International Custody Battles

SAN DIEGO DIVORCE LAWYERS

International Custody Battles Often Come Down to the International Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction

When people get married and one of the spouses is not an American citizen who has the option of going back to his or her native country, serious and nasty problems can arise if the couple have children and then later decide to pursue a divorce.  Unfortunately, this type of a nasty battle broke out in Arkansas recently, and the case showed how a document that was passed at The Hague can govern divorce cases almost anywhere here in the United States.

This child custody battle arose in Arkansas after the former wife of a man who had been living in Iceland with their son decided not to return him after what was supposed to be a three-week visit.  The couple had arranged a joint custody agreement when they got divorced, and the former wife admitted to deceiving the father about her intentions regarding the return of their son at the end of his trip.  The father filed a motion in Arkansas seeking the return of his son and seeking a ruling that the child custody case be heard in Iceland.

The former wife appealed the ruling that the case should be heard in Iceland, but the higher court affirmed the lower court’s decision by stating that the joint custody agreement did meet the requirements of The Hague standard and that it was clear that the mother had used deceit as part of her plan to keep the boy.  The case in Iceland is still pending.

San Diego Child Custody Lawyers

Unfortunately, these international child custody disputes can be just as antagonistic as any domestic child custody dispute but much more complicated given the different jurisdictions involved in these matters.  Dealing with this fight is something that few if any fathers would ever want to face for obvious reasons.

Therefore, if you are looking at the possibility of an international child custody dispute, you need to seek the help of San Diego child custody lawyers who have been fighting for the rights of fathers for many years.  Contact the Men’s Legal Center today to schedule an initial consultation.

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