mistreatment or abuse or is otherwise neglected or dependent; or (d) (i) it appears that no other state would have jurisdiction under prerequisites substantially in accordance with paragraph (a), (b), or (c), or another state has declined to exercise jurisdiction on the ground that this state is the more appropriate forum to determine the custody of the child, and (ii) it is in the best interest of the child that this court assume jurisdiction. 2. Except under paragraphs (c) and (d) of subdivision one of this section, physical presence in this state of the child, or of the child and one of the contestants, is not alone sufficient to confer jurisdiction on a court of this state to make a child custody determination. 3. Physical presence of the child, while desirable, is not a prerequisite for jurisdiction to determine his custody. N.Y. Dom. Rel. Law § 75-d (emphasis added). New York Domestic Relations Law section 75-c(5) provides in part: Home state means the state in which the child at the time of the commencement of the custody proceeding, has resided with his parents, a parent, or a person acting as a parent, for at least six consecutive months.... N.Y. Dom. Rel. Law § 75-d. Iowa Code section 598A.3 defines home state in substantially the same way. Section 75-d(1)(a), (c), and (d) of the New York Domestic Relations Law is substantially similar in language to section 1738A(c)(2)(A), (C), and (D) of the PKPA. Additionally, the definition of home state in the New York Domestic Relations Law is substantially similar to the definition of home state in the PKPA. Our previous analysis under the PKPA leads us to conclude that, under New York law, Iowa not New York was Isaiah's home state when Maurice filed for divorce in November 1993. Additionally, that analysis leads us to conclude that the provisions of section 75-d(1)(a), (c), and (d) of the New York law were not met when Maurice filed for divorce. That leaves for our consideration section 75-d(1)(b), the significant connection provision. The only difference between this provision and its counterpart in the PKPA is the additional language it appears that no other State would have jurisdiction under [the home state provision] found in subsection (c)(2)(B) of the PKPA. The New York courts generally appear to agree that, in an initial custody dispute, the child's home state has exclusive jurisdiction when the significant connection provision in section 75-d(1)(b) is relied on to establish jurisdiction. See, e.g., Warshawsky v. Warshawsky, 226 A.D.2d 708, 709, 641 N.Y.S.2d 877, 879 (1996); Perri v. Mariarossi, 172 A.D.2d 671, 672, 568 N.Y.S.2d 637, 638 (1991); Michael P. v. Diana G., 156 A.D.2d 59, 64-65, 553 N.Y.S.2d 689, 692-93 (1990); see also Hahn v. Rychling, 258 A.D.2d 832, 835-36, 686 N.Y.S.2d 136, 140 (1999) (Mikoll, J.P., dissenting). This is because the language it appears that no other State would have jurisdiction under [the home state provision] found in subsection (c)(2)(b) of the PKPA is given preemptive effect over the jurisdictional options available under New York Domestic Relations Law section 75-d(1) by virtue of the Supremacy Clause of the Federal Constitution. See Michael P., 156 A.D.2d at 64-65, 553 N.Y.S.2d at 692-93. Because, according to New York law, the PKPA preempts the significant connection provision in section 75-d(1)(b), that provision is not available in an original custody dispute as a basis for jurisdiction if there is another home state. Id. We conclude that under New York's UCCJA and the interpretation given to it by the New York courts, the New York Supreme Court did not have subject matter jurisdiction to determine Isaiah's custody. (Subsequent to the commencement of these proceedings, the Iowa legislature repealed Iowa Code chapter 598A, see 1999 Iowa Acts ch. 103, § 47, and adopted the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (UCCJEA). See 1999 Iowa Acts ch. 103. The initial custody jurisdiction provisions of the UCCJEA track the language of the PKPA. Specifically, the UCCJEA allows a court to assume jurisdiction in an initial child custody determination on the basis of significant connection only if the child has no home state. See Unif. Child Custody Jurisdiction & Enforcement Act § 201, 9 U.L.A. 671 (1999) (codified at Iowa Code § 598B.201 (Supp.1999)).) Apart from this analysis, we think there is an additional reason to support our conclusion that the New York Supreme Court did not have subject matter jurisdiction to determine Isaiah's custody. The New York divorce judgment notes that Karna was in default. The court made no findings that it had subject matter jurisdiction under New York's UCCJA to determine Isaiah's custody. So essentially we have a default decree with no finding that the court had subject matter jurisdiction under New York's UCCJA to determine Isaiah's custody. In these circumstances, we conclude the New York court did not assume jurisdiction over the custody determination in substantial conformity with the provisions of its UCCJA. See Iowa Code § 598A.13. Because the New York court had not properly assumed jurisdiction, the Iowa district court was not required to recognize and enforce the New York custody order pursuant to Iowa Code section 598A.13. See Brewington v. Serrato, 77 N.C.App. 726, 336 S.E.2d 444, 447 (1985) (applying the same reasoning). The fact that Karna was a party to the divorce action and a party to the stipulation regarding custody does not alter our conclusion that the New York Supreme Court lacked subject matter jurisdiction to determine custody. The parties cannot confer, or consent to, such jurisdiction. See St. Clair, 305 N.W.2d at 445; see also In re Marriage of Newsome, 68 Cal. App.4th 949, 956, 80 Cal.Rptr.2d 555, 559 (1998) (Subject matter jurisdiction either exists or does not exist at the time the action is commenced. There is no provision in the UCCJA for jurisdiction by reason of presence of parties or by stipulation or consent. (Citation omitted.)); Muller v. Muller, 43 Conn.App. 327, 333, 682 A.2d 1089, 1092 (1996) (rejecting argument that, in agreeing to a stipulation regarding visitation, parties implicitly consented to the exercise of subject matter jurisdiction; holding that [o]nly the enabling legislation, in this case the UCCJA, can confer subject matter jurisdiction); Murphy, 952 P.2d at 628 (holding that former wife's stipulation to jurisdiction in dissolution proceedings in another state did not establish that state's subject matter jurisdiction under the UCCJA and did not oblige trial court to give full faith and credit to the custody provision of the dissolution decree entered by the foreign state); Gomez v. Gomez, 86 A.D.2d 594, 595, 446 N.Y.S.2d 127, 129 (1982) (holding in UCCJA proceeding that subject matter jurisdiction is not waivable). The Family Court's decision is an additional reason supporting our conclusion that the New York Supreme Court did not have subject matter jurisdiction to determine custody. The Family Court determined it did not have such jurisdiction at the time Maurice filed for custody in September 1993. The Family Court reached its conclusion after a thorough analysis under New York's UCCJA. Although the Family Court's decision was not rendered until a week after the judgment of divorce and custody order, the decision was the only New York determination in this case on custody under the New York UCCJA. There were no facts between September 1993, when Maurice petitioned for custody in the New York Family Court, and November 1993, when he filed for divorce in the New York Supreme Court, to alter that determination. Therefore, if the New York courts did not have subject matter jurisdiction in September 1993, those courts certainly did not have it when Maurice commenced the divorce action two months later. Maurice did not appeal from that ruling, so it was binding on him.