Representing Domestic and International Clients
Our world is more connected than ever. When international couples split, these cases can become complicated especially in regards to international child custody disputes. If a father lives in France with the children, and the mother in the U.S., which country’s child custody laws take precedence?
In times like these, our team of international child custody dispute attorneys helps provide the necessary guidance to find an amicable solution so that your family can move forward. Want to go ahead and get started?
International family law is governed by a wide body of international laws and treaties, including Hague Conventions. Knowledge and experience in these matters counts. Boyer Law has successfully navigated many complex cases involving international family matters such as international divorce, child custody cases, child abduction, and foreign child support enforcement. The Boyer Law team holds unparalleled experience in international law at the local Florida level. Founding attorney Francis M. Boyer holds the distinction of Board Certified Specialist (BCS) in International Law; one of only a handful of attorneys nationwide to currently hold this credential.
Our team can leverage our global capabilities at the local level in Florida to bring about the best results for our clients with interests in the Sunshine State and abroad. With an effective cross-border, collaborative legal network in place, our team handles cases across the Americas, Africa, and Europe. From the U.S. and Canada, to Brazil and Columbia, Dubai, France, and beyond, we have the global resources to fight to protect our clients’ best interests.
Even if you have a custody agreement in place, sometimes parents disagree about the plan or one parent fails to uphold their end of the agreement. International child custody cases take on an added layer of complexity as different countries’ jurisdictions come into play.
At Boyer Law, we help present our clients with a case plan that seeks to do what’s best for their children and to help them move forward. Different actions we help provide guidance for include:
No matter what locale your case may involve, our team has a global presence through our many cross-border collaborations with highly-skilled international child custody attorneys. We’ll work tirelessly to make sure you and your children are placed in the best situation possible.
Different countries have different laws concerning the family and children. A common unifying set of international treaties pertains to member countries of the Hague Convention which has several conventions specifically on family law, international child abduction, international child support, and others.
International child support cases require experienced attorneys who have specialized knowledge of international jurisdictions and laws surrounding these types of cases. Our team comprises a vigorous network of cross-border collaborations that enable us to bring about the best outcome for our clients no matter where they are in the world. We’ll work within the applicable foreign and domestic court systems to make sure international child support orders are fully enforced.
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International relocation cases can also be complicated by the presence of multiple jurisdictions. When parents reside in different countries, parenting plans can be difficult to agree on. Oftentimes, mediation can achieve an amicable resolution and what’s best for the children. Parents can agree to a shared custody and visitation agreement, even when they reside in different countries.
When these terms cannot be agreed upon to produce the best environment for the children to grow up in, a parent can seek additional court action including international relocation assistance. In cases like these, the courts are required to act in a way that does what’s in the best interest of the children. Sometimes international relocation requests involve moving the children from the U.S. to another country. In these cases, the courts will look at each individual set of circumstances and decide in a manner that’s best for the children.
Let’s look at an example, a Canadian couple moves to the U.S. with their three kids so the father could move jobs. A fourth child was born while they were in the US. Within a few years, the Canadian family all had green cards, but the mother decided to move back to Canada to be closer to family. The mother petitioned for relocation of the four children since the father’s work schedule left him travelling most of the time. The courts decide it’s in the best interest of the children for them to be relocated from the U.S. to Canada to be with their mother’s more stable environment.
When international parental child abduction occurs, one parent removes the child from their home to another country. It can also apply to a parent who keeps a child in another country beyond an agreed-upon time frame. Removal or retention of the child can be considered an abduction when both parents have equal custody, and one parent doesn’t obtain the consent of the other before removing them from their place of habitual residence.
In situations such as these, it is critical to work with a skilled attorney who has comprehensive of the Hague Convention, the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (UCCJEA) and other international laws that will help you protect your parental rights.
Actions that need to be taken can include filing in a foreign country’s civil courts, completing applications with the Hague Abduction Convention, and even help with locating the child. There are many different factors at play in international child abduction cases that the courts consider including how long the child has resided in the other country, the age of the child, or unique events such as a parent changing their mind in regards to a removal of the child.
All of these cases require an international parent abduction attorney to be skilled in navigating even the most complex cases involving multiple jurisdictions. The team at Boyer is proud to have successfully represented our clients through tough international child abduction cases to get the best results for our clients’ families.
International child custody cases can be hard. When one parent involves tactics that put the emotional well-being of the children involved at-risk, the stakes are incredibly high. The team at Boyer Law is led by Francis M. Boyer, an internationally recognized attorney specializing in complex child custody cases.
Schedule your consultation now to start mapping out the best path forward for your situation.
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