Matter of Marriage of Cotter

Mother filed a motion to modify a California decree of joint child custody. She asked the Oregon court to award sole custody of the parties’ daughter to her. The Oregon court granted father’s motion to dismiss. She argues that the Oregon court erred in finding that California still has jurisdiction and appeals from the order of dismissal. We affirm.

The parties were married in Oregon in 1972. During the marriage, they lived in California, where the child was born in 1975. A California decree dissolved the marriage in 1977 and awarded custody to mother. In July, 1980, father moved in California…