Table of National Case Law Regarding UIFSA


By: Gunnar J. Gitlin
The Gitlin Law Firm, P.C., Woodstock, Illinois
© 2005

www.gitlinlawfirm.com


 

Table 1. Choice of Law

 

1. Alaska

State v. Bromley, 987 P.2d 183 (Alaska, 1999)

Connecticut

Freeman v. Freeman, FA 0071977S, 200 Conn. Super. LEXIS 2040 (August 4, 2000)

Fortney v. Fortney, No. FA 980116310S, 1998 Conn. Super. LEXIS 3786 (Conn. Super. Ct. Dec. 3, 1998)

Murphy v. Murphy, No. FA 970156433S, 1998 Conn. Super. LEXIS 1343 (Conn. Super. Ct. May 11, 1998)

Hawaii

DeMello v. DeMello, 87 Haw. 209, 953 P.2d 968 (Haw. Ct. App. 1998)

Indiana

Brickner v. Brickner, 723 N.E.2d 468 (Ind. Ct. App. 2000)

Louisiana

State v. Frisard, 694 So. 2d 1032 (La. Ct. App. 1997)

Maine

Department of Human Serv. v. Frye, 2000 Me. 128, 754 A.2d 1000 (Me. 2000)

Department of Human Serv. ex rel. Young v. Leifester, 721 A.2d 189 (Me. 1998)

Nicholson v. Nicholson, 747 A.2d 588 (Me. 2000)

Minnesota

Jones v. Jones, No. C3-98-593, 1998 Minn. App. LEXIS 891 (Minn. Ct. App. Aug. 4, 1998)

Nebraska

Willers v. Willers, 587 N.W.2d 390 (Neb. 1998)

Groseth v. Groseth, 257 Neb. 525 (Neb. 1999)

New York

Saxton v. Saxton, 699 N.Y.S.2d 537 (N.Y. App. Div. 1999)

North Carolina

Welsher v. Rager, 491 S.E. 2d 661 (N.C. Ct. App. 1997)

Tepper v. Hoch, No. COA99-1209, 2000 N. C. App. LEXIS 1152 (N.C. Ct. App. October 17, 2000)

Ohio

Vancott-Young v. Cummings, No. CA98-09-122, 1999 WL 326149, 1999 Ohio App. LEXIS 2342 (Ohio Ct. App. May 24, 1999)

Oregon

Cooney v. Cooney, 946 P.2d 305 (Or. Ct. App. 1997)

Texas

Attorney General v. Litten, 999 S.W.2d 74 (Tex. Ct. App. 1999)

Vermont

Cavallari v. Martin, 732 A.2d 739 (Vt. 1999)

Virginia

Burkholder v. Burkholder, No. 2767 -99-2, 200 Va. App. LEXIS 505 (Va. Ct. App. July 11, 2000)

Parks v. Parks, No. 1892-97-4, 1998 Va. App. LEXIS 85 (Va. Ct. App. Feb. 10, 1998)

Sheppard v. Sheppard, No. 0571-95-2, 1996 Va. App. LEXIS 261 (Va. Ct. App. Apr. 9, 1996)

Wine v. Brunty, 38 Va. Cir. 349, No.95-128 1996 Va. Cir. LEXIS 76 (Cir. Ct. Warren County, Feb. 6, 1996)

Washington

In re Peck, 82 Wash. App. 809, 920 P.2d 236 (Wash. Ct. App. 1996)

 

Table 2. Statute of Limitations

Arkansas

King v. State, 952 S.W.2d 180 (Ark. Ct. App. 1997)

Connecticut

Freeman v. Freeman, FA 0071977S, 200 Conn. Super. LEXIS 2040 (August 4, 2000)

North Carolina

State v. Bray, 130 N.C. App. 552, 503 S.E.2d 686 (N.C. Ct. App. 1998).

