Walking in the Footsteps of International Shoe: Jurisdiction in Family Law Cases

Jennifer Riemer

Jennifer M. Riemer is an associate attorney with Walzer Melcher LLP She practices family law in Los Angeles and Ventura County and is a Certified Family Law Specialist. She is on the executive committee of the Beverly Hills Bar Association, Family Law Section. She is the vice-chair of the child support committee for the ABA, Family Law Section.

One of the exciting things about family law is when different areas of the law intersect. As practitioners, we are required to be knowledgeable about contracts, real estate, tax issues, and everything else. But before a case progresses, we must determine if the court even has the power to make orders as to those issues in the first place. In other words, we must ask whether there is jurisdiction? This article uses the family law petition as a guide to walk through the jurisdictional questions as to each aspect of a case.

1. Personal Jurisdiction