{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/20-146.9.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/20-146.9.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/20-146.9.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/20-146.9.html"}],"law_id":353586,"edition_id":2,"section_id":353586,"structure_id":50627,"section_number":"20-146.9","catch_line":"Communication between courts","history":"2001, c. 305.","full_text":"A\n\nBefore finding and exercising jurisdiction, a court of this Commonwealth shall communicate with the court appearing to have jurisdiction in any other state concerning a proceeding arising under this act.\n\nB\n\nThe court may allow the parties to participate in the communication. If the parties are not able to participate in the communication, they must be given the opportunity to present facts and legal arguments before a decision on jurisdiction is made.\n\nC\n\nCommunication between courts on schedules, calendars, court records, and similar matters may occur without informing the parties. A record need not be made of the communication.\n\nD\n\nExcept as otherwise provided in subsection C, a record must be made of a communication under this section. The parties must be informed promptly of the communication and granted access to the record.\n\nE\n\nFor the purposes of this section, “record” means information that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that is stored in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in perceivable form.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1317295,"text":"Before finding and exercising jurisdiction, a court of this Commonwealth shall communicate with the court appearing to have jurisdiction in any other state concerning a proceeding arising under this act.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":1317296,"text":"The court may allow the parties to participate in the communication. If the parties are not able to participate in the communication, they must be given the opportunity to present facts and legal arguments before a decision on jurisdiction is made.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":1317297,"text":"Communication between courts on schedules, calendars, court records, and similar matters may occur without informing the parties. A record need not be made of the communication.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"D"},"3":{"id":1317298,"text":"Except as otherwise provided in subsection C, a record must be made of a communication under this section. The parties must be informed promptly of the communication and granted access to the record.","type":"section","prefixes":["D"],"prefix":"D","entire_prefix":"D","prefix_anchor":"D","level":1,"prior_prefix":"C","next_prefix":"E"},"4":{"id":1317299,"text":"For the purposes of this section, “record” means information that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that is stored in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in perceivable form.","type":"section","prefixes":["E"],"prefix":"E","entire_prefix":"E","prefix_anchor":"E","level":1,"prior_prefix":"D"}},"ancestry":[{"id":50627,"edition_id":2,"name":"General Provisions","identifier":"1","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":50626,"metadata":{"child_laws":11,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:30:17","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:53","permalink":{"id":1406227,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50627,"identifier":"1","token":"20\/7.1\/1","url":"\/20\/7.1\/1\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":50626,"edition_id":2,"name":"Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act","identifier":"7.1","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":15,"parent_id":50619,"metadata":{"child_laws":38,"child_structures":4},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:30:17","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:53","permalink":{"id":1406225,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50626,"identifier":"7.1","token":"20\/7.1","url":"\/20\/7.1\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":50619,"edition_id":2,"name":"Domestic Relations","identifier":"20","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":56,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":329,"child_structures":36},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:30:08","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:49","permalink":{"id":1405077,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50619,"identifier":"20","token":"20","url":"\/20\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":353549,"structure_id":50627,"section_number":"20-146.1","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/20-146.1\/","token":"20\/7.1\/1\/20-146.1","metadata":false},{"id":353550,"structure_id":50627,"section_number":"20-146.10","catch_line":"Taking testimony in another state","url":"\/20-146.10\/","token":"20\/7.1\/1\/20-146.10","metadata":false},{"id":353551,"structure_id":50627,"section_number":"20-146.11","catch_line":"Cooperation