Lakers guard Luka Dončić is locked in an international custody battle with ex-fiancée Anamaria Goltes over daughters Gabriela (born 2023) and Olivia (born 2024), with Goltes filing for child support and attorney fees in California while Dončić pursues jurisdiction in Slovenia. Per ESPN's November 2025 report, Dončić has seen his daughters only two days since September 2025 and filed a February 26 interim injunction in Slovenian courts. Under California's Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (UCCJEA), the children's "home state" — typically where they lived for six consecutive months — controls jurisdiction.
Key Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| What happened | Cross-border custody dispute between Luka Dončić and Anamaria Goltes |
| When | Filings escalated Sept 2025; Slovenian injunction filed Feb 26, 2026 |
| Where | Competing filings in California Superior Court and Slovenian courts |
| Who's affected | Daughters Gabriela (b. 2023) and Olivia (b. 2024) |
| Key statute | California Family Code §§ 3400–3465 (UCCJEA) |
| Practical impact | Jurisdictional ruling will determine custody, support, and parenting framework |
Why This Matters Legally
This dispute turns on one question that controls everything else: which country has jurisdiction to decide custody. Under Cal. Fam. Code § 3421, a California court can make an initial custody determination only if California was the child's "home state" on the date proceedings commenced, or within six months before filing. For Gabriela (age 2) and Olivia (approaching 2), that six-month window matters enormously — small children move frequently, and a single summer in Los Angeles does not automatically create California jurisdiction.
The UCCJEA, adopted in 49 states including California, treats foreign countries as if they were states for jurisdictional purposes. That means Slovenia's courts receive the same deference California would give to Nevada or Texas, provided Slovenia's custody procedures comport with fundamental due process. Per Cal. Fam. Code § 3405, a California judge must recognize and enforce a Slovenian custody order if Slovenia was the home state and its procedures meet UCCJEA standards.
Goltes's California filing for child support and attorney fees is a separate legal question from custody jurisdiction. Under Cal. Fam. Code § 4909 (the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act, or UIFSA), California can exercise "long-arm" personal jurisdiction over a non-resident parent who has sufficient contacts with the state — and Dončić's NBA employment with the Lakers arguably creates those contacts. So California may end up with jurisdiction over support while Slovenia retains jurisdiction over custody, a common outcome in international family cases.
How California Law Handles This
California applies a strict home-state hierarchy under the UCCJEA. The first inquiry under Cal. Fam. Code § 3402 is where each child has lived with a parent for at least six consecutive months immediately before the custody proceeding began. For infants under six months old, the home state is where the child has lived since birth. Because Olivia was born in 2024 and Gabriela in 2023, the trial court will scrutinize residence records — passport stamps, school enrollment, medical appointments, immigration filings — to establish the operative six-month period.
If Slovenia qualifies as the home state, California must decline jurisdiction under Cal. Fam. Code § 3426, which gives the home state exclusive authority absent narrow exceptions. The exceptions include emergency jurisdiction under Cal. Fam. Code § 3424 when a child is present in California and has been abandoned or needs protection — not applicable here based on reported facts.
On the support side, California courts apply the statewide uniform guideline under Cal. Fam. Code § 4055, which uses an algebraic formula weighing each parent's net disposable income and custodial timeshare. Dončić's 2025–26 NBA contract reportedly pays over $45 million annually, which would produce guideline support in the tens of thousands per month per child — though California courts retain discretion under Cal. Fam. Code § 4057 to deviate from the guideline when the payor's income is "extraordinarily high" and the formula would exceed the children's reasonable needs. Attorney fee awards in high-asset cases are governed by Cal. Fam. Code § 2030, which requires the court to ensure each party has access to legal representation based on relative need and ability to pay.
Practical Takeaways
-
Document your children's residence meticulously. If you anticipate a cross-border dispute, keep records of where the children slept each night for at least the prior 12 months — leases, school rosters, pediatrician visits, passport entries, and travel itineraries. The home-state analysis lives or dies on this evidence.
-
File first in the correct forum. Under Cal. Fam. Code § 3426, when two courts learn of competing proceedings, the court with jurisdiction defers to the home state. Filing in the wrong state wastes time and money and can signal forum-shopping to the eventual deciding judge.
-
Separate custody jurisdiction from support jurisdiction. These are governed by different statutes (UCCJEA for custody, UIFSA for support) and can land in different courts. A parent can lose the custody jurisdictional fight but still pursue support in California under long-arm jurisdiction per Cal. Fam. Code § 4909.
-
Expect the case to take 12–24 months. International UCCJEA disputes require evidentiary hearings, often with expert testimony from foreign law specialists. Budget both time and legal fees accordingly — California high-asset custody cases frequently exceed $250,000 in combined fees.
-
Request a Cal. Fam. Code § 3111 child custody evaluation early. When parents live on different continents, courts rely heavily on neutral evaluators to assess bonding, logistics, and the child's best interests. Waiting to request one delays resolution by months.
Frequently Asked Questions
What determines which country has custody jurisdiction in international cases?
The child's "home state" controls under Cal. Fam. Code § 3421, defined as where the child lived with a parent for six consecutive months before proceedings began. For infants under six months, it's where they've lived since birth. The UCCJEA treats foreign countries identically to US states for this analysis.
Can a California court order child support even if Slovenia has custody jurisdiction?
Yes. Support and custody are governed by different statutes. Under California's UIFSA (Cal. Fam. Code § 4909), California courts can exercise long-arm personal jurisdiction over a non-resident parent with sufficient California contacts — such as employment — even when another jurisdiction handles custody issues.
How much child support could a California court order against a parent earning $45 million annually?
California's guideline formula under Cal. Fam. Code § 4055 could produce tens of thousands per month per child, but courts may deviate from guideline under Cal. Fam. Code § 4057 when income is "extraordinarily high" and guideline exceeds the children's reasonable needs. Deviation requires specific findings on the record.
What happens if two countries issue conflicting custody orders?
Under Cal. Fam. Code § 3405, California must recognize and enforce the order issued by the home state if that forum's procedures meet UCCJEA due-process standards. Courts communicate directly under Cal. Fam. Code § 3410 to resolve conflicts, and the non-home-state order is typically unenforceable.
How long do international custody disputes typically take to resolve?
International UCCJEA cases typically take 12 to 24 months to reach final resolution due to evidentiary hearings on home-state facts, expert testimony on foreign law, and potential appellate review. Emergency or interim orders under Cal. Fam. Code § 3424 can be obtained within 30 to 60 days when circumstances warrant.
If you're facing an interstate or international custody issue in California, working with a family law attorney experienced in UCCJEA litigation is essential to protect your parental rights and your children's stability.
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.