Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes

DOMESTIC RELATIONS (TITLE 23)

INTRASTATE FAMILY SUPPORT

CHAPTER 82. JURISDICTION

§ 8201. Continuing, exclusive jurisdiction.
§ 8202. Recognition of support orders.
§ 8203. Credit for payments.

§ 8201. Continuing, exclusive jurisdiction.

(a) Extent.--A tribunal issuing a support order has continuing, exclusive jurisdiction over a support order unless otherwise provided by Part VIII (relating to uniform interstate family support) or this part.

(b) Faith and credit.--A tribunal shall recognize the continuing, exclusive jurisdiction of another tribunal which has issued a support order.

§ 8202. Recognition of support orders.

(a) Principles.--If a proceeding is brought under this part and more than one support order has been issued in this Commonwealth with regard to the same obligation, a tribunal shall apply the following rules in determining which order to recognize for purposes of continuing, exclusive jurisdiction:

1. If two or more tribunals have issued support orders for the same obligation and only one of the tribunals would have continuing, exclusive jurisdiction under this part, the order of that tribunal must be recognized.
2. If two or more tribunals have issued support orders for the same obligation and more than one of the tribunals would have continuing, exclusive jurisdiction under this part, an order issued by a tribunal in the county where the obligee resides must be recognized; but, if an order has not been issued in the county where the obligee resides, the order most recently issued must be recognized.
3. If two or more tribunals have issued support orders for the same obligation and none of the tribunals would have continuing, exclusive jurisdiction under this part, the tribunal may issue a support order, which must be recognized.

(b) Result.--The tribunal that has issued an order recognized under subsection (a) is the tribunal having continuing, exclusive jurisdiction.

§ 8203. Credit for payments.

Amounts collected and credited for a particular period pursuant to a support order issued by one tribunal must be credited against the amounts accruing or accrued for the same period under a support order issued by another tribunal.

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