In this appeal, the court affirmed the Family Part judge's order granting plaintiff Della M. Bournes's motion to reinstate and enforce child support arrears under the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA), N.J.S.A. 2A:4-30.124 to -30.201.
The parties divorced in Texas in 2005. Their marital settlement agreement was incorporated into the Texas divorce decree. Defendant Shawn T. Harris agreed to pay plaintiff $5,800 annually in child support for the parties' two unemancipated children at the time. In 2014, the children began living with their maternal grandparents in New Jersey while defendant resided in Pennsylvania. The year before, plaintiff filed and registered the Texas divorce decree in New Jersey.
Defendant had the right to contest the validity or enforcement of the registered order and request a hearing within twenty days after notice of the registration. N.J.S.A. 2A:4-30.172(b)(2). Defendant failed to do so. Instead, defendant waited nine years to file a motion to contest enforcement. The court concluded that under UIFSA, New Jersey had jurisdiction to enforce and modify defendant's child support obligation.