International Child Abduction

Reuniting parents with abducted children

International child abduction involves the wrongful removal or retention of a child away from his or her country of habitual residence.  At the Law Offices of Lawrence S. Katz, P.A., we have had repeated success returning children who have been wrongfully removed or retained by a non-custodial relative.

International child abduction presents many complex issues that require the assistance of an attorney experienced in this area. Though the United States may recognize court orders from other countries under the Uniform Child Custody and Jurisdiction Enforcement Act, other countries generally do not recognize U.S. court orders. A custody determination from a U.S. court may carry no weight in another country.

With our extensive experience dealing with the processes involved and overcoming the obstacles facing parents in this situation, you are assured of having a skilled advocate to guide you in this multi-jurisdictional arena.  The 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, which mandates the return of a child who has been abducted from his or her country of habitual residence, can play an important role in international child abduction cases, and we have in-depth knowledge about the processes involved. Read more about the Hague Convention.

Our firm was the first in the United States to recover children from Turkey (prior to its accession to the Hague Convention), Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Japan (using “special circumstances”). We were the first law firm in the United States to return children to Haiti, the Bahamas, and Russia. In November 2005, our firm conducted the first international mediation in a Hague case for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.  Lawrence S. Katz has also lectured on cross-border mediation and the Hague Convention at the University of Miami School of Law.

The terror of having children taken away or wrongfully retained is compounded when left-behind parents face the complex system of domestic and international law that stands between them and a reunion with their children. At such a time, an attorney with intimate knowledge of the hurdles that need to be crossed is essential to success. The diligent, experienced representation we offer is key to our success at reuniting parents with children who have been wrongfully removed from their country of habitual residence.

If your child has been abducted, or you need legal assistance defending an allegation of abduction, we would like to discuss your legal options with you. Contact us online or call 305.670.8656 for a consultation.