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<section article="gfl" article_name="Family Law" number="9.5-207" title_number="9.5" title_name="Maryland Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act" subtitle_number="2" subtitle_name="Jurisdiction">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>A court of this State that has jurisdiction under this title to make a child custody determination may decline to exercise its jurisdiction at any time if it determines that it is an inconvenient forum under the circumstances and that a court of another state is a more appropriate forum.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The issue of inconvenient forum may be raised upon motion of a party, the court’s own motion, or request of another court.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Before determining whether it is an inconvenient forum, a court of this State shall consider whether it is appropriate for a court of another state to exercise jurisdiction.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>For the purpose under paragraph (1) of this subsection, the court shall allow the parties to submit information and shall consider all relevant factors, including:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>whether domestic violence has occurred and is likely to continue in the future and which state could best protect the parties and the child;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>the length of time the child has resided outside this State;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>the distance between the court in this State and the court in the state that would assume jurisdiction;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>the relative financial circumstances of the parties;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>any agreement of the parties as to which state should assume jurisdiction;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vi">
        <text>the nature and location of the evidence required to resolve the pending litigation, including testimony of the child;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vii">
        <text>the ability of the court of each state to decide the issue expeditiously and the procedures necessary to present the evidence; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="viii">
        <text>the familiarity of the court of each state with the facts and issues in the pending litigation.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>If a court of this State determines that it is an inconvenient forum and that a court of another state is a more appropriate forum, it shall stay the proceedings upon condition that a child custody proceeding be promptly commenced in another designated state and may impose any other condition the court considers just and proper.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>A court of this State may decline to exercise its jurisdiction under this title if a child custody determination is incidental to an action for divorce or other proceeding while still retaining jurisdiction over the divorce or the other proceeding.</text>
  </level>
</section>
