General Laws of Massachusetts (Last Updated: January 16, 2020) |
PART II REAL AND PERSONAL PROPERTY AND DOMESTIC RELATIONS |
TITLE III. DOMESTIC RELATIONS |
CHAPTER 209D. UNIFORM INTERSTATE FAMILY SUPPORT ACT |
ARTICLE 7. SUPPORT PROCEEDING UNDER CONVENTION. |
SECTION 7-710. Foreign support agreement
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Section 7–710. Foreign support agreement.
(a) Except as otherwise provided in subsections (c) and (d), a tribunal of the commonwealth shall recognize and enforce a foreign support agreement registered in the commonwealth.
(b) An application or direct request for recognition and enforcement of a foreign support agreement must be accompanied by:
(1) a complete text of the foreign support agreement; and
(2) a record stating that the foreign support agreement is enforceable as an order of support in the issuing country.
(c) A tribunal of the commonwealth may vacate the registration of a foreign support agreement only if, acting on its own motion, the tribunal finds that recognition and enforcement would be manifestly incompatible with public policy.
(d) In a contest of a foreign support agreement, a tribunal of the commonwealth may refuse recognition and enforcement of the agreement if it finds:
(1) recognition and enforcement of the agreement is manifestly incompatible with public policy;
(2) the agreement was obtained by fraud or falsification;
(3) the agreement is incompatible with a support order involving the same parties and having the same purpose in the commonwealth, another state or a foreign country if the support order is entitled to recognition and enforcement under this chapter in the commonwealth; or
(4) the record submitted under subsection (b) lacks authenticity or integrity.
(e) A proceeding for recognition and enforcement of a foreign support agreement must be suspended during the pendency of a challenge to or appeal of the agreement before a tribunal of another state or a foreign country.