§1.06 Jurisdiction After Petition Filed

Once a petition to declare dependency is filed, your court has sole jurisdiction over custody, visitation, and parentage issues until the petition is dismissed or dependency is terminated. While the proceeding is pending, the Family Court has no authority to award or change custody or to make orders regarding visitation. The Probate Court also has no authority to establish a guardianship or to modify or terminate an existing guardianship. [WIC §§304, 316.2(e); CRC 5.510(c), 5.620(a).]