Terms Used In New Jersey Statutes 2A:34-82

  • 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.
  • person: includes corporations, companies, associations, societies, firms, partnerships and joint stock companies as well as individuals, unless restricted by the context to an individual as distinguished from a corporate entity or specifically restricted to one or some of the above enumerated synonyms and, when used to designate the owner of property which may be the subject of an offense, includes this State, the United States, any other State of the United States as defined infra and any foreign country or government lawfully owning or possessing property within this State. See New Jersey Statutes 1:1-2
  • Service of process: The service of writs or summonses to the appropriate party.
  • State: extends to and includes any State, territory or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia and the Canal Zone. See New Jersey Statutes 1:1-2
30. Expedited Enforcement of Child Custody Determination.

a. A petition under this article shall be verified. Certified copies of all orders sought to be enforced and of the order confirming registration, if any, shall be attached to the petition. A copy of a certified copy of an order may be attached instead of the original.

b. A petition for enforcement of a child custody determination shall state:

(1) whether the court that issued the determination identified the jurisdictional basis it relied upon in exercising jurisdiction and, if so, what the basis was;

(2) whether the determination for which enforcement is sought has been vacated, stayed, or modified by a court whose decision must be enforced under this act and, if so, identify the court, the case number, and the nature of the proceeding;

(3) whether any proceeding has been commenced that could affect the current proceeding, including proceedings relating to domestic violence, protective orders, termination of parental rights, and adoptions and, if so, identify the court and the case number and the nature of the proceeding;

(4) the present physical address of the child and the respondent, if known; and

(5) whether relief in addition to the immediate physical custody of the child and attorney’s fees is sought, including a request for assistance from law enforcement officials and, if so, the relief sought: and

(6) if the child custody determination has been registered and confirmed under section 27 of this act, the date and place of registration.

c. Upon the filing of a petition, the court shall issue an order directing the respondent to appear in person with or without the child at a hearing and may enter any orders necessary to ensure the safety of the parties and the child. The hearing shall be held on the next judicial day following service of process unless that date is impossible. In that event, the court shall hold the hearing on the first day possible. The court may extend the date of hearing at the request of the petitioner.

d. An order issued under subsection c. of this section shall state the time and place of the hearing and advise the respondent that at the hearing the court will order that the petitioner may take immediate physical custody of the child and the payment of fees, costs, and expenses under section 34 of this act, and may schedule a hearing to determine whether further relief is appropriate, unless the respondent appears and establishes that:

(1) the child custody determination has not been registered and confirmed under section 27 of this act, and that

(a) the issuing court did not have jurisdiction under article 2 of this act;

(b) the child custody determination for which enforcement is sought has been vacated, stayed, or modified by a court of a state having jurisdiction to do so under article 2 of this act; or

(c) the respondent was entitled to notice, but notice was not given in accordance with the standards of section 8 in the proceedings before the court that issued the order for which enforcement is sought; or

(2) the child custody determination for which enforcement is sought was registered and confirmed under section 27 of this act, but has been vacated, stayed or modified by a court of a state having jurisdiction to do so under article 2 of this act or federal law.

L.2004,c.147,s.30.