International Parental Child Abduction

The legal complexities involved in either trying to prevent a child from being internationally abducted or legally returned are extraordinary. So too are the number of reported and unreported cases of abduction (based upon various population growth factors and immigration migration trends).

Joel. Walter is a seasoned attorney with a deep legal understanding of what is required to protected a child or children from abduction.

Tragically, as many parent- victims of international parental child abduction realize, an abducting parent's scheme of international abduction is something usually well concealed until the criminal act occurs. Navigating through the maze of local and international laws concerning a child's return can be daunting; however, with the correct legal strategy, it is possible for a parent to reunite with their children. When clients engage Mr. Walter, they know they are working with a seasoned lawyer who has worked on complex civil and criminal cases in both state and federal court. This is a key issue, as international parental child abduction often involves both civil and criminal matters.

Undeniably, each international parental child abduction case is unique due to an assortment of circumstances. Through his many years of experience working tirelessly on behalf of children, Mr. Walter' has substantial know how in this arena of law.

Legal strategies for both child abduction prevention, as well as for reunification will vary, as each abduction case is unique due to many circumstances. For example, The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Parental Child Abduction offers legal remedys against an abduction so long as the country where the child was abducted from and to are both Hague-signatory states. In other circumstances, one or both nations (the 'Inbound' or 'Outbound') nation may not be Hague-signatory states, leaving a left-behind parent with a need to consider alternative legal remedies.

At The Law Office of Joel S. Walter we provide the following to our clients:

* A legal team of highly experienced counsel familiar with the legal complexities of international parental child abduction.
* Professionals who practice regularly in state and federal court.
* An intricate and thorough legal strategy based upon optimizing various domestic and international laws applicable to each unique case.
* Professional relationships with a diverse group of international family lawyers capable of acting immediately in order to assist in recovering an abducted child.
* Strategies and representation that will assist you preventing an international child abduction from occurring.
* Assistance in enrolling your child in various federal child abduction prevention programs.
* Representation and ability to initiate Hague Convention proceedings, and where applicable, to take legal action when a nation is a non-Hague signatory.

At the Law Offices of Joel S. Walter, we understand the great hardships both defenseless children and targeted parents face when a child is internationally abducted. The difficulty a parent seeking to find, protect, reunite, and safely return their child or children home has many obstacles. Our familiarity with the legal challenges a parent faces allows us to create effective legal strategies that will assist a parent navigate these complexities in order to reunite with their child.

To learn more about the challenges of international parental child abduction recovery and reunification, please read the 2011 Department of State's Report On Compliance Of Hague State Signatories presented to Congress.