Code of Alabama

Ala. Code § 30-3B-203 (2026)

Jurisdiction to Modify Determination.

✓ official Alabama Legislature (ALISON) text, current July 2026

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Except as otherwise provided in Section 30-3B-204, a court of this state may not modify a child custody determination made by a court of another state unless a court of this state has jurisdiction to make an initial determination under Section 30-3B-201(a)(1) or (2) and:

(1) The court of the other state determines it no longer has continuing, exclusive jurisdiction under Section 30-3B-202 or that a court of this state would be a more convenient forum under Section 30-3B-207; or

(2) A court of this state or a court of the other state determines that the child, the child’s parents, and any person acting as a parent do not presently reside in the other state.

(Act 99-438, p. 866, §1.)

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 59 cases (12 in the last 5 years), 2002–2026 · leading case: Weesner v. Diefenbach, 64 So. 3d 1091 (Ala. Civ. App. 2010).

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Weesner v. Diefenbach, 64 So. 3d 1091 (Ala. Civ. App. 2010). · cites it 7× “” § 30-3B-203, Ala.Code 1975. In this case, there is no indication in the materials submitted to this court that the Florida court has declined to exercise its continuing jurisdiction.”

Stouffer v. Wilson, 214 So. 3d 1192 (Ala. Civ. App. 2016). · cites it 2× “Code 1975,] or Section 30-3B-203[, Ala.Code 1975,] has continuing, exclusive jurisdiction over the determination until: “(1) A court of this state determines that neither the child, nor the child and one parent, nor the child and a person acting as a parent have a significant…”

Ex Parte Davis, 2100515 (ala.civ.app. 10-7-2011), 82 So. 3d 695 (Ala. Civ. App. 2011). · cites it 3× “Subject-matter jurisdiction to modify a foreign child-custody determination is instead governed by § 30-3B-203, Ala.Code 1975, which does not condition modification jurisdiction on registration of the prior foreign child-custody determination.”

M.W. v. C.W., 60 So. 3d 301 (Ala. Civ. App. 2010). · cites it 6× “” Assuming without deciding that the juvenile court had “jurisdiction to make an initial [custody] determination under Section 30-3B-201(a)(l) or (2),” the requirements set forth in subsections (1) and (2) of § 30-3B-203 were not met. First, with regard to subsection (1) of §…”

Patrick v. Williams, 952 So. 2d 1131 (Ala. Civ. App. 2006). “Section 30-3B-202 provides when a court of this state has continuing jurisdiction of a custody case: "(a) Except as otherwise provided in Section 30-3B-204, a court of this state which has made a child custody determination consistent with Section 30-3B-201 or Section 30-3B-203…”

H.T. v. Cleburne Cnty. Dep't of Human Resources, 163 So. 3d 1054 (Ala. Civ. App. 2014). “Code 1975,] a court of this state which has made a child custody determination consistent with Section 30-3B-201 or Section 30-3B-203[, Ala.Code 1975,] has continuing, exclusive jurisdiction over the determination until: “(1) A' court of this state determines that neither the…”

Larose v. Larose, 71 So. 3d 651 (Ala. Civ. App. 2011). · cites it 2× “The mother does not assert that the trial court would have had jurisdiction to modify the South Carolina judgment under Ala.Code 1975, § 30-3B-203, so we assume, for purposes of this opinion, that the trial court would not have had such jurisdiction.”

McQuinn v. McQuinn, 866 So. 2d 570 (Ala. Civ. App. 2003). “I recognize that the Marshall Circuit Court had jurisdiction over the father's modification petition and had the authority to modify the original visitation incorporated into the judgment of the Tennessee court, § 30-3B-203(2), Ala.Code 1975; however, I believe that the trial…”

M.J.P. v. K.H., 923 So. 2d 1114 (Ala. Civ. App. 2005). · cites it 3× “” Ala.Code 1975, § 30-3B-203. In cases involving simultaneous proceedings in different states, the UCCJEA requires the Alabama court to examine the court documents from the other state’s court and determine whether that other state’s court has jurisdiction substantially in…”

T.B. v. T.H., 30 So. 3d 429 (Ala. Civ. App. 2009). · cites it 2× “It is unclear whether the juvenile court made a determination that it had jurisdiction to modify the Hawaii custody judgment, pursuant to Ala.Code 1975, § 30-3B-203. Because we are dismissing this case on the basis that the juvenile court had no subject-matter jurisdiction, it…”

M.B. v. B.B., 244 So. 3d 128 (Ala. Civ. App. 2017). “However, if such a custody determination was made by a Colorado court, that court would maintain continuing jurisdiction over the child, and Alabama would have jurisdiction to modify such a custody determination only under limited circumstances.”

G.P. v. A.A.K., 841 So. 2d 1252 (Ala. Civ. App. 2002). · cites it 3× “The Alabama court determined that it had jurisdiction, pursuant to Ala.Code 1975, § 30-3B-203(2), a portion of Alabama’s version of the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (“UCCJEA”).”

Show all 59 citing cases →

— Ala. Code § 30-3B-203(1) — 1 case

Gp v. Aak, 841 So. 2d 1252 (Ala. Civ. App. 2002).

— Ala. Code § 30-3B-203(2) — 6 cases

G.P. v. A.A.K., 841 So. 2d 1252 (Ala. Civ. App. 2002). “The Alabama court determined that it had jurisdiction, pursuant to Ala.Code 1975, § 30-3B-203(2), a portion of Alabama’s version of the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (“UCCJEA”).”

M.P.G. v. Jefferson Cnty. Dep't of Human Resources, 215 So. 3d 1096 (Ala. Civ. App. 2016).

K.R. v. Lauderdale Cnty. Dep't of Human Resources, 133 So. 3d 396 (Ala. Civ. App. 2013).

Pierce v. Pierce, 50 So. 3d 447 (Ala. Civ. App. 2010).

— Ala. Code § 30-3B-203(l) — 3 cases

K.R. v. Lauderdale Cnty. Dep't of Human Resources, 133 So. 3d 396 (Ala. Civ. App. 2013).

A.N. v. B.N., 203 So. 3d 1234 (Ala. Civ. App. 2016).

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