Court Opinion

ID: 9846440
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 03:40:52.025185+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:19:29.952510
License: Public Domain

Hill, Justice,
dissenting.
The mother left her six-year-old son in the care of his 13-year-old step-sister for a weekend. The mother’s cousins, who lived next door, were looking after the children. While such conduct may not be proper child care, it does not constitute abandonment or an emergency. The father brought the child back to Georgia on February 18, 1979, and did not file this suit until March 23, over a month later.
The majority find (Division 1, supra) that the Georgia court had jurisdiction under Code Ann. § 74-504 (a) (3). That section provides that "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: . . . (3) The child is physically present in this State and (A) the child has been *654abandoned or (B) it is necessary in an emergency to protect the child because he has been subjected to or threatened with mistreatment or abuse or is otherwise neglected or dependent.” This is § 3 (a) (3) of the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction Act.
To avoid "child snatching” of allegedly abandoned children, or children found in a situation alleged to be an emergency, I would hold that § 3 (a) (3) of the UCCJA, Code Ann. § 74-504 (a) (3), supra, gives jurisdiction to a court of that state where the child is physically present when the alleged abandonment or emergency is discovered by his or her parent or person claiming the right to custody. That would be the Florida court in this case. In my view the majority has condoned child snatching contrary to the landmark decision in Matthews v. Matthews, 238 Ga. 201 (232 SE2d 76) (1977).
I respectfully dissent to this return to the old ways.
I am authorized to state that Presiding Justice Jordan and Justice Marshall join in this dissent.