The Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act
The Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act is a federal law that establishes rules and regulations for determining which state has the authority to make decisions regarding child custody and visitation rights. It also sets out procedures for enforcing court orders across state lines. The Act provides a uniform system for determining
The Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (UCCJEA) is a Uniform Act drafted by the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws in 1997. The UCCJEA has since been adopted by 49 U.S. States, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. As of 2026, the only state that has not adopted the UCCJEA is Massachusetts. The Massachusetts state senate passed the UCCJEA in July 2025, but the Massachusetts state house of representatives did not pass it by the end of the year.