Ruiz v. Fribourg
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The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the district court relinquishing jurisdiction over a child custody dispute to Texas pursuant to Wyo. Stat. 20-5-306, holding that the district court did not abuse its discretion when it found that Wyoming was an inconvenient forum and relinquished jurisdiction.
Less than a week after Child's birth, Mother filed a petition to establish paternity, custody, and child support. Thereafter, Mother moved to Texas. The district court then entered an order establishing Father's paternity of Child and awarding Mother primary custody. Four years after Mother and Child moved, Mother petitioned a Texas district court to modify visitation and compel Father's participation in parenting facilitation. The Texas court contacted the Wyoming court to discuss the matter of jurisdiction. Ultimately, the Wyoming court determined Wyoming was an inconvenient forum and entered an order relinquishing jurisdiction to Texas. The Supreme Court affirmed, holding that the district court (1) did not abuse its discretion when it declined to exercise its exclusive, continuing jurisdiction to modify the child custody order after finding Wyoming was an inconvenient forum; and (2) did not violate Father's due process rights by not requiring the parties to file written pleadings in Wyoming.
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