Virginia Code 20-88.43:2: Continuing, exclusive jurisdiction to modify spousal support order.
A. A court of the Commonwealth issuing a spousal support order consistent with the law of the Commonwealth has continuing, exclusive jurisdiction to modify the spousal support order throughout the existence of the support obligation.
Terms Used In Virginia Code 20-88.43:2
- 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.
- Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
- State: when applied to a part of the United States, includes any of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the United States Virgin Islands. See Virginia Code 1-245
B. A court of the Commonwealth may not modify a spousal support order issued by a tribunal of another state or a foreign country having continuing, exclusive jurisdiction over that order under the law of that state or foreign country.
C. A court of the Commonwealth that has continuing, exclusive jurisdiction over a spousal support order may serve as:
1. An initiating court to request a tribunal of another state to enforce the spousal support order issued in the Commonwealth; or
2. A responding court to enforce or modify its own spousal support order.