North Dakota Code 14-14.1-19 – (208) Jurisdiction declined by reason of conduct
1. Except as otherwise provided in section 14-14.1-15, if a court of this state has jurisdiction under this chapter because a person seeking to invoke its jurisdiction has engaged in unjustifiable conduct, the court shall decline to exercise its jurisdiction unless:
Terms Used In North Dakota Code 14-14.1-19
- 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.
- Person: means an individual, organization, government, political subdivision, or government agency or instrumentality. See North Dakota Code 1-01-49
- State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories. See North Dakota Code 1-01-49
a. The parents and all persons acting as parents have acquiesced in the exercise of jurisdiction; b. A court of the state otherwise having jurisdiction under sections 14-14.1-12 through 14-14.1-14 determines that this state is a more appropriate forum under section 14-14.1-18; or
c. No court of any other state would have jurisdiction under the criteria specified in sections 14-14.1-12 through 14-14.1-14.
2. If a court of this state declines to exercise its jurisdiction under subsection 1, it may fashion an appropriate remedy to ensure the safety of the child and prevent a repetition of the unjustifiable conduct, including staying the proceeding until a child custody proceeding is commenced in a court having jurisdiction under section 14-14.1-12 through 14-14.1-14.
3. If a court dismisses a petition or stays a proceeding because it declines to exercise its jurisdiction pursuant to subsection 1, it shall assess against the party seeking to invoke its jurisdiction necessary and reasonable expenses, including costs, communication expenses, attorney’s fees, investigative fees, expenses for witnesses, travel expenses, and child care during the course of the proceedings, unless the party from whom fees are sought establishes that the assessment would be clearly inappropriate. The court may not assess fees, costs, or expenses against this state unless authorized by law other than this chapter.