81-11-111. Cooperation between courts -- Preservation of records.

363 words·~2 min read·/ut/title-81/chapter-11/81-11-111

A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.

Effective 9/1/2025

(1)A court of this state may request the appropriate court of another state to:

(a)hold an evidentiary hearing;

(b)order a person to produce or give evidence under procedures of that state;

(c)order that an evaluation be made with respect to the custody of a minor child involved in a pending proceeding;

(d)forward to the court of this state a certified copy of the transcript of the record of the hearing, the evidence otherwise presented, and any evaluation prepared in compliance with the request; and

(e)order a party to a child custody proceeding or any person having physical custody of the minor child to appear in the proceeding with or without the minor child.

(2)Upon request of a court of another state, a court of this state may:

(a)hold a hearing or enter an order described in Subsection

(1); or

(b)order a person in this state to appear alone or with the minor child in a custody proceeding in another state.

(a)A court of this state may condition compliance with a request under Subsection (2)(b) upon assurance by the other state that travel and other necessary expenses will be advanced or reimbursed.

(b)If an individual who has physical custody of the minor child cannot be served or fails to obey the order, or it appears the order will be ineffective, the court may issue a warrant of arrest against the individual to secure the individual's appearance with the minor child in the other state.

(4)Travel and other necessary and reasonable expenses incurred under Subsections

(1)and

(2)may be assessed against the parties according to the law of this state.

(a)A court of this state shall preserve the pleadings, orders, decrees, records of hearings, evaluations, and other pertinent records with respect to a child custody proceeding until the minor child is 18 years old.

(b)Upon appropriate request by a court or law enforcement official of another state, the court shall forward a certified copy of these records.

Renumbered and Amended by Chapter 426 , 2025 General Session