Office of Child Support Ex Rel. Melissa Lewis v. James L. Lewis, Jr.

Summary

The Court reversed and vacated a family-court order requiring the father to reimburse Iowa for public assistance provided to the children's mother. It held that Vermont's family court lacked statutory subject matter jurisdiction because Iowa had not first established and ratified the public-assistance debt and the father's repayment obligation under Iowa law. The Court also held that UIFSA did not independently expand Vermont jurisdiction or permit the agencies to bypass Iowa's required procedures.