Court Opinion

ID: 9783672
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-30 19:57:19.554557+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:35:30.465500
License: Public Domain

JACK CARTER, Justice,
concurring.
This result should be avoided. Some issues can best be resolved by a negotiated resolution, and this statute gives the trial judges the opportunity to do just that. Trial courts in different jurisdictions are encouraged to communicate when it is known that custody matters are filed in more than one state. After that conference, a trial court may decline to exercise jurisdiction if it finds that another state is the more appropriate forum. Tex. Fam. Code Ann. §§ 152.201(a)(2), 152.206(b) (Vernon 2008). We have searched to determine if, as an appellate court, we have the authority to decline jurisdiction and resolve this matter relying on the doctrine of comity so that these parties would have only one court to answer to. But our function is to review the trial court record for error, not to attempt to make a policy determination that even though the trial court order is legally correct, we should reverse that order based on our judgment of what would serve the best interest of all parties.
Having found jurisdiction in the trial court in Texas, where the first action was filed, we may not simply “throw it back to Louisiana.” I concur in the judgment.