A court of this state shall accord full faith and credit to an order issued by another state and consistent with this chapter that enforces a child custody determination by a court of another state unless the order has been vacated, stayed, or modified by a court having jurisdiction to do so under subch. II.
822.43.Recognition and enforcement.
Ch. 822: Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act · Last amended 2005 · Last verified July 15, 2026
In one sentenceSection 822.43 requires Wisconsin courts to give full faith and credit to another state’s order enforcing a child custody determination, so long as that order is consistent with this chapter and has not been vacated, stayed, or modified by a court with jurisdiction to do so.
Full Text of Section 822.43
Plain-English Summary
Section 822.43 addresses recognition of another state’s enforcement orders, not just its custody determinations. When a court of another state issues an order that enforces a child custody determination, and that order is consistent with this chapter, a Wisconsin court must accord it full faith and credit.
The one condition is that the order has not been vacated, stayed, or modified by a court that had jurisdiction to do so under subch. II. If it has been undone by such a court, Wisconsin is not bound to treat the earlier enforcement order as controlling.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Wisconsin recognize a custody enforcement order issued by another state’s court?
Yes. Section 822.43 requires Wisconsin courts to accord full faith and credit to another state’s order enforcing a child custody determination, as long as it is consistent with this chapter.
When would Wisconsin not have to honor another state’s enforcement order?
If that order has been vacated, stayed, or modified by a court having jurisdiction to do so under subch. II, Section 822.43 does not require Wisconsin to give it full faith and credit.
Does this section apply to the original custody determination or the order enforcing it?
It applies to an order that enforces a child custody determination issued by a court of another state, not just to the underlying determination itself.
What does “consistent with this chapter” mean here?
The other state’s enforcement order must align with the framework this chapter sets for enforcing child custody determinations for Section 822.43’s full faith and credit requirement to apply.
Which court’s jurisdiction determines whether an enforcement order can be undone?
A court having jurisdiction to modify under subch. II is the one whose vacatur, stay, or modification can remove the order from Section 822.43’s full faith and credit requirement.
Amendment History
History: 2005 a. 130.
Source & verification. Section text and official notes are
reproduced verbatim from the Wisconsin Statutes, published by the
Wisconsin Legislature (Legislative Reference Bureau). Last verified July 15, 2026.
· Official source
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