Minnesota § 518D.201 INITIAL CHILD CUSTODY JURISDICTION

Minnesota Statutes

§ 518D.201 — INITIAL CHILD CUSTODY JURISDICTION

Minnesota § 518D.201

PartDOMESTIC RELATIONS

Ch. 518DUNIFORM CHILD CUSTODY JURISDICTION AND ENFORCEMENT ACT

This text of Minnesota § 518D.201 (INITIAL CHILD CUSTODY JURISDICTION) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Minnesota primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

Minn. Stat. § 518D.201 (2026).

Text

(a)Except as otherwise provided in section518D.204, a court of this state has jurisdiction to make an initial child custody determination only if:

(1)this state is the home state of the child on the date of the commencement of the proceeding, or was the home state of the child within six months before the commencement of the proceeding and the child is absent from this state but a parent or person acting as a parent continues to live in this state;

(2)a court of another state does not have jurisdiction under clause (1), or a court of the home state of the child has declined to exercise jurisdiction on the ground that this state is the more appropriate forum under section518D.207or518D.208, and:

(i)the child and the child's parents, or the child and at least one parent or a person actin

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(a) Except as otherwise provided in section518D.204, a court of this state has jurisdiction to make an initial child custody determination only if:
(1) this state is the home state of the child on the date of the commencement of the proceeding, or was the home state of the child within six months before the commencement of the proceeding and the child is absent from this state but a parent or person acting as a parent continues to live in this state;
(2) a court of another state does not have jurisdiction under clause (1), or a court of the home state of the child has declined to exercise jurisdiction on the ground that this state is the more appropriate forum under section518D.207or518D.208, and:
(i) the child and the child's parents, or the child and at least one parent or a person acting as a parent, have a significant connection with this state other than mere physical presence; and
(ii) substantial evidence is available in this state concerning the child's care, protection, training, and personal relationships;
(3) all courts having jurisdiction under clause (1) or (2) have declined to exercise jurisdiction on the ground that a court of this state is the more appropriate forum to determine the custody of the child under section518D.207or518D.208; or
(4) no court of any other state would have jurisdiction under the criteria specified in clause (1), (2), or (3).
(b) Paragraph (a) is the exclusive jurisdictional basis for making a child custody determination by a court of this state.
(c) Physical presence of, or personal jurisdiction over, a party or a child is not necessary or sufficient to make a child custody determination.
(d) The presence of a child in this state for the purpose of obtaining gender-affirming health care as defined in section543.23, paragraph (b), is sufficient to meet the requirements of paragraph (a), clause (2), item (i).