Child Support Jurisdiction

Colorado has adopted the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA), codified at C.R.S. 14-5-101, et seq. That act allows Colorado divorce and family law courts to establish a child support order against a non-resident parent if one of the following conditions is met:

1. Personal service on the respondent parent within the state of Colorado (including a waiver of service),
2. The respondent parent consents to the Colorado child support proceeding exercising jurisdiction (including the failure to object to jurisdiction),
3. The respondent parent has previously resided in Colorado with the child,
4. The respondent parent previously resided in Colorado and provided prenatal support for the child,
5. The child resides in Colorado as a result of the respondent parent's acts or directives, or
6. The child was conceived as a result of intercourse in the state of Colorado.

Once a Colorado family law court has acquired jurisdiction to adjudicate child support, it retains continuing, exclusive jurisdiction to modify its order if Colorado remains the residence of the child or one of the parents, or if the parents consent to Colorado exercising continuing jurisdiction.