(a) A court of this state shall not
exercise its jurisdiction under this act if at
the time of filing the petition a proceeding
concerning the custody of the child was pending
in a court of another state exercising
jurisdiction substantially in conformity with
this act, unless the proceeding is stayed by the
court of the other state because this state is a
more appropriate forum or for other reasons.
(b) Before hearing the petition in a
custody proceeding the court shall examine the
pleadings and other information supplied by the
parties under K.S.A. 38-1309 shall consult the
child custody registry established under K.S.A.
38-1316 concerning the pendency of proceedings
with respect to the child in other states. If the
court has reason to believe that proceedings may
be pending in another state it shall direct an
inquiry to the state court administrator or other
appropriate official of the other state.
(c) If the court is informed during the
course of the proceeding that a proceeding
concerning the custody of the child was pending
in another state before the court assumed
jurisdiction it shall stay the proceeding and
communicate with the court in which the other
proceeding is pending to the end that the issue
may be litigated in the more appropriate forum
and that information be exchanged in accordance
with K.S.A. 38-1319 to 38-1322, inclusive. If a
court of this state has made a custody decree
before being informed of a pending proceeding in
a court of another state it shall immediately
inform that court of the fact. If the court is
informed that a proceeding was commenced in
another state after it assumed jurisdiction it
shall likewise inform the other court to the end
that the issues may be litigated in the more
appropriate forum.
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