§ 19-9-101.Promotion of uniformity between states
Chapter 9. Child Custody Proceedings · Article 3. Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act · Part 4. Construction · Last amended 2001 · Last verified October 9, 2026
Full Text of § 19-9-101
Plain-English Summary
The UCCJEA is a uniform act. A national drafting body wrote it so that states would adopt the same rules for custody jurisdiction and enforcement, and Georgia enacted its version in 2001. Uniform laws work only if courts in different states read them the same way. A Georgia rule that drifted from the rule in Alabama or Florida would invite exactly the forum shopping and conflicting orders the Act was meant to stop.
This section builds that goal into Georgia law. In applying and construing the Act, consideration must be given to the need to promote uniformity of the law on its subject among the states that enact it. In practice, a Georgia judge faced with an unsettled question may look at how courts in other UCCJEA states have read the same language.
The section doesn’t make other states’ decisions binding in Georgia. It requires that uniformity be considered, not that Georgia courts follow any particular ruling. How much weight to give out-of-state decisions remains a judgment call.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Georgia courts follow other states’ UCCJEA decisions?
They aren’t bound by them, but they must weigh the goal of uniformity. This section says that in applying and construing the Act, consideration must be given to the need to promote uniformity of the law among states that enact it. That can give out-of-state decisions on the same language persuasive weight, but the section doesn’t require Georgia courts to follow any particular one.
Why does the UCCJEA care about uniformity between states?
Because custody cases often cross state lines. If each state read the Act differently, parents could look for a friendlier state and courts could issue conflicting orders. This section asks Georgia courts to keep uniformity among enacting states in mind when they apply and interpret the Act.
Can I cite a case from another state in a Georgia custody jurisdiction dispute?
This section supports doing so on UCCJEA questions. Because Georgia courts must consider the need to promote uniformity among states that have enacted the Act, decisions from other enacting states interpreting the same provisions are relevant. How much weight they carry is up to the court.
Does this section apply to all of Georgia’s custody laws?
No. It speaks only of applying and construing “this uniform Act,” meaning Georgia’s UCCJEA in Article 3 of Chapter 9. Georgia’s other custody provisions, such as § 19-9-3 on custody decisions or the intrastate rules in Article 2, aren’t covered by this uniformity rule.
Is Georgia’s UCCJEA the same as other states’ versions?
It is meant to track them closely, which is why this section asks courts to promote uniformity among states that enact the Act. States sometimes make their own adjustments when they adopt a uniform act, so the wording of any specific Georgia provision is worth checking against the other state’s version.
Amendment History
Laws 2001, p. 129, § 1.