Dobyns v. Dobyns

WASSERSTROM, Presiding Judge.

This is a child custody determination made pursuant to an original petition filed by the father Robert Dobyns (“Robert”). The trial court granted custody to Robert with rights of visitation to the mother Dao Thi Dobyns (“Dao”). Dao appeals. Contrary to her contentions, we hold: (1) the Missouri trial court had jurisdiction to hold an original custody hearing and was not precluded from doing so by the divorce decree entered by a Nevada court in 1978; (2) the trial court was not required to defer to the alleged continuing jurisdiction of the Nevada court; and (3)…