Tennessee Code Annotated
Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-5-2201 (2026)
Bases for jurisdiction over nonresident
✓ current as of May 2026
- (a) In a proceeding to establish or enforce a support order or to determine parentage of a child, a tribunal of this state may exercise personal jurisdiction over a nonresident individual or the individual's guardian or conservator if:
- (1) The individual is personally served with notice within this state;
- (2) The individual submits to the jurisdiction of this state by consent in a record, by entering a general appearance, or by filing a responsive document having the effect of waiving any contest to personal jurisdiction;
- (3) The individual resided with the child in this state;
- (4) The individual resided in this state and provided prenatal expenses or support for the child;
- (5) The child resides in this state as a result of the acts or directives of the individual;
- (6) The individual engaged in sexual intercourse in this state and the child may have been conceived by that act of intercourse;
- (7) The individual asserted parentage of a child in the putative father registry maintained in this state by the department of children's services; or
- (8) There is any other basis consistent with the constitutions of this state and the United States for the exercise of personal jurisdiction.
- (b) The bases of personal jurisdiction set forth in subsection (a) or in any other law of this state may not be used to acquire personal jurisdiction for a tribunal of this state to modify a child support order of another state unless the requirements of § 36-5-2611 are met, or, in the case of a foreign support order, unless the requirements of § 36-5-2615 are met.
Acts 2010, ch. 901, § 1.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 19
cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1999–2021 · leading case: LeTellier v. LeTellier, 40 S.W.3d 490 (Tenn. 2001).
LeTellier v. LeTellier, 40 S.W.3d 490 (Tenn. 2001). “Continuing Exclusive Jurisdiction and Loss of Jurisdiction of the Issuing State The Uniform Interstate Family Support Act, Tenn.Code Ann. § 36-5-2201, et seq., controls the establishment, enforcement, or modification of support orders across state lines.”
Letellier v. Letellier, 40 S.W.3d 490 (Tenn. 2001). “We granted this appeal to address the following issues regarding the modification of out-of-state support orders: 1) the interrelation of § 36-5-2201, § 36-5-2202, and § 36-5-2611(a) of Tennessee’s Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (“UIFSA”) and the extent to which those…”
Letellier v. Letellier (Tenn. Ct. App. 1999). “When personal jurisdiction is asserted over a nonresident pursuant to T.C.A. § 36-5-2201, the other provisions of UIFSA do not apply because they are specifically excluded by T.”
Dawn Eileen Shannon v. Thomas Rex Shannon (Tenn. Ct. App. 2005). “Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-5-2201 (1), (8) (2001).”
Christina Cliburn v. Paul David Bergeron (Tenn. Ct. App. 2002). “The jurisdiction of Tennessee courts to determine paternity where the putative father resides out of the state and is a non- resident, is embodied in Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-5-2201 . . . . this court concludes that the pleadings establish no basis of contact with the State of…”
Courtney Renee Goins v. Jerry Wayne Gay (Tenn. Ct. App. 2010). “Therefore, contrary to Mother’s assertions, it is of no consequence that Tennessee is the “initiating tribunal,” or that the trial court properly exercised personal jurisdiction over Father.”
Sarah Patricia Emanuele v. Joshua David Stritchfield (Tenn. Ct. App. 2013). “”); Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-5-2201 (entitled “Bases for jurisdiction over a nonresident.”
State of Tennessee, ex rel., Betty Ann Torres (Stone) Spurlock v. Cesar G. Torres (2017). “” See Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-5-2201 (2). The official comments to Tennessee Code Annotated § 36-5-2201 provide: “Subsection (2) expresses the principle that a nonresident party concedes personal jurisdiction by seeking affirmative relief or by submitting to the jurisdiction by…”
In Re: Conner F. (Tenn. Ct. App. 2017). “According to Tennessee Code Annotated section 36-5-2201(a)(2), “[t]he individual submits to the jurisdiction of this state by consent in a record, by entering a general appearance, or by filing a responsive document having the effect of waiving any contest to personal…”
State, ex rel., Tynesha April Dior Moody v. Damond Julian Roker (Tenn. Ct. App. 2021). “See Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-5-2201 cmt. (“In situations in which the long- arm statute can be satisfied, the petitioner (either the obligor or the obligee) has two options: (1) utilize the long-arm statute to obtain personal jurisdiction over the respondent, or, (2) initiate a…”
Jennifer Ferrari-Bullock v. Justin Randall (Tenn. Ct. App. 2012). “With respect to child support issues, the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (“UIFSA”), Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-5-2201 et seq., governs interstate jurisdictional questions.”
Michael Todd Highfill v. Heather (Highfill) Moody (Tenn. Ct. App. 2010). “Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (“UIFSA”) The UIFSA, Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-5-2201 , et seq., “controls the establishment, enforcement, or modification of support orders across state lines.”
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-5-2201(1) — 2 cases
LeTellier v. LeTellier, 40 S.W.3d 490 (Tenn. 2001). “Continuing Exclusive Jurisdiction and Loss of Jurisdiction of the Issuing State The Uniform Interstate Family Support Act, Tenn.Code Ann. § 36-5-2201, et seq., controls the establishment, enforcement, or modification of support orders across state lines.”
Letellier v. Letellier, 40 S.W.3d 490 (Tenn. 2001). “We granted this appeal to address the following issues regarding the modification of out-of-state support orders: 1) the interrelation of § 36-5-2201, § 36-5-2202, and § 36-5-2611(a) of Tennessee’s Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (“UIFSA”) and the extent to which those…”
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-5-2201(2) — 3 cases
LeTellier v. LeTellier, 40 S.W.3d 490 (Tenn. 2001). “Continuing Exclusive Jurisdiction and Loss of Jurisdiction of the Issuing State The Uniform Interstate Family Support Act, Tenn.Code Ann. § 36-5-2201, et seq., controls the establishment, enforcement, or modification of support orders across state lines.”
Letellier v. Letellier, 40 S.W.3d 490 (Tenn. 2001). “We granted this appeal to address the following issues regarding the modification of out-of-state support orders: 1) the interrelation of § 36-5-2201, § 36-5-2202, and § 36-5-2611(a) of Tennessee’s Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (“UIFSA”) and the extent to which those…”
Letellier v. Letellier (Tenn. Ct. App. 1999). “When personal jurisdiction is asserted over a nonresident pursuant to T.C.A. § 36-5-2201, the other provisions of UIFSA do not apply because they are specifically excluded by T.”
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-5-2201(6) — 1 case
Letellier v. Letellier (Tenn. Ct. App. 1999). “When personal jurisdiction is asserted over a nonresident pursuant to T.C.A. § 36-5-2201, the other provisions of UIFSA do not apply because they are specifically excluded by T.”
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-5-2201(a)(2) — 1 case
In Re: Conner F. (Tenn. Ct. App. 2017). “According to Tennessee Code Annotated section 36-5-2201(a)(2), “[t]he individual submits to the jurisdiction of this state by consent in a record, by entering a general appearance, or by filing a responsive document having the effect of waiving any contest to personal…”
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