Michigan Compiled Laws

Mich. Comp. Laws § 722.1201 (2026)

Initial child-custody determination; jurisdiction.

✓ current as of July 2026

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UNIFORM CHILD-CUSTODY JURISDICTION AND ENFORCEMENT ACT

Act 195 of 2001

722.1201 Initial child-custody determination; jurisdiction.

Sec. 201.

(1) Except as otherwise provided in section 204, a court of this state has jurisdiction to make an initial child-custody determination only in the following situations:

(a) This state is the home state of the child on the date of the commencement of the proceeding, or was the home state of the child within 6 months before the commencement of the proceeding and the child is absent from this state but a parent or person acting as a parent continues to live in this state.

(b) A court of another state does not have jurisdiction under subdivision (a), or a court of the home state of the child has declined to exercise jurisdiction on the ground that this state is the more appropriate forum under section 207 or 208, and the court finds both of the following:

(i) The child and the child's parents, or the child and at least 1 parent or a person acting as a parent, have a significant connection with this state other than mere physical presence.

(ii) Substantial evidence is available in this state concerning the child's care, protection, training, and personal relationships.

(c) All courts having jurisdiction under subdivision (a) or (b) have declined to exercise jurisdiction on the grounds that a court of this state is the more appropriate forum to determine the custody of the child under section 207 or 208.

(d) No court of another state would have jurisdiction under subdivision (a), (b), or (c).

(2) Subsection (1) is the exclusive jurisdictional basis for making a child-custody determination by a court of this state.

(3) Physical presence of, or personal jurisdiction over, a party or a child is neither necessary nor sufficient to make a child-custody determination.

History: 2001, Act 195, Eff. Apr. 1, 2002

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 40 cases (12 in the last 5 years), 2003–2026 · leading case: Cheesman v. Williams, 874 N.W.2d 385 (Mich. Ct. App. 2015).

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Cheesman v. Williams, 874 N.W.2d 385 (Mich. Ct. App. 2015). · cites it 27× “] MCL 722.1201(1) is the “exclusive jurisdictional basis for making a child-custody determination by a court of this state.”

Fisher v. Belcher, 713 N.W.2d 6 (Mich. Ct. App. 2006). · cites it 9× “Plaintiff assigns error to the trial court’s analysis pursuant to MCL 722.1201 3 regarding when a Michigan court has jurisdiction to make an initial child custody determination.”

Nash v. Salter, 760 N.W.2d 612 (Mich. Ct. App. 2008). · cites it 8× “On appeal, they argue that the circuit court erred in finding that it lacked subject-matter jurisdiction under the Uniform Child-Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (UCCJEA), MCL 722.1201, to make a child-custody determination with respect to their daughter.”

Jamil v. Jahan, 760 N.W.2d 266 (Mich. Ct. App. 2008). · cites it 3× “Under MCL 722.1201(1), the Michigan court has jurisdiction to make an initial child-custody determination, if: (a) This state is the home state of the child on the date of the commencement of the proceeding, or was the home state of the child within 6 months before the…”

Vidyaarthy C Ramamoorthi v. Chinnaiah Ramamoorthi, 918 N.W.2d 191 (Mich. Ct. App. 2018). · cites it 5× “Section 201 of the UCCJEA, MCL 722.1201, provides, in pertinent part: (1) Except as otherwise provided in [ MCL 722.”

Atchison v. Atchison, 664 N.W.2d 249 (Mich. Ct. App. 2003). · cites it 2× “1204], a court of this state shall 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 child-custody determination under section 201(1) (a) or (b) [MCL 722.1201] and either of the following…”

Foster v. Wolkowitz, 785 N.W.2d 59 (Mich. 2010). · cites it 3× “At issue in this case is MCL 722.1201, which governs a state court’s authority to make an “initial child-custody determination.”