Texas

Attorney General v. Litten, 999 S.W.2d 74 (Tex. Ct. App. 1999)

Utah

State ex rel. Kirby v. Jacoby, 975 P.2d 939 (Utah Ct. App. 1999)

Virginia

Fitzhugh v. Dupre, No. 1388-97-1, 1997 Va. App. LEXIS 694 (Va. Ct. App. Nov. 10, 1997)

 

Table 3. Defenses

Arkansas

Office of Child Support Enforcement v. Clemmons, 984 S.W.2d 837 (Ark. Ct. App. 1999)

Connecticut

Bork v. Bork, No. FA 99175190S, 200 Conn. Super. LEXIS 832, (Conn. Super. Ct. Mar. 27, 2000)

Harvey v. Wilcox, No. FA 99011856, 2000 Conn. Super. LEXIS 1121 (Conn. Super. Ct. May 1, 2000), reargument denied, 2000 Conn. Super. LEXIS 1742 (Conn. Super. Ct. July 6, 2000)

Florida

Department of Revenue ex rel. Rochel v. Morris, 736 So.2d 41 (Fla. Ct. App. 1999) (failure to allow visitation is not a valid reason to deny enforcement of the child support order.)

New York

Barros v. Vila, 705 N.Y.S. 2d (N.Y. App. Div. 2000)

North Carolina

State v. Bray, 130 N.C. App. 552, 503 S.E.2d 686 (N.C. Ct. App. 1998)

Tepper v. Hoch, No. COA99-1209, 2000 N. C. App. LEXIS 1152 (N.C. Ct. App. October 17, 2000)

Ohio

Compton v. Compton, No. 99-CA-17, 1999 Ohio App. LEXIS 2592 (Ohio Ct. App. June 11, 1999)

Oregon

State ex rel California v. Ramirez, 167 Ore. App. 199, 2 P.3d 437 (Or. Ct. App. 2000)

Texas

Cowan v. Moreno, 903 S.W.2d 119 (Tex. Ct. App. 1995) (defense to registration and enforcement of a foreign support order based on lack of visitation was rejected.)

 

Villanueva v. Office of the Att'y Gen. of Tex., 935 S.W.2d 953 (Tex. Ct. App. 1996)

 

 

Table 4. Admissibility of Evidence

Colorado

People ex rel. Orange County Cal. ex rel. T.M.S. v. M.A.S., 962 P.2d 339 (Colo. Ct. App. 1998)

Florida

Schwier & State Dep't of Revenue v. Bernstein, 734 So.2d 531 (Fla. Ct. App. 1999)

Ohio

State v. Christenson, No. 99CAA12066, 2000 Ohio App. LEXIS 3458 (Ohio Ct. App. 5th Dist., July 28, 2000)

Texas

Mathis v. State, 930 S.W.2d 203 (Tex. Ct. App. 1996)

 

 

Table 5. Non-Parentage

Louisiana

State v. Hanson, 725 So.2d 514 (La. Ct. App. 1998)

North Carolina

Reid v. Dixon, 136 N.C. App. 438, 524 S.E.2d 576 (N.C. Ct. 2000)

South Carolina

Beyer v. Metze, 482 S.E.2d 789 (S.C. Ct. App. 1997)

 

Table 6. Lack of Jurisdiction

Alaska

Child Support Enforcement Division v. Bromley, 987 P.2d 183 (Alaska, 1999) (the defense that a duty of support is not owed is not cognizable under UIFSA)

Delaware

Mason v. Berkheimer, Nos. CN-96-7215, 96-30010, 1997 WL 911242 (De. Fam. Ct. Nov. 4, 1997)

Colorado

State ex rel. Wyoming v. Stout, 969 P.2d 819 (Colo. Ct. App. 1998).

