2021 Colorado Code
Title 14 - Domestic Matters
Article 13 - Uniform Child-Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act
Part 1 - General Provisions
§ 14-13-101. Short Title
This article shall be known and may be cited as the “Uniform Child-custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act”.
History. Source: L. 2000: Entire article R&RE, p. 1519, § 1, effective July 1.
Editor's note:
This section is similar to former § 14-13-101 as it existed prior to 2000.
OFFICIAL COMMENTSection 1 of the UCCJA was a statement of the purposes of the Act. Although extensively cited by courts, it was eliminated because Uniform Acts no longer contain such a section. Nonetheless, this Act should be interpreted according to its purposes which are to:
- Avoid jurisdictional competition and conflict with courts of other States in matters of child custody which have in the past resulted in the shifting of children from State to State with harmful effects on their well-being;
- Promote cooperation with the courts of other States to the end that a custody decree is rendered in that State which can best decide the case in the interest of the child;
- Discourage the use of the interstate system for continuing controversies over child custody;
- Deter abductions of children;
- Avoid relitigation of custody decisions of other States in this State;
- Facilitate the enforcement of custody decrees of other States.
Annotator's note. The following annotations include cases decided under this section as it existed prior to its 2000 repeal and reenactment.
Because federal Parental Kidnapping Prevention Act of 1980 governs decisions made under the Act, it applies to custody determinations made during child dependency and neglect proceedings. People in Interest of K.G., 876 P.2d 1 (Colo. App. 1993).
The UCCJA was enacted to extend the notion of full faith and credit to child custody decrees and its provisions seek to limit the exercise of jurisdiction over custody decrees to one state thereby eliminating forum shopping. In re Custody of K.R., 897 P.2d 896 (Colo. App. 1995).
Applied in In re Bechard, 40 Colo. App. 516, 577 P.2d 778 (1978); County of Clearwater v. Petrash, 198 Colo. 231 , 598 P.2d 138 (1979).
