In the modern age of travel, it is possible to clear great distances in just a short amount of time. With the increased ease in travel and ability for people to traverse great distances in shorter amounts of time, international custody case numbers also see an upward trend.
In some cases, parents have relocated to other countries in order to secure sole custody of their child. How can you handle such scenarios?
International child abduction
The National Law Review discusses matters of the Hague Convention and international child abduction. In a hypothetical scenario, one spouse may move to America from a foreign country, meet someone, marry and have children. After the divorce, they could then take the children and return to their home country. Sometimes, they may even do this without alerting their co-parent.
To understand what to do next, you must understand the Hague Convention. The parameters set by this determine how to handle custody disputes that span across borders, along with international abduction cases.
Treaties of the Hague Convention
98 countries ratified the Civil Aspects of Child Abduction treaty at the Hague Convention in 2018. It created the possibility of a faster return of children taken away to foreign countries without the knowledge of the co-parent. It also ruled that the country the child resided in before the abduction will have jurisdiction over the child’s habitual residence.
Due to the complexity of international child custody disputes, you may also want legal aid on your side. They can help you navigate this complex legal situation and gain the outcome that will serve your child’s best interest.