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Massachusetts General Laws Part II. Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations (Ch. 183-210) Ch. 209D, § 7-710

Current as of January 01, 2023 | Updated by FindLaw Staff

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.

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Cite this article: FindLaw.com - Massachusetts General Laws Part II. Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations (Ch. 183-210) Ch. 209D, § 7-710 - last updated January 01, 2023 | https://codes.findlaw.com/ma/part-ii-real-and-personal-property-and-domestic-relations-ch-183-210/ma-gen-laws-ch-209d-sect-7-710/

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