In Re Marriage of Pavelcik

The instant case involves a child custody modification action between Janet Pavelcik, the petitioner-mother, and Joseph Pavelcik, the respondent-father. The circuit court, on motion of the petitioner, entered a finding of forum non conveniens and transferred the matter to the courts of Missouri, where the petitioner and the children have resided since shortly after the September 1979 dissolution of the parties’ marriage. Respondent appeals, contending that: (1) the trial court retained continuing jurisdiction over custody in the dissolution decree, which jurisdiction he validly invoked; (2)…