Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes

23 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5428 (2026)

Jurisdiction declined by reason of conduct.

✓ current as of May 2026

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§ 5428. Jurisdiction declined by reason of conduct.

(a) General rule.--Except as otherwise provided in section 5424 (relating to temporary emergency jurisdiction) or by other laws of this Commonwealth, if a court of this Commonwealth has jurisdiction under this chapter because a person seeking to invoke its jurisdiction has engaged in unjustifiable conduct, the court shall decline to exercise its jurisdiction unless:

(1) the parents and all persons acting as parents have acquiesced in the exercise of jurisdiction;

(2) a court of the state otherwise having jurisdiction under sections 5421 (relating to initial child custody jurisdiction) through 5423 (relating to jurisdiction to modify determination) determines that this Commonwealth is a more appropriate forum under section 5427 (relating to inconvenient forum); or

(3) no court of any other state would have jurisdiction under the criteria specified in sections 5421 through 5423.

(b) Jurisdiction declined; remedy.--If a court of this Commonwealth declines to exercise its jurisdiction pursuant to subsection (a), it may fashion an appropriate remedy to ensure the safety of the child and prevent a repetition of the unjustifiable conduct, including staying the proceeding until a child custody proceeding is commenced in a court having jurisdiction under sections 5421 through 5423.

(c) Jurisdiction declined; expenses.--If a court dismisses a petition or stays a proceeding because it declines to exercise its jurisdiction pursuant to subsection (a), it shall assess against the party seeking to invoke its jurisdiction necessary and reasonable expenses, including costs, communication expenses, attorney fees, investigative fees, expenses for witnesses, travel expenses and child care during the course of the proceedings unless the party from whom fees are sought establishes that the assessment would be clearly inappropriate. The court may not assess fees, costs or expenses against this Commonwealth unless authorized by law other than this chapter.

Cross References. Section 5428 is referred to in section 5421 of this title.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 1 case, 2020–2020 · leading case: N.a.-d. v. A.a.-s. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2020).

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N.a.-d. v. A.a.-s. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2020). · cites it 4× “Whether the [trial] court abused its discretion in not declining jurisdiction under 23 Pa.C.S. § 5428, when Child, who was a resident of the state of Texas at the time, was abducted by Mother, fled Texas with Child, and secreted her whereabouts from [] Father for one year until…”

— 23 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5428(a) — 1 case

N.a.-d. v. A.a.-s. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2020). “Whether the [trial] court abused its discretion in not declining jurisdiction under 23 Pa.C.S. § 5428, when Child, who was a resident of the state of Texas at the time, was abducted by Mother, fled Texas with Child, and secreted her whereabouts from [] Father for one year until…”

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