§ 19-11-111.Personal jurisdiction continues while Georgia tribunal retains continuing, exclusive jurisdiction
Chapter 11. Enforcement of Duty of Support · Article 3. Uniform Interstate Family Support Act · Part 2. Jurisdiction; Cooperation Between States · Last amended 2013 · Last verified October 9, 2026
Full Text of § 19-11-111
Plain-English Summary
Once a Georgia tribunal has personal jurisdiction over a party in a support case, that jurisdiction doesn’t vanish when the party moves away. This one-sentence section says it continues so long as a Georgia tribunal has continuing, exclusive jurisdiction to modify its order or continuing jurisdiction to enforce it.
The rule covers jurisdiction acquired in a proceeding under the interstate support act and jurisdiction acquired under other Georgia law relating to a support order — a divorce or ordinary child support case, for example. The section points to three other provisions to measure how long Georgia’s jurisdiction lasts. Code Section 19-11-114 covers continuing, exclusive jurisdiction to modify a child support order; it depends mainly on whether the obligor, the individual obligee or the child still lives in Georgia, or whether the parties consented to Georgia keeping the case. Code Section 19-11-115 covers continuing jurisdiction to enforce. Code Section 19-11-119.1 covers spousal support, where Georgia keeps continuing, exclusive jurisdiction to modify throughout the life of the obligation.
The practical point: a parent who leaves Georgia stays within reach of the Georgia tribunal for the support order, as long as Georgia keeps either power. Losing the power to modify — for instance, because all the individual parties consent in a record to another state taking over under § 19-11-114(b) — doesn’t end it by itself, because Georgia may still have continuing jurisdiction to enforce. Code Section 19-11-171, for example, lets Georgia enforce a modified order as to arrears and interest that accrued before the modification. Only when Georgia has neither power does this section stop carrying its personal jurisdiction forward. The section was amended in 2013.
Frequently Asked Questions
If my ex moves out of Georgia, does the Georgia court still have power over them for child support?
Yes, while Georgia keeps continuing, exclusive jurisdiction to modify the order or continuing jurisdiction to enforce it. This section says personal jurisdiction acquired by a Georgia tribunal in a support case continues that long. Code Sections 19-11-114, 19-11-115 and 19-11-119.1 decide how long those powers last.
Does this apply if our support order came from a regular Georgia divorce, not an interstate case?
Yes. The section covers personal jurisdiction acquired in a proceeding under the interstate support act or under other Georgia law relating to a support order. A divorce decree that sets child support or alimony is a support order, so jurisdiction acquired in that case continues as this section describes.
Does Georgia keep jurisdiction over alimony after both of us move away?
Code Section 19-11-119.1(a) gives a Georgia tribunal that issued a spousal support order continuing, exclusive jurisdiction to modify it throughout the existence of the support obligation. This section ties continuing personal jurisdiction to that rule, so Georgia’s personal jurisdiction over the parties lasts as long as that modification power does.
When does Georgia lose the power to modify its child support order?
Code Section 19-11-114(b) says a Georgia tribunal may not exercise continuing, exclusive jurisdiction to modify if all individual parties file consent in a record for a qualifying tribunal of another state to take over, or if Georgia’s order is not the controlling order. Under subsection (a), Georgia also lacks it if no party or child lives here and the parties haven’t consented to Georgia keeping the case.
If another state modifies our Georgia child support order, what can Georgia still do?
Code Section 19-11-171 says a Georgia tribunal may enforce its modified order only as to arrears and interest accruing before the modification, may provide relief for violations that occurred before the modification took effect, and shall recognize the other state’s modifying order, upon registration, for enforcement. Code Section 19-11-114(c) requires Georgia tribunals to recognize the other state’s continuing, exclusive jurisdiction.
Amendment History
Laws 1997, p. 1613, § 33; Laws 2013, Act 224, eff. July 1, 2013.