(a) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, this section applies to all proceedings under this chapter.
(b) This chapter provides for the following proceedings:
(1) Establishment of an order for spousal support or child support pursuant to § 544 of this title;
(2) enforcement of a support order and income-withholding order of another state without registration pursuant to §§ 544a–544g of this title;
(3) registration of an order for spousal support or child support of another state for enforcement pursuant to §§ 545–547e of this title;
(4) modification of an order for child support or spousal support issued by a tribunal of Puerto Rico pursuant to §§ 542b–542e of this title;
(5) registration of an order for child support of another state for modification pursuant to §§ 545–547e of this title;
(6) determination of parentage pursuant to § 548 of this title, and
(7) assertion of jurisdiction over nonresidents pursuant to §§ 542–542b of this title.
(c) An individual petitioner or a support enforcement agency may commence a proceeding authorized under this chapter by filing a petition in an initiating tribunal for forwarding to a responding tribunal or by filing a petition or a comparable pleading directly in a tribunal of another state which has or can obtain personal jurisdiction over the respondent.
History —Dec. 20, 1997, No. 180, art. 3.301.