(4) A contest of a registered convention support order may be based only on grounds set forth in s. 769.708. The contesting party bears the burden of proof.
(5) In a contest of a registered convention support order, all of the following apply to a tribunal of this state:
(a) The tribunal is bound by the findings of fact on which the foreign tribunal based its jurisdiction.
(b) The tribunal may not review the merits of the order.
(6) A tribunal of this state deciding a contest of a registered convention support order shall promptly notify the parties of its decision.
(7) A challenge or appeal, if any, does not stay the enforcement of a convention support order unless there are exceptional circumstances.
769.708 Recognition and enforcement of registered convention support order. (1) Except as otherwise provided in sub. (2), a tribunal of this state shall recognize and enforce a registered convention support order.
(2) The following grounds are the only grounds on which a tribunal of this state may refuse recognition and enforcement of a registered convention support order:
(a) Recognition and enforcement of the order is manifestly incompatible with public policy, including the failure of the issuing tribunal to observe minimum standards of due process, which include notice and an opportunity to be heard.
(b) The issuing tribunal lacked personal jurisdiction consistent with s. 769.201.
(c) The order in not enforceable in the issuing country.
(d) The order was obtained by fraud in connection with a matter of procedure.
(e) A record transmitted in accordance with s. 769.706 lacks authenticity or integrity.
(f) A proceeding between the same parties and having the same purpose is pending before a tribunal of this state and that proceeding was the first to be filed.
(g) The order is incompatible with a more recent support order involving the same parties and having the same purpose, if the more recent support order is entitled to recognition and enforcement under this chapter in this state.
(h) Payment, to the extent alleged arrears have been paid in whole or in part.
(i) In a case in which the respondent neither appeared nor was represented in the proceeding in the issuing foreign country, if either of the following applies:
1. If the law of that country provides for prior notice of proceedings, the respondent did not have proper notice of the proceedings and an opportunity to be heard.
2. If the law of that country does not provide for prior notice of the proceedings, the respondent did not have proper notice of the order and an opportunity to be heard in a challenge or appeal on fact or law before a tribunal.
(j) The order was made in violation of s. 769.711.
(3) If a tribunal of this state does not recognize a convention support order under sub. (2) (b), (d), (f), or (i), both of the following apply:
(a) The tribunal may not dismiss the proceeding without allowing a reasonable time for a party to request the establishment of a new convention support order.
(b) The department shall take all appropriate measures to request a child support order for the obligee if the application for recognition and enforcement was received under s. 769.704.
769.709 Partial enforcement. If a tribunal of this state does not recognize and enforce a convention support order in its entirety, it shall enforce any severable part of the order. An application or direct request may seek recognition and partial enforcement of a convention support order.
769.710 Foreign support agreement. (1) Except as otherwise provided in subs. (3) and (4), a tribunal of this state shall recognize and enforce a foreign support agreement registered in this state.
(2) An application or direct request for recognition and enforcement of a foreign support agreement must be accompanied by all of the following:
(a) A complete text of the foreign support agreement.
(b) A record stating that the foreign support agreement is enforceable as a decision in the issuing country.
(3) A tribunal of this state may vacate the registration of the foreign support agreement only if, acting on its own motion, the tribunal finds that recognition and enforcement would be manifestly incompatible with public policy.
(4) In a contest of a foreign support agreement, a tribunal of this state may refuse recognition and enforcement of the agreement if it finds any of the following:
(a) Recognition and enforcement of the agreement is manifestly incompatible with public policy.
(b) The agreement was obtained by fraud or falsification.
(c) The agreement is incompatible with a support order involving the same parties and having the same purpose in this state, another state, or a foreign country, if the support order is entitled to recognition and enforcement under this chapter in this state.
(d) The record submitted under sub. (2) lacks authenticity or integrity.
(5) A proceeding for recognition and enforcement of a foreign support agreement shall be suspended during the pendency of a challenge to or appeal of the agreement before a tribunal of another state or a foreign country.
769.711 Modification of convention child support order. (1) A tribunal of this state may not modify a convention child support order if the obligee remains a resident of the foreign country where the support order was issued, unless any of the following applies:
(a) The obligee submits to the jurisdiction of a tribunal of this state, either expressly or by defending on the merits of the case without objecting to the jurisdiction at the first available opportunity.
(b) The foreign tribunal lacks or refuses to exercise jurisdiction to modify its support order or issue a new support order.
(2) If a tribunal of this state does not modify a convention child support order because the order is not recognized in this state, s. 769.708 (3) applies:
769.712 Personal information; limit on use. Personal information gathered or transmitted under this subchapter may be used only for the purposes for which it was gathered or transmitted.
769.713 Record in original language; English translation. A record filed with a tribunal of this state under this subchapter must be in the original language and, if not in English, must be accompanied by an English translation.
321,169
Section
169. 769.802 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
769.802 (2) If, under this chapter or a law substantially similar to this chapter, the Uniform Reciprocal Enforcement of Support Act or the Revised Uniform Reciprocal Enforcement of Support Act, the governor of another state makes a demand that the governor of this state surrender an individual charged criminally in that state with having failed to provide for the support of a child or other individual to whom a duty of support is owed, the governor may require a prosecutor to investigate the demand and report whether a proceeding for support has been initiated or would be effective. If it appears that a proceeding would be effective but has not been initiated, the governor may delay honoring the demand for a reasonable time to permit the initiation of a proceeding.
321,170
Section
170. 769.901 of the statutes is amended to read:
769.901 Uniformity of application and construction. This In applying and construing this chapter shall be applied and construed to effectuate its general purpose to make uniform, consideration must be given to the need to promote uniformity of the law with respect to the subject of this chapter among states enacting it.
321,171
Section
171. 769.903 (title) of the statutes is amended to read:
769.903 (title) Severability clause.
321,171m
Section 171m. 769.904 of the statutes is created to read:
769.904 Notice of treaty ratification. As soon as possible after the United States deposits the instrument of ratification for The Hague Convention on the International Recovery of Child Support and Other Forms of Family Maintenance with the Hague Conference on Private International Law, the department of children and families shall publish a notice in the Wisconsin Administrative Register that states the date on which the instrument of ratification was deposited.
321,172
Section
172.
Initial applicability.
(1) This act first applies to proceedings commenced on the effective date of this subsection to establish a support order or determine parentage of a child or to register, recognize, enforce, or modify a prior support order, determination, or agreement, whenever issued or entered.
(1c) This act takes effect on the date stated in the notice published in the Wisconsin Administrative Register under section 769.904 of the statutes, as created by this act.