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Terms Used In Maryland Code, FAMILY LAW 10-307

  • Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • state: means :

    (1) a state, possession, territory, or commonwealth of the United States; or

    (2) the District of Columbia. See
(a) A tribunal of this State may exercise jurisdiction to establish a support order if the complaint or comparable pleading is filed after a pleading is filed in another state or foreign country only if:

(1) the complaint or comparable pleading in this State is filed before the expiration of the time allowed in the other state or foreign country for filing a responsive pleading challenging the exercise of jurisdiction by the other state or foreign country;

(2) the contesting party timely challenges the exercise of jurisdiction in the other state or foreign country; and

(3) if relevant, this State is the home state of the child.

(b) A tribunal of this State may not exercise jurisdiction to establish a support order if the complaint or comparable pleading is filed before a complaint or comparable pleading is filed in another state or foreign country if:

(1) the complaint or comparable pleading in the other state or foreign country is filed before the expiration of the time allowed in this State for filing a responsive pleading challenging the exercise of jurisdiction by this State;

(2) the contesting party timely challenges the exercise of jurisdiction in this State; and

(3) if relevant, the other state or foreign country is the home state of the child.