Maine

Hawley v. Murphy, 736 A.2d 268 (Maine, 1999)

Minnesota

Jones v. Jones, No. C3-98-593, 1998 Minn. App. LEXIS 891 (Minn. Ct. App. Aug. 4, 1998)

Mississippi

Carr. v. Carr, 724 So.2d 937 (Miss. Ct. App. 1998)

Missouri

Phillips v. Fallen, 6 S.W.3d 862 (Mo. 1999)

Nebraska

Harvey v. Harvey, 575 N.W.2d 167 (Neb. Ct. App. 1998)

Pennsylvania

Barr v. Barr, 2000 Pa. Super. 99, 749 A.2d 992 (Pa. Super. 2000)

South Carolina

South Carolina Dep't of Social Serv. v. Bess, 489 S.E.2d 671 (S. C. Ct. App. 1997)

South Dakota

State ex rel Freeman v. Sadlier, 586 N.W.2d 171 (S.D. 1998)

Washington

State v. Markovich, 100 Wn. App. 1017), 2000 Wash. App. LEXIS 548 (Wash. Ct. App. Apr. 3, 2000)

 

Table 7. Res judicata

Arkansas

California v. West, 964 S.W.2d 221 (Ark. Ct. App. 1998)

Illinois

Hartman v. Hartman, 712 N.E.2d 367 (Ill. App. Ct. 1999)

Louisiana

State ex rel. Rivera v. Robles, 702 So.2d 1107 (La. Ct. App. 1997)

 

Table 8. Constitutional

Arkansas

Davis v. Child Support Enforcement Unit, 933 S.W.2d 798 (Ark. 1996) (party not denied constitutional right of confrontation relating to allowing a party or witness residing in another state to testify by telephone, audiovisual means where the party made no effort to confront witnesses using this provision.

Washington v. Thompson, 6 S.W.3d 82 (Ark. 1999)

Colorado

People ex rel Orange County Cal. ex rel. T.M.S. v. M.A.S., 962 P.2d 339 (Colo. Ct. App. 1998)

Louisiana

State ex rel T.L.R. v. R.W.T., 737 So.2d 688 (La. 1999)

New York

Matter of Judith S., 183 Misc.2d 468, 701 N.Y.S.2d 880 (N.Y. Fam. Ct. 1999)

Pennsylvania

Cairns v. Cairns, 741 A.2d 800 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1999)

Washington

State ex rel. A.N.C. v. Grenley, 959 P.2d 1130 (Wash. Ct. App. 1998)

West Virginia

Stout v. Stout, 534 S.E. 2d 776 (W. Va. 2000)

 

Table 9. Forum Non Conveniens

Nebraska

Tomlin v. Tomlin, No. A-93-253, 1994 WL 697810, 1994 Neb. App. LEXIS 351 (Neb. Ct. App. 1994)

Oklahoma

Perdomo v. Fuller, 974 P.2d 185 (Okla. Civ. App. 1998)

Virginia

Roche v. Roche, 45 Va. Cir. 525, (Va. Cir. Ct. 1998)

 

Table 10. Technical Defects

Arkansas

Bonwich v. King, No. CA99-904, 2000 Ark. App. LEXIS 448 (Ark. Ct. App. May 31, 2000)

Nebraska

Allen v. Allen, No, A-95-1047, 1996 Neb. App. LEXIS 34 (Neb. Ct. App. Sept. 2, 1996)

New York

Neville v. Perry, 648 N.Y.S.2d 508 (N.Y. Fam. Ct. 1996)

Texas

In re Chapman, 973 S.W.2d 346 (Tex. Ct. App. 1998)

Virginia

Slawski v. Dep't of Social Services, 514 S.E.2d 773 (Va. Ct. App. 1999)

 

Table 11. Equivalent Laws

Arkansas

Jefferson County Child Support Enforcement Unit v. Ch. Ct. Vollie Hollands, Jr. 327 Ark. 456, 939 S.W.2d 302 (Ark. 1997)

Massachusetts

Peddar v. Peddar, 43 Mass. App. Ct. 192, 683 N.E.2d (1997)

 

Table 12. Jurisdiction (including overpayment)

California

D'Arcy v. Newman, 80 Cal. App. 4th 846, 95 Cal. Reptr.2d 691 (Cal. Ct. App. 2000)

Colorado

In re Haddad, Colo. Ct. App., No. 03CA0072 (5/6/04):  The Colorado trial court erred in holding that it lacked jurisdiction to enter a judgment against the mother for overpaid child support due to a Colorado order granting retroactive support.  While the trial court stated it lacked jurisdiction, the appellate court pointed out that a support order under the UIFSA is defined as including an order for "reimbursement."  The opinion stated that the overpayment should be credited against his future support obligation only if "the interest of the children would not be harmed." 