between courts; preservation of records","url":"\/20-146.11\/","token":"20\/7.1\/1\/20-146.11","metadata":false},{"id":353560,"structure_id":50627,"section_number":"20-146.2","catch_line":"Proceedings governed by other law","url":"\/20-146.2\/","token":"20\/7.1\/1\/20-146.2","metadata":false},{"id":353571,"structure_id":50627,"section_number":"20-146.3","catch_line":"Application to Indian tribes","url":"\/20-146.3\/","token":"20\/7.1\/1\/20-146.3","metadata":false},{"id":353581,"structure_id":50627,"section_number":"20-146.4","catch_line":"International application","url":"\/20-146.4\/","token":"20\/7.1\/1\/20-146.4","metadata":false},{"id":353582,"structure_id":50627,"section_number":"20-146.5","catch_line":"Effect of child custody determination","url":"\/20-146.5\/","token":"20\/7.1\/1\/20-146.5","metadata":false},{"id":353583,"structure_id":50627,"section_number":"20-146.6","catch_line":"Priority","url":"\/20-146.6\/","token":"20\/7.1\/1\/20-146.6","metadata":false},{"id":353584,"structure_id":50627,"section_number":"20-146.7","catch_line":"Notice to persons outside state","url":"\/20-146.7\/","token":"20\/7.1\/1\/20-146.7","metadata":{"court_decisions":""}},{"id":353585,"structure_id":50627,"section_number":"20-146.8","catch_line":"Appearance and limited immunity","url":"\/20-146.8\/","token":"20\/7.1\/1\/20-146.8","metadata":false},{"id":353586,"structure_id":50627,"section_number":"20-146.9","catch_line":"Communication between courts","url":"\/20-146.9\/","token":"20\/7.1\/1\/20-146.9","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":353585,"structure_id":50627,"section_number":"20-146.8","catch_line":"Appearance and limited immunity","url":"\/20-146.8\/","token":"20\/7.1\/1\/20-146.8","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/20-146.9\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 2001. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 305<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":1406269,"object_type":"law","relational_id":353586,"identifier":"20-146.9","token":"20\/7.1\/1\/20-146.9","url":"\/20-146.9\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/20-146.9\/","token":"20\/7.1\/1\/20-146.9","dublin_core":{"Title":"Communication between courts","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 20-146.9","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> Before finding<\/span> and exercising jurisdiction<\/span>, a court<\/span> of this Commonwealth shall communicate with the court<\/span> appearing to have jurisdiction<\/span> in any other state concerning a proceeding arising under this act. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> The court<\/span> may allow the parties to participate in the communication. If the parties are not able to participate in the communication, they must be given the opportunity to present facts<\/span> and legal arguments before a decision on jurisdiction<\/span> is made. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> Communication between courts<\/span> on schedules<\/span>, calendars, court<\/span> records<\/span>, and similar matters may occur without informing the parties. A record<\/span> need not be made of the communication. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

D.<\/span> Except as otherwise provided in subsection C, a record<\/span> must be made of a communication under this section. The parties must be informed promptly of the communication and granted access to the record<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

E.<\/span> For the purposes of this section, “record<\/span>” means information that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that is stored in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in perceivable form. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nCOMMUNICATION BETWEEN COURTS (\u00a7 20-146.9)\n\nA. Before finding and exercising jurisdiction, a court of this Commonwealth\nshall communicate with the court appearing to have jurisdiction in any other\nstate concerning a proceeding arising under this act.\n\nB. The court may allow the parties to participate in the communication. If the\nparties are not able to participate in the communication, they must be given the\nopportunity to present facts and legal arguments before a decision on\njurisdiction is made.\n\nC. Communication between courts on schedules, calendars, court records, and\nsimilar matters may occur without informing the parties. A record need not be\nmade of the communication.\n\nD. Except as otherwise provided in subsection C, a record must be made of a\ncommunication under this section. The parties must be informed promptly of the\ncommunication and granted access to the record.\n\nE. For the purposes of this section, “record” means information that\nis inscribed on a tangible medium or that is stored in an electronic or other\nmedium and is retrievable in perceivable form.\n\nHISTORY: 2001, c. 305.","edition":{"id":2,"name":"2026","slug":"2026","date_created":"2026-07-16 18:40:23","date_modified":"2026-08-02 15:14:36","current":1,"order_by":2,"last_import":"2026-08-02 12:37:30"}}