Opinion ID: 1554036
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: UCCJEA Disclosures

Text: ¶ 12. Vicki first argues that the chancery court lacked jurisdiction to determine custody of Alex because Rusty failed to make disclosures under oath as required by the UCCJEA. A provision of the act, codified at Mississippi Code Section 93-27-209 provides: (1) Subject to any law providing for the confidentiality of procedures, addresses, and other identifying information, in a child custody proceeding, each party, in its first pleading or in an attached affidavit, shall give information, if reasonably ascertainable, under oath as to the child's present address or whereabouts, the places where the child has lived during the last five (5) years, and the names and present addresses of the persons with whom the child has lived during that period. The pleading or affidavit must state whether the party: (a) Has participated, as a party or witness or in any other capacity, in any other proceeding concerning the custody of or visitation with the child and, if so, identify the court, the case number, and the date of the child custody determination, if any; (b) Knows of any proceeding that could affect the current proceeding, including proceedings for enforcement and proceedings relating to domestic violence, protective orders, termination of parental rights, and adoptions and, if so, identify the court, the case number, and the nature of the proceeding; and (c) Knows the names and addresses of any person not a party to the proceeding who has physical custody of the child or claims rights of legal custody or physical custody of, or visitation with, the child and, if so, the names and addresses of those persons. (2) If the information required by subsection (1) is not furnished, the court, upon motion of a party or its own motion, may stay the proceeding until the information is furnished. Miss.Code Ann. § 93-27-209 (Rev.2004) (emphasis added). Vicki argues that Rusty's failure to provide such information deprived the chancery court of jurisdiction. [2] Vicki's argument must fail for two reasons. ¶ 13. First, the chancery court's jurisdiction is set by the Mississippi Constitution, and cannot be diminished by statute. See Miss. Const. art. VI, § 159. Second, the plain language of Section 93-27-209(2) provides that, in the event the required disclosures are not filed, the court may stay the proceeding. This issue is not jurisdictional, was within the sound discretion of the chancellor, and this argument is without merit.