Florida Statutes

Fla. Stat. § 61.502 (2025)

Purposes of part; construction of provisions.

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61.502 Purposes of part; construction of provisions.—The general purposes of this part are to:

(1) Avoid jurisdictional competition and conflict with courts of other states in matters of child custody which have in the past resulted in the shifting of children from state to state with harmful effects on their well-being.

(2) Promote cooperation with the courts of other states to the end that a custody decree is rendered in the state that can best decide the case in the interest of the child.

(3) Discourage the use of the interstate system for continuing controversies over child custody.

(4) Deter abductions.

(5) Avoid relitigating the custody decisions of other states in this state.

(6) Facilitate the enforcement of custody decrees of other states.

(7) Promote and expand the exchange of information and other forms of mutual assistance between the courts of this state and those of other states concerned with the same child.

(8) Make uniform the law with respect to the subject of this part among the states enacting it.

History.—s. 5, ch. 2002-65.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 19 cases (6 in the last 5 years), 2006–2025 · leading case: Staats v. McKinnon, 206 S.W.3d 532 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2006).

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Staats v. McKinnon, 206 S.W.3d 532 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2006). “§ 36-6-202; Fla. Stat. Ann. § 61.502 , and Tennessee included two sections directing that the official commentary to the UCCJEA be published along with the statutory text and consulted as evidence of the statute’s underlying purposes and policies, Tenn.”

Staats v. McKinnon, 924 So. 2d 82 (Fla. 1st DCA 2006). · cites it 6× “Initially, we note that both Florida and Tennessee have adopted the UCCJEA, which, among other things, was designed to "[p]romote cooperation with the courts of other states to the end that a custody decree is rendered in the state that can best decide the case in the interest…”

Arjona v. Torres, 941 So. 2d 451 (Fla. 3d DCA 2006). · cites it 2× “§ 61.502, Fla. Stat. (2005). The UCCJEA is, therefore, a jurisdictional act which controls custody disputes.”

KI v. Dep't of Child. & Families, 70 So. 3d 749 (Fla. 4th DCA 2011). · cites it 2× “” § 61.502(1), Fla. Stat. (2010). The court that has initial child custody jurisdiction to decide child placement under the UCCJEA is “the home state of the child on the date of the commencement of the proceeding.”

Karam v. Karam, 6 So. 3d 87 (Fla. 3d DCA 2009). “A Florida court has jurisdiction to make an initial child custody determination if Florida “is the home state of the child on the date of the commencement of the proceeding,” § 61.”

Hindle v. FUITH, 33 So. 3d 782 (Fla. 5th DCA 2010). · cites it 2× “” § 61.502(1), Fla. Stat. (2003). Under the UCCJEA, a foreign country is treated “as if it were a state of the United States” for purposes of applying the provisions of the UCCJEA.”

Nadine Mcindoo v. Ashley Atkinson, 159 So. 3d 227 (Fla. 4th DCA 2015). · cites it 2× “3d DCA 2006) (citing § 61.502, Fla. Stat. (2005)). 2 . The father evidently had filed a child custody proceeding in Arizona.”

Schaffer v. Ling, 76 So. 3d 940 (Fla. 4th DCA 2011). · cites it 2× “” § 61.502(1), Fla. Stat. (2010). Under the UCCJEA, a “child custody determination” means “a judgment, decree, or other order of a court providing for the legal custody, physical custody, residential care, or visitation with respect to a child.”

M.A.C. v. M.D.H., 88 So. 3d 1050 (Fla. 2d DCA 2012). “; see also § 61.502 (stating the general purposes of the UC-CJEA).”

Dyce v. Christie, 17 So. 3d 892 (Fla. 4th DCA 2009). · cites it 2× “§ 61.502, Fla. Stat. In this case, although the father complains that the Jamaican court did not consider the child’s best interests and decided the matter without an evidentiary hearing, he appeared in those proceedings but then refused to participate in the investigation that…”

Cassidy S. Miller v. Alex v. Mitchell (Fla. 3d DCA 2021). · cites it 2× “See § 61.502, Fla. Stat. (2021); N.J. Stat. Ann.”

K.D. v. In Re: in the Interest of P.p., R.p., & L.P. (Fla. 3d DCA 2022). · cites it 2× “See § 61.502, Fla. Stat. In 2002, the Florida Legislature adopted provisions of the UCCJEA, as codified in sections 61.”

Show all 19 citing cases →

— 61.502(1) — 6 cases

KI v. Dep't of Child. & Families, 70 So. 3d 749 (Fla. 4th DCA 2011). “” § 61.502(1), Fla. Stat. (2010). The court that has initial child custody jurisdiction to decide child placement under the UCCJEA is “the home state of the child on the date of the commencement of the proceeding.”

Hindle v. FUITH, 33 So. 3d 782 (Fla. 5th DCA 2010). “” § 61.502(1), Fla. Stat. (2003). Under the UCCJEA, a foreign country is treated “as if it were a state of the United States” for purposes of applying the provisions of the UCCJEA.”

Schaffer v. Ling, 76 So. 3d 940 (Fla. 4th DCA 2011). “” § 61.502(1), Fla. Stat. (2010). Under the UCCJEA, a “child custody determination” means “a judgment, decree, or other order of a court providing for the legal custody, physical custody, residential care, or visitation with respect to a child.”

Burgos v. Sequeira, Vargas (Fla. 2d DCA 2024).

— 61.502(2) — 2 cases

Staats v. McKinnon, 924 So. 2d 82 (Fla. 1st DCA 2006). “Initially, we note that both Florida and Tennessee have adopted the UCCJEA, which, among other things, was designed to "[p]romote cooperation with the courts of other states to the end that a custody decree is rendered in the state that can best decide the case in the interest…”

Loring E. Just. v. Linn Marie Guerrero-Just. (Fla. 3d DCA 2025).

— 61.502(6) — 1 case

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