Legal Definitions - National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws

National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws (NCCUSL)

The National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws (NCCUSL) is an independent, non-profit organization comprised of legal experts from all 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Founded in 1892, its primary mission is to research, draft, and propose non-partisan model laws for adoption by individual state legislatures. The goal is to create greater clarity and consistency in state laws across various subjects, making legal processes smoother and more predictable for individuals and businesses operating across state lines.

Here are some examples of how the NCCUSL's work applies:

• Example 1: The Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act (UFADAA)

  Imagine a situation where a person passes away, and their family needs to access their online accounts—like email, social media, or cloud storage—to manage their estate. Before the NCCUSL drafted the UFADAA, different states had conflicting or unclear laws about whether an executor or trustee could legally access these digital assets. The UFADAA provides a standardized framework that states can adopt, allowing fiduciaries (like executors) to manage digital assets in the same way they manage physical assets, while also respecting privacy. This ensures that a family in California faces similar legal procedures for digital assets as a family in New York, simplifying estate administration across state lines.

• Example 2: The Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (UCCJEA)

  Consider a divorced couple with children, where one parent lives in Texas and the other in Oklahoma. If a dispute arises over custody or visitation, it can be confusing to determine which state's court has the authority to make decisions. The NCCUSL developed the UCCJEA to address this exact problem. This uniform act establishes clear rules for determining which state has initial jurisdiction over a child custody case and how custody orders from one state are recognized and enforced in another. By adopting the UCCJEA, states ensure that parents cannot simply move to a different state to avoid a custody order or "shop" for a more favorable court, providing stability for children and consistency for families navigating interstate custody issues.

• Example 3: The Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts (RULONA)

  When you sign an important document, like a will or a real estate deed, it often needs to be notarized. A notary public verifies your identity and witnesses your signature. However, the specific requirements for becoming a notary, the types of notarial acts they can perform, and how they must record their actions can vary significantly from state to state. The NCCUSL drafted RULONA to modernize and standardize these rules. If adopted by states, RULONA ensures a consistent set of best practices for notaries, including provisions for electronic notarization. This consistency helps ensure the reliability of notarized documents, whether they are used in the state where they were signed or in another state for business or legal purposes.