Subrhamanyam Raju Nadimpali v. Padma Byrraju, 931 N.W.2d 38 (Mich. Ct. App. 2018). · cites it 5× “1201(1) provides, in pertinent part, that a state has jurisdiction to make an initial child-custody determination in the following situations: (a) This state is the home state of the child on the date of the commencement of the proceeding, or was the home state of the child…”

White v. Harrison-White, 760 N.W.2d 691 (Mich. Ct. App. 2008). “2 MCL 722.1201 provides jurisdiction for an initial custody determination.”

Neumann v. Neumann, 310 F. Supp. 3d 823 (E.D. Mich. 2018). · cites it 2× “For example, Michigan law provides a pathway for the Mexican court to relinquish jurisdiction in favor of Michigan, based on Michigan being the more appropriate and convenient forum.”

Luke Nathaneal Bowman v. Chelsey Ann Bowman (Mich. Ct. App. 2016). · cites it 16× “Before a Michigan court makes an initial custody determination, it must first be determined “whether an out-of-state child custody proceeding has already commenced.”

Tina Veneskey v. Michael Keith Sulier (Mich. Ct. App. 2021). · cites it 15× “1201 of the UCCJEA6 states: (1) Except as otherwise provided in section 204 [dealing with temporary emergency jurisdiction], a court of this state has jurisdiction to make an initial child-custody determination only in the following situations: (a) This state is the home state…”

Show all 40 citing cases →

— Mich. Comp. Laws § 722.1201(1) — 16 cases

Cheesman v. Williams, 874 N.W.2d 385 (Mich. Ct. App. 2015). “] MCL 722.1201(1) is the “exclusive jurisdictional basis for making a child-custody determination by a court of this state.”

Fisher v. Belcher, 713 N.W.2d 6 (Mich. Ct. App. 2006). “Plaintiff assigns error to the trial court’s analysis pursuant to MCL 722.1201 3 regarding when a Michigan court has jurisdiction to make an initial child custody determination.”

Jamil v. Jahan, 760 N.W.2d 266 (Mich. Ct. App. 2008). “Under MCL 722.1201(1), the Michigan court has jurisdiction to make an initial child-custody determination, if: (a) This state is the home state of the child on the date of the commencement of the proceeding, or was the home state of the child within 6 months before the…”

Subrhamanyam Raju Nadimpali v. Padma Byrraju, 931 N.W.2d 38 (Mich. Ct. App. 2018). “1201(1) provides, in pertinent part, that a state has jurisdiction to make an initial child-custody determination in the following situations: (a) This state is the home state of the child on the date of the commencement of the proceeding, or was the home state of the child…”

Vidyaarthy C Ramamoorthi v. Chinnaiah Ramamoorthi, 918 N.W.2d 191 (Mich. Ct. App. 2018). “Section 201 of the UCCJEA, MCL 722.1201, provides, in pertinent part: (1) Except as otherwise provided in [ MCL 722.”

— Mich. Comp. Laws § 722.1201(1)(3) — 1 case

Juan Carlos Negron v. Ashuntus Ladawn Watts (Mich. Ct. App. 2020).

— Mich. Comp. Laws § 722.1201(1)(a) — 17 cases

Cheesman v. Williams, 874 N.W.2d 385 (Mich. Ct. App. 2015). “] MCL 722.1201(1) is the “exclusive jurisdictional basis for making a child-custody determination by a court of this state.”

Luke Nathaneal Bowman v. Chelsey Ann Bowman (Mich. Ct. App. 2016). “Before a Michigan court makes an initial custody determination, it must first be determined “whether an out-of-state child custody proceeding has already commenced.”

Rebekah Ann Kortman v. Paul Evert Kortman (Mich. Ct. App. 2020).

— Mich. Comp. Laws § 722.1201(1)(b) — 8 cases

Cheesman v. Williams, 874 N.W.2d 385 (Mich. Ct. App. 2015). “] MCL 722.1201(1) is the “exclusive jurisdictional basis for making a child-custody determination by a court of this state.”

