                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

SIMULTANEOUS PROCEEDINGS (§ 20-146.17)

A. Except as otherwise provided in &#xA7; 20-146.15, a court of this
Commonwealth may not exercise its jurisdiction under this article if, at the
time of the commencement of the proceeding, a proceeding concerning the custody
of the child has been previously commenced in a court of another state having
jurisdiction substantially in conformity with this act, unless the proceeding
has been terminated or is stayed by the court of the other state because a court
of this Commonwealth is a more convenient forum under &#xA7; 20-146.18.

B. Except as otherwise provided in &#xA7; 20-146.15, a court of this
Commonwealth, before hearing a child custody proceeding, shall examine the court
documents and other information supplied by the parties pursuant to &#xA7;
20-146.20. If the court determines that a child custody proceeding has been
commenced in a court in another state having jurisdiction substantially in
accordance with this act, the court of this Commonwealth shall stay its
proceeding and communicate with the court of the other state. If the court of
the state having jurisdiction substantially in accordance with this act does not
determine that the court of this Commonwealth is a more appropriate forum, the
court of this Commonwealth shall dismiss the proceeding.

C. In a proceeding to modify a child custody determination, a court of this
Commonwealth shall determine whether a proceeding to enforce the determination
has been commenced in another state. If a proceeding to enforce a child custody
determination has been commenced in another state, the court may:

   1. Stay the proceeding for modification pending the entry of an order of a
   court of the other state enforcing, staying, denying, or dismissing the
   proceeding for enforcement;

   2. Enjoin the parties from continuing with the proceeding for enforcement; or

   3. Proceed with the modification under conditions it considers appropriate.

HISTORY: 1979, c. 229, § 20-129; 2001, c. 305.