Minnesota

Jones v. Jones, No. C3-98-593, 1998 Minn. App. LEXIS 891 (Minn. Ct. App., Aug. 4, 1998)

Missouri

Phillips v. Fallen, 6 S.W.3d 862 (Mo. 1999)

New York

Gloria P. v. Armondo P. No. QDS: 04700591, N.Y.L.J. Dec. 22, 1998 (N.Y. Fam. Ct. 1998)

In the Matter of Regina H. v. Joseph A.C., 184 Misc. 2d 978, 712 N.Y.S. 2d 347 (N.Y.Fam.Ct 2000)

Oklahoma

Perdomo v. Fuller, 974 P.2d 185 (Okla. Civ. App. 1998)

Washington

In re Peck, 82 Wash. App. 809, 920 P.2d 236 (Wash. Ct. App. 1996)

 

Table 13. Personal Jurisdiction

Colorado

In re Zinke, 967 P.2d 210 (Colo. Ct. App. 1998)

Connecticut

Clemens v. Clemens, Nos. FA 9901770802, FA 9901722125, 1999 Conn. Super. LEXIS 2856 (Conn. Super. Ct. Oct. 22, 1999)

Hawaii

DeMello v. DeMello, 87 Haw. 209, 953 P.2d 968 (Haw. Ct. App. 1998)

Idaho

Department of Health and Welfare v. Conley, 971 P.2d 332 (Idaho Ct. App. 1999)

Louisiana

Bordelon v. Dehnert, 99 2625 La. App. 1 Cir., 2000 La. App. LEXIS 2584 (La. Ct. App. September 22, 2000)

Jurado v. Brashear, 764 So.2d 1066 (La. Ct. App. 1st Cir. 2000), writ of error granted 765 So.2d 345 (La 2000)

Massachusetts

Windsor v. Windsor, 45 Mass. App. Ct. 650, 700 N.E.2d 838 (Mass. App. Ct. 1998)

Minnesota

Abu-Dalbough v. Abu-Dalbough, 547 N.W.2d 700 (Minn. Ct. App. 1996)

Lustig v. Lustig, No. C4-96-940, 1996 Minn. App. LEXIS 1335 (Minn. Ct. App. Nov. 26, 1996)

Mississippi

McCubbin v. Seay, 749 So.2d 1127 (Miss. Ct. App. 1999)

Nebraska

Harvey v. Harvey, 575 N.W.2d 167 (Neb. Ct. App. 1998)

New York

In re Chisolm-Brownlee v. Chisholm, 177 Misc. 2d 185, 676 N.Y.S.2d 818 (N.Y. Fam. Ct. 1998)

Oklahoma

Grant v. Grant, 964 P.2d 963 (Okla. Ct. App. 1998)

Virginia

Franklin v. Commonwealth ex rel. Franklin, 497 S.E.2d 881 (Va. Ct. App. 1998)

Schreiber v. Schreiber, No.148669, 1997 Va. Cir. LEXIS 372, 43 Va. Cir. 274 (Cir. Ct. Fairfax Cty. Sept. 3, 1998)

Wisconsin

In re Carlin L.S. 593 N.W.2d 486 (Wis. Ct. App. 1999)

Wyoming

Washington ex rel. Mahoney v. St. John, 964 P.2d 1242 (Wyo. 1998)

 

Table 14. Subject Matter Jurisdiction

Colorado

State ex rel. R.L.H., 942 P.2d 1386 (Colo. Ct. App. 1997)

Florida

State v. Hickman, 744 So.2d 1161 (Fla. Ct. App. 1999)

Louisiana

Bordelon v. Dehnert, 99 2625 La. App. 1 Cir., 2000 La. App. LEXIS 2584 (La. Ct. App. September 22, 2000)

Jurado v. Brashear, 764 So.2d 1066 (La. Ct. App. 1st Cir. 2000), writ of error granted 765 So.2d 345 (La 2000)