Ohio Code § 3127.20
Ohio Code § 3127.20. Reproduced from the official Ohio Revised Code, with a citation summary, verification link, and related provisions.
§ 3127.20.
(A) Except as otherwise provided in section 3127.18 of the Revised Code , a court of this state may not exercise its jurisdiction under sections 3127.15 to 3127.17 of the Revised Code if, at the time of the commencement of the proceeding, a child custody proceeding
concerning the child is pending in a court of another state having jurisdiction substantially
in conformity with this chapter, unless the proceeding has been terminated or is stayed
by the court of the other state because a court of this state is a more convenient
forum under section 3127.21 of the Revised Code or a similar statute of the other state. (B) Except as otherwise provided in section 3127.18 of the Revised Code , a court of this state, before hearing a child custody proceeding, shall examine
the court documents and other information supplied by the parties pursuant to section 3127.23 of the Revised Code . If the court determines that a child custody proceeding is pending in a court in
another state having jurisdiction substantially in accordance with this chapter, the
court of this state shall stay its proceeding and communicate with the court of the
other state. If the court of the state having jurisdiction substantially in accordance with this
chapter does not determine that the court of this state is a more appropriate forum,
the court of this state shall dismiss the proceeding. (C) In a proceeding to modify a child custody determination, a court of this state shall
determine whether a proceeding to enforce the determination has been commenced in
another state. If a proceeding to enforce a child custody determination has been commenced in another
state, the court may do any of the following: (1) Stay the proceeding for modification pending the entry of an order of a court of
the other state enforcing, staying, denying, or dismissing the proceeding for enforcement; (2) Enjoin the parties from continuing with the proceeding for enforcement; (3) Upon the demonstration of an emergency, proceed with the modification under conditions
the court considers appropriate.
Source: official Ohio text · Last verified 2026-08-27
At a glance
- Citation: Ohio Revised Code § 3127.20
- Jurisdiction: Ohio
- Code: Ohio Revised Code
- Text: transcribed from the official source (verify below)
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Statute text is transcribed from the official Ohio Revised Code. Confirm it against the primary source before relying on it:
Not legal advice. Verify against the official source and consult a licensed Ohio attorney.
Common questions
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What subject does Ohio Revised Code § 3127.20 address?
It addresses the rule set out in the section text. Read the section together with the surrounding provisions listed under "Nearby provisions" for the full picture.
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