{"data":{"id":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-43-43-551-208","jurisdiction":"us-ok","citation":"Okla. Stat. tit. 43, § 43-551-208","heading":"Jurisdiction declined by reason of conduct","body":"JURISDICTION DECLINED BY REASON OF CONDUCT\n\nA. Except as otherwise provided in Section 16 of this act or by\n\nanother law of this state, if a court of this state has jurisdiction\n\nunder this act because a person seeking to invoke its jurisdiction\n\nhas engaged in unjustifiable conduct, the court shall decline to\n\nexercise its jurisdiction unless:\n\n1. The parents and all persons acting as parents have\n\nacquiesced in the exercise of jurisdiction;\n\n2. A court of the state otherwise having jurisdiction under\n\nSections 13 through 15 of this act determines that this state is a\n\nmore appropriate forum under Section 19 of this act; or\n\n3. No court of any other state would have jurisdiction under\n\nthe criteria specified in Sections 13 through 15 of this act.\n\nB. If a court of this state declines to exercise its\n\njurisdiction pursuant to subsection A of this section, it may\n\nfashion an appropriate remedy to ensure the safety of the child and\n\nprevent a repetition of the unjustifiable conduct, including staying\n\nthe proceeding until a child custody proceeding is commenced in a\n\ncourt having jurisdiction under Sections 13 through 15 of this act.\n\nC. If a court dismisses a petition or stays a proceeding\n\nbecause it declines to exercise its jurisdiction pursuant to\n\nsubsection A of this section, it shall assess against the party\n\nseeking to invoke its jurisdiction necessary and reasonable expenses\n\nincluding costs, communication expenses, attorney fees,\n\ninvestigative fees, expenses for witnesses, travel expenses, and\n\nchild care during the course of the proceedings, unless the party\n\nfrom whom fees are sought establishes that the assessment would be\n\nclearly inappropriate. The court may not assess fees, costs, or\n\nexpenses against this state unless authorized by law other than this\n\nact.","path":["OK Code","Title 43"],"source_url":"https://www.oklegislature.gov/OK_Statutes/CompleteTitles/os43.pdf","current_through":"2026-08-14","vintage":"open-us-law v2026.08, retrieved 2026-09-14","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T18:32:36Z","sha256":"9e3b718ab615f8773952e4032752035edbe2919d762f98c673fb1a4f418892fe","source_id":"us-ok","stale":false,"prev":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-43-43-551-207","next":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-43-43-551-209"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}