Following a divorce, a child might live in one state and the parents might live in different states, The state that has the power to determine who will have custody over the children after a divorce is called the child custody jurisdiction. Family law in the United States primarily comes from state law, not federal law, and each of the 50 states has the power to enforce its own family laws. For this reason, it is important to determine which state has the power – – the jurisdiction – – to decide custody arrangements for the children of a divorced couple.
Synonyms:
jurisdiction
