(a) A tribunal of this State may exercise jurisdiction to establish a support order if the petition or comparable pleading is filed after a pleading is filed in another state or a foreign country only if:

(1) The petition or comparable pleading in this State is filed before the expiration of the time allowed in the other state or the foreign country for filing a responsive pleading challenging the exercise of jurisdiction by the other state or the foreign country;

(2) The contesting party timely challenges the exercise of jurisdiction in the other state or the foreign country; and

(3) If relevant, this State is the home state of the child.

Terms Used In Delaware Code Title 13 Sec. 6-204

  • Child: means a person who has not reached the age of 18 years. See Delaware Code Title 1 Sec. 302
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • State: means the State of Delaware; and when applied to different parts of the United States, it includes the District of Columbia and the several territories and possessions of the United States. See Delaware Code Title 1 Sec. 302

(b) A tribunal of this State may not exercise jurisdiction to establish a support order if the petition or comparable pleading is filed before a petition or comparable pleading is filed in another state or a foreign country if:

(1) The petition or comparable pleading in the other state or foreign country is filed before the expiration of the time allowed in this State for filing a responsive pleading challenging the exercise of jurisdiction by this State;

(2) The contesting party timely challenges the exercise of jurisdiction in this State; and

(3) If relevant, the other state or foreign country is the home state of the child.

69 Del. Laws, c. 238, § ?1; 75 Del. Laws, c. 64, § ?1; 80 Del. Laws, c. 60, § ?2;