2010 Pennsylvania Code
Title 23 - DOMESTIC RELATIONS
Chapter 54 - Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement
5445 - Registration of child custody determination.

     § 5445.  Registration of child custody determination.
        (a)  General rule.--A child custody determination issued by a
     court of another state may be registered in this Commonwealth,
     with or without a simultaneous request for enforcement, by
     sending to the appropriate court in this Commonwealth:
            (1)  a letter or other document requesting registration;
            (2)  two copies, including one certified copy, of the
        determination sought to be registered and a statement under
        penalty of perjury that to the best of the knowledge and
        belief of the person seeking registration the order has not
        been modified; and
            (3)  except as otherwise provided in section 5429
        (relating to information to be submitted to court), the name
        and address of the person seeking registration and any parent
        or person acting as a parent who has been awarded custody or
        visitation in the child custody determination sought to be
        registered.
        (b)  Duties of registering court.--On receipt of the
     documents required by subsection (a), the registering court
     shall:
            (1)  cause the determination to be filed as a foreign
        judgment, together with one copy of any accompanying
        documents and information, regardless of their form; and
            (2)  serve notice upon the persons named pursuant to
        subsection (a)(3) and provide them with an opportunity to
        contest the registration in accordance with this section.
        (c)  Notice.--The notice required by subsection (b)(2) must
     state that:
            (1)  a registered determination is enforceable as of the
        date of the registration in the same manner as a
        determination issued by a court of this Commonwealth;
            (2)  a hearing to contest the validity of the registered
        determination must be requested within 20 days after service
        of notice; and
            (3)  failure to contest the registration will result in
        confirmation of the child custody determination and preclude
        further contest of that determination with respect to any
        matter that could have been asserted.
        (d)  Contest over validity of registered order.--A person
     seeking to contest the validity of a registered order must
     request a hearing within 20 days after service of the notice. At
     that hearing, the court shall confirm the registered order
     unless the person contesting registration establishes that:
            (1)  the issuing court did not have jurisdiction under
        Subchapter B (relating to jurisdiction);
            (2)  the child custody determination sought to be
        registered has been vacated, stayed or modified by a court
        having jurisdiction to do so under Subchapter B; or
            (3)  the person contesting registration was entitled to
        notice, but notice was not given in accordance with the
        standards of section 5408 (relating to notice to persons
        outside Commonwealth), in the proceedings before the court
        that issued the order for which registration is sought.
        (e)  Failure to contest.--If a timely request for a hearing
     to contest the validity of the registration is not made, the
     registration is confirmed as a matter of law and the person
     requesting registration and all persons served must be notified
     of the confirmation.
        (f)  Res judicata.--Confirmation of a registered order,
     whether by operation of law or after notice and hearing,
     precludes further contest of the order with respect to any
     matter that could have been asserted at the time of
     registration.

        Cross References.  Section 5445 is referred to in sections
     5448, 5450 of this title.