Custody of Brandon

The defendant father, George, appeals from a decision of the Probate and Family Court (Probate Court), granting physical custody of the parties’ minor son to the plaintiff mother, Brenda. The defendant claims that the Probate Court lacked jurisdiction under the Massachusetts child custody jurisdiction act, G. L. c. 209B (1988 ed.), to consider custody issues. He argues also that the court should have deferred to a prior custody determination by a Mississippi court. The defendant contends further that the assertion of jurisdiction by the Massachusetts court violated both the Federal Parental…