{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/20-88.43_2.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/20-88.43_2.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/20-88.43_2.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/20-88.43_2.html"}],"law_id":353737,"edition_id":2,"section_id":353737,"structure_id":50646,"section_number":"20-88.43:2","catch_line":"Continuing, exclusive jurisdiction to modify spousal support order","history":"2005, c. 754; 2015, c. 727.","full_text":"A\n\nA court of the Commonwealth issuing a spousal support order consistent with the law of the Commonwealth has continuing, exclusive jurisdiction to modify the spousal support order throughout the existence of the support obligation.\n\nB\n\nA court of the Commonwealth may not modify a spousal support order issued by a tribunal of another state or a foreign country having continuing, exclusive jurisdiction over that order under the law of that state or foreign country.\n\nC\n\nA court of the Commonwealth that has continuing, exclusive jurisdiction over a spousal support order may serve as:\n\n1\n\nAn initiating court to request a tribunal of another state to enforce the spousal support order issued in the Commonwealth; or\n\n2\n\nA responding court to enforce or modify its own spousal support order.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1317776,"text":"A court of the Commonwealth issuing a spousal support order consistent with the law of the Commonwealth has continuing, exclusive jurisdiction to modify the spousal support order throughout the existence of the support obligation.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":1317777,"text":"A court of the Commonwealth may not modify a spousal support order issued by a tribunal of another state or a foreign country having continuing, exclusive jurisdiction over that order under the law of that state or foreign country.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":1317778,"text":"A court of the Commonwealth that has continuing, exclusive jurisdiction over a spousal support order may serve as:","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"C1"},"3":{"id":1317779,"text":"An initiating court to request a tribunal of another state to enforce the spousal support order issued in the Commonwealth; or","type":"section","prefixes":["C","1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"C1","prefix_anchor":"C1","level":2,"prior_prefix":"C","next_prefix":"C2"},"4":{"id":1317780,"text":"A responding court to enforce or modify its own spousal support order.","type":"section","prefixes":["C","2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"C2","prefix_anchor":"C2","level":2,"prior_prefix":"C1"}},"ancestry":[{"id":50646,"edition_id":2,"name":"Reconciliation of Two or More Orders","identifier":"4","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":4,"parent_id":50642,"metadata":{"child_laws":5,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:30:39","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:51","permalink":{"id":1405725,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50646,"identifier":"4","token":"20\/5.3\/4","url":"\/20\/5.3\/4\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":50642,"edition_id":2,"name":"Uniform Interstate Family Support Act","identifier":"5.3","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":10,"parent_id":50619,"metadata":{"child_laws":77,"child_structures":13},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:30:37","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:50","permalink":{"id":1405597,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50642,"identifier":"5.3","token":"20\/5.3","url":"\/20\/5.3\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":50619,"edition_id":2,"name":"Domestic Relations","identifier":"20","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":56,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":329,"child_structures":36},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:30:08","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:49","permalink":{"id":1405077,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50619,"identifier":"20","token":"20","url":"\/20\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":353733,"structure_id":50646,"section_number":"20-88.41","catch_line":"Determination of controlling child support order","url":"\/20-88.41\/","token":"20\/5.3\/4\/20-88.41","metadata":false},{"id":353734,"structure_id":50646,"section_number":"20-88.42","catch_line":"Child support orders for two or more obligees","url":"\/20-88.42\/","token":"20\/5.3\/4\/20-88.42","metadata":false},{"id":353735,"structure_id":50646,"section_number":"20-88.43","catch_line":"Credit for payments","url":"\/20-88.43\/","token":"20\/5.3\/4\/20-88.43","metadata":false},{"id":353736,"structure_id":50646,"section_number":"20-88.43:1","catch_line":"Application to nonresident subject to personal jurisdiction","url":"\/20-88.43_1\/","token":"20\/5.3\/4\/20-88.43_1","metadata":false},{"id":353737,"structure_id":50646,"section_number":"20-88.43:2","catch_line":"Continuing, exclusive jurisdiction to modify spousal support order","url":"\/20-88.43_2\/","token":"20\/5.3\/4\/20-88.43_2","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":353736,"structure_id":50646,"section_number":"20-88.43:1","catch_line":"Application to nonresident subject to personal jurisdiction","url":"\/20-88.43_1\/","token":"20\/5.3\/4\/20-88.43_1","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/20-88.43:2\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 2005. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 754<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. It has been modified 1 time. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. That modification is as follows: in 2015, chapter 727<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":353728,"section_number":"20-88.36","catch_line":"Duration of personal jurisdiction","order_by":null,"url":"\/20-88.36\/"}],"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":1405743,"object_type":"law","relational_id":353737,"identifier":"20-88.43:2","token":"20\/5.3\/4\/20-88.43_2","url":"\/20-88.43_2\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/20-88.43_2\/","token":"20\/5.3\/4\/20-88.43_2","dublin_core":{"Title":"Continuing, exclusive jurisdiction to modify spousal support order","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 20-88.43:2","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> A court<\/span> of the Commonwealth issuing a spousal support order<\/span> consistent with the law<\/span> of the Commonwealth has continuing, exclusive jurisdiction<\/span> to modify the spousal support order<\/span> throughout the existence of the support obligation. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> A court<\/span> of the Commonwealth may not modify a spousal support order<\/span> issued by a tribunal<\/span> of another state<\/span> or a foreign country<\/span> having continuing, exclusive jurisdiction<\/span> over that order under the law<\/span> of that state<\/span> or foreign country<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> A court<\/span> of the Commonwealth that has continuing, exclusive jurisdiction<\/span> over a spousal support order<\/span> may serve as: <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> An initiating court<\/span> to request a tribunal<\/span> of another state<\/span> to enforce the spousal support order<\/span> issued in the Commonwealth; or <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> A responding court<\/span> to enforce or modify its own spousal support order<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nCONTINUING, EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION TO MODIFY SPOUSAL SUPPORT ORDER (\u00a7\n20-88.43:2)\n\nA. A court of the Commonwealth issuing a spousal support order consistent with\nthe law of the Commonwealth has continuing, exclusive jurisdiction to modify the\nspousal support order throughout the existence of the support obligation.\n\nB. A court of the Commonwealth may not modify a spousal support order issued by\na tribunal of another state or a foreign country having continuing, exclusive\njurisdiction over that order under the law of that state or foreign country.\n\nC. A court of the Commonwealth that has continuing, exclusive jurisdiction over\na spousal support order may serve as:\n\n 1. An initiating court to request a tribunal of another state to enforce the\n spousal support order issued in the Commonwealth; or\n\n 2. A responding court to enforce or modify its own spousal support order.\n\nHISTORY: 2005, c. 754; 2015, c. 727.","edition":{"id":2,"name":"2026","slug":"2026","date_created":"2026-07-16 18:40:23","date_modified":"2026-08-02 15:14:36","current":1,"order_by":2,"last_import":"2026-08-02 12:37:30"}}