Lakers star Luka Doncic has asked an L.A. County Superior Court judge to dismiss his ex-fiancée Anamaria Goltes' child support petition for their two daughters, arguing that California lacks jurisdiction because both children — Gabriela, 2, and Olivia, 3 months — live in Slovenia. Doncic's filing calls the petition "a clear attempt to forum shop" California's famously generous child support guidelines, raising a jurisdiction question that affects any parent navigating custody across international borders.
Key Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| What happened | Doncic filed a motion to dismiss Goltes' California child support petition |
| When | March 2026 |
| Where | L.A. County Superior Court |
| Who's affected | Daughters Gabriela (age 2) and Olivia (3 months) |
| Key legal issue | Forum shopping — filing in a jurisdiction with more favorable support rules |
| Competing filing | Doncic filed a separate custody petition in Slovenia |
| Key statute | Cal. Fam. Code § 3421 (UCCJEA home state jurisdiction) |
What Forum Shopping Means in Family Law
Forum shopping is when a parent files custody or support proceedings in a jurisdiction they believe will produce a more favorable outcome, rather than the jurisdiction where the children actually live. California courts take this seriously. Under the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act, codified in California as Cal. Fam. Code §§ 3400-3465, a court must have proper jurisdiction before it can hear a custody or support case. The statute exists specifically to prevent parents from racing to the courthouse in whichever state or country offers them the best deal.
Doncic's legal team is making a straightforward argument: the children's "home state" is Slovenia, not California. If the children have not lived in California for at least six consecutive months before the filing, California generally cannot claim home state jurisdiction under Cal. Fam. Code § 3421(a)(1). That six-month residency requirement is the primary gateway for jurisdiction in child custody matters.
The allegation carries real weight. According to TMZ's reporting, Doncic states he has not seen his daughters in over three months, and both children reside in Slovenia with their mother. If accurate, this timeline undercuts any argument that California is the children's home state.
How California Determines Jurisdiction Under the UCCJEA
California courts apply a strict four-part test under Cal. Fam. Code § 3421 to determine whether they have jurisdiction over a child custody matter. The court must find at least one of the following:
- California is the child's "home state," meaning the child lived here for six consecutive months immediately before the proceeding was filed
- California was the home state within six months before filing, and a parent still lives in California
- No other state qualifies as the home state, and the child has significant connections to California with substantial evidence available here
- All other states with jurisdiction have declined to exercise it
For international cases, Cal. Fam. Code § 3405(a) extends UCCJEA principles to foreign countries, treating a foreign nation's custody jurisdiction "as if it were a state of the United States." Slovenia's custody proceedings would likely be recognized under this framework, assuming Slovenia's courts meet basic due process standards — which, as an EU member state, they do.
The competing filings create what family law attorneys call a "jurisdictional race." California courts must determine which jurisdiction has priority. Under Cal. Fam. Code § 3426, if a California court learns that a custody proceeding has been started in another jurisdiction, it must communicate with that court to resolve the conflict. The court with proper home state jurisdiction generally wins.
Why California Child Support Numbers Matter Here
Doncic's accusation of forum shopping is not abstract. California's child support guidelines, calculated under Cal. Fam. Code § 4055, use a formula that considers both parents' net disposable incomes, the percentage of time each parent has custody, and tax filing status. For a high-income earner like Doncic — whose reported Lakers salary exceeds $40 million annually — California's formula can produce monthly support obligations well into six figures.
By contrast, European child support systems, including Slovenia's, typically cap support at levels tied to the child's reasonable needs rather than a percentage of parental income. The difference for a professional athlete earning tens of millions of dollars annually can be enormous — potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars per month under California guidelines versus a fraction of that in Slovenia.
California courts can also impute income from endorsement deals, bonuses, and investment returns under Cal. Fam. Code § 4058, further increasing the calculated support obligation. The financial stakes of which country hears this case are substantial.
Practical Takeaways for Parents Facing Cross-Border Custody Issues
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Establish your children's home state early. Under UCCJEA rules, the six-month residency clock matters enormously. If you are relocating with children or your co-parent is living abroad, document where the children have been living continuously.
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File in the correct jurisdiction first. Courts give significant weight to which parent filed in the proper home state jurisdiction. Filing in a state where the children do not live can backfire, resulting in dismissal and potential sanctions under Cal. Fam. Code § 3428.
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Respond immediately to competing foreign filings. If your co-parent files custody proceedings in another country, you have a narrow window to challenge jurisdiction. Ignoring a foreign proceeding does not make it go away — it can result in a default judgment that California courts may be obligated to enforce under Cal. Fam. Code § 3443.
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Understand that California support calculations favor the lower-earning parent in high-income cases. If you earn significantly more than your co-parent, California's income-based formula will produce higher support numbers than most other jurisdictions. This is by design, not a flaw in the system.
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Retain counsel in both jurisdictions. Cross-border custody disputes require attorneys licensed in each relevant jurisdiction. A California family law attorney cannot represent you in Slovenian proceedings, and vice versa.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is forum shopping in a custody case?
Forum shopping occurs when a parent files custody or support proceedings in a jurisdiction chosen for its favorable laws rather than where the children actually live. California courts reject this practice under Cal. Fam. Code § 3421, which requires children to have lived in the state for at least six consecutive months before a court can claim home state jurisdiction.
Can California courts handle custody cases involving children who live in another country?
California courts can exercise jurisdiction over children living abroad only if California qualifies as the home state under the UCCJEA's six-month residency test, or if one of three alternative bases under Cal. Fam. Code § 3421 is met. For children who have never lived in California or left more than six months ago, the court will typically decline jurisdiction in favor of the children's home country.
How much child support would a player earning $40 million owe in California?
California's guideline formula under Cal. Fam. Code § 4055 calculates support based on both parents' net disposable incomes and custody time percentages. For a parent earning $40 million annually with the other parent having primary custody, monthly support could exceed $100,000, depending on the custodial time split, tax deductions, and other income sources factored under Cal. Fam. Code § 4058.
What happens when custody cases are filed in two different countries at the same time?
When competing custody proceedings exist in California and a foreign country, Cal. Fam. Code § 3426 requires the California court to communicate with the foreign court to resolve the jurisdictional conflict. The court with proper home state jurisdiction — where the children have lived for six consecutive months — generally takes priority, and the other court must stay or dismiss its case.
Does a parent's NBA salary affect which country hears the case?
A parent's income level does not determine jurisdiction. Jurisdiction depends on where the children live, not where the higher-earning parent works. However, the financial difference between jurisdictions — California's income-percentage formula versus Slovenia's needs-based approach — creates a strong incentive for the lower-earning parent to file in California, which is exactly what forum shopping allegations address.
Connect with an experienced California family law attorney through our California directory to understand how jurisdiction rules apply to your situation.
This article discusses recent news and provides general legal commentary. It does not constitute legal advice. Every case is unique. Consult a qualified family law attorney for advice specific to your situation.