Jose Guardalupe Hernandez v. Victoria Mayoral-Martinez (Mich. Ct. App. 2019).

Tina Veneskey v. Michael Keith Sulier (Mich. Ct. App. 2021). “1201 of the UCCJEA6 states: (1) Except as otherwise provided in section 204 [dealing with temporary emergency jurisdiction], a court of this state has jurisdiction to make an initial child-custody determination only in the following situations: (a) This state is the home state…”

— Mich. Comp. Laws § 722.1201(1)(b)(i) — 2 cases

Cheesman v. Williams, 874 N.W.2d 385 (Mich. Ct. App. 2015). “] MCL 722.1201(1) is the “exclusive jurisdictional basis for making a child-custody determination by a court of this state.”

— Mich. Comp. Laws § 722.1201(1)(b)(ii) — 1 case

— Mich. Comp. Laws § 722.1201(1)(c) — 4 cases

Cheesman v. Williams, 874 N.W.2d 385 (Mich. Ct. App. 2015). “] MCL 722.1201(1) is the “exclusive jurisdictional basis for making a child-custody determination by a court of this state.”

Jody S Kraus v. Pare Lynn Gerou (Mich. Ct. App. 2015).

Paul McGrath v. Julia Bressette (Mich. Ct. App. 2022).

— Mich. Comp. Laws § 722.1201(1)(d) — 3 cases

Cheesman v. Williams, 874 N.W.2d 385 (Mich. Ct. App. 2015). “] MCL 722.1201(1) is the “exclusive jurisdictional basis for making a child-custody determination by a court of this state.”

Jose Guardalupe Hernandez v. Victoria Mayoral-Martinez (Mich. Ct. App. 2019).

in Re N J Pender Minor (Mich. Ct. App. 2019).

— Mich. Comp. Laws § 722.1201(2) — 8 cases

Cheesman v. Williams, 874 N.W.2d 385 (Mich. Ct. App. 2015). “] MCL 722.1201(1) is the “exclusive jurisdictional basis for making a child-custody determination by a court of this state.”

Foster v. Wolkowitz, 785 N.W.2d 59 (Mich. 2010). “At issue in this case is MCL 722.1201, which governs a state court’s authority to make an “initial child-custody determination.”

in Re N J Pender Minor (Mich. Ct. App. 2019).

— Mich. Comp. Laws § 722.1201(3) — 5 cases

Cheesman v. Williams, 874 N.W.2d 385 (Mich. Ct. App. 2015). “] MCL 722.1201(1) is the “exclusive jurisdictional basis for making a child-custody determination by a court of this state.”

Foster v. Wolkowitz, 785 N.W.2d 59 (Mich. 2010). “At issue in this case is MCL 722.1201, which governs a state court’s authority to make an “initial child-custody determination.”

in Re N J Pender Minor (Mich. Ct. App. 2019).

Jose Guardalupe Hernandez v. Victoria Mayoral-Martinez (Mich. Ct. App. 2019).

Rebekah Ann Kortman v. Paul Evert Kortman (Mich. Ct. App. 2020).

— Mich. Comp. Laws § 722.1201(a) — 1 case

— Mich. Comp. Laws § 722.1201(b) — 1 case

— Mich. Comp. Laws § 722.1201(l)(a) — 3 cases

Nash v. Salter, 760 N.W.2d 612 (Mich. Ct. App. 2008). “On appeal, they argue that the circuit court erred in finding that it lacked subject-matter jurisdiction under the Uniform Child-Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (UCCJEA), MCL 722.1201, to make a child-custody determination with respect to their daughter.”

Cheesman v. Williams, 874 N.W.2d 385 (Mich. Ct. App. 2015). “] MCL 722.1201(1) is the “exclusive jurisdictional basis for making a child-custody determination by a court of this state.”

— Mich. Comp. Laws § 722.1201(l)(b) — 2 cases

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