Case Law Search

Grave Risk - Art. 13(1)(b) | Objections of the Child to a Return - Art. 13(2) | Procedural Matters

Appeal dismissed, return ordered

1 child wrongfully removed at age 6 - National of Canada - Divorced parents - Father national of Mexico - Mother national of Canada - Joint custody: the mother had primary care, the father periods of care - Child lived in the United States of America until March 2013 - Application for return filed with the Court of Queen’s Bench of Manitoba on 28 March 2013 - Return ordered - Main issues: Art 13(1) (b) grave risk exception to return, objection of the child to return, procedural matters - Motion for staying the enforcement of the first instance return order dismissed - A child aged 8 years (at the time of the proceedings) does not face a grave risk of being exposed to physical or psychological harm or being placed in an intolerable situation if return is ordered while the primary caregiver cannot (immediately) accompany her, pending the outcome of a visa application - Bar an extraordinary level of maturity,  a child aged 8  years has not attained the necessary age and degree of maturity at which her wishes ought to be considered under Art. 13(2) of the 1980 Hague Child Abduction Convention

European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) | European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) | Procedural Matters

The Grand Chamber held by 9 votes to 8 that there had been a violation of Article 8 of the ECHR.

European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR)

Unanimous: no breach of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). There was no separate issue concerning the claims based on Articles 6 and 13. The authorities' lack of diligence in preventing the abduction was admittedly manifest but had been indemnified by the Spanish authorities. The authorities had not been lacking in diligence regarding the child's return, despite the absence of results in this respect.

Rights of Custody - Art. 3 | Grave Risk - Art. 13(1)(b) | Procedural Matters

Appeal inadmissible; the appellant failed to assert any plea raising a substantial issue.

Rights of Custody - Art. 3

Application dismissed

Application for ne exeat order dismissed; the Court invoked Article 5 of the Hague Child Abduction Convention, in conjunction with Article 1518.1 of the Greek Civil Code.

Habitual Residence - Art. 3

Appeal dismissed, application dismissed

Appeal dismissed and application dismissed; the retention was not wrongful as the child had retained her habitual residence in California throughout her 34-month stay in Ireland.

Rights of Custody - Art. 3

Leave to appeal refused and return application dismissed; there had been no wrongful removal because the father did not have rights of custody at the moment of the removal.

Habitual Residence - Art. 3 | Removal and Retention - Arts 3 and 12 | Acquiescence - Art. 13(1)(a) | Procedural Matters | Consent - Art. 13(1)(a)

Appeal dismissed, return ordered

Appeal dismissed and return order upheld, but the orders for costs which had been made by the lower courts in favour of the father were set aside.

Habitual Residence - Art. 3

Appeal allowed and case remitted to the trial court; the trial court had erred by failing to determine whether the parents had intended to abandon their habitual residence in the United States of America or whether they had intended to retain it while residing abroad temporarily.

Habitual Residence - Art. 3

Application dismissed

European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR)

Unanimous: breach of Article 8 ECHR owing to the mother's deprivation of actual exercise of her family life with the child for over six years; award to the mother of EUR 16,223 for intangible damage and EUR 13,000 (plus any tax due) for costs and expenses.

Removal and Retention - Arts 3 and 12 | Grave Risk - Art. 13(1)(b) | Objections of the Child to a Return - Art. 13(2)

Appeal allowed, return refused

Appeal upheld and return refused; the retention was wrongful, but a return to Germany would expose the children to a grave risk of physical, and most importantly, psychological harm.  In addition, it was proven that the children, who possessed the necessary age and maturity, objected to being returned to Germany.

Aims of the Convention - Preamble, Arts 1 and 2 | Grave Risk - Art. 13(1)(b) | Undertakings | Role of the Central Authorities - Arts 6 - 10 | Procedural Matters

Appeal dismissed, return ordered with undertakings offered

Appeal dismissed and return ordered subject to undertakings by both parents; the retention of the child had been wrongful, and the grave risk of harm exception had not been established.

Habitual Residence - Art. 3 | Consent - Art. 13(1)(a) | Procedural Matters

Appeal allowed, application dismissed

Appeal allowed and application dismissed; the retention was not wrongful as the child had remained habitually resident in the United States of America, and, the mother had consented to the Texas court's final resolution of the issue of custody.

Aims of the Convention - Preamble, Arts 1 and 2 | Removal and Retention - Arts 3 and 12 | Grave Risk - Art. 13(1)(b) | Human Rights - Art. 20

Appeal dismissed, return ordered

Appeal dismissed and return ordered; removal wrongful and neither the Article 13(1)(b) nor Article 20 exception had been proved to the standard required under the 1980 Hague Child Abduction Convention.

Objections of the Child to a Return - Art. 13(2)

Appeal allowed, return ordered

Appeal allowed and return ordered; the trial court had erred in finding that the child, then 10, had attained an age and degree of maturity at which it was appropriate to take account of his views.

Habitual Residence - Art. 3 | Consent - Art. 13(1)(a)

Appeal dismissed, return ordered

Appeal dismissed and return ordered; the retention was wrongful, the child having retained her habitual residence in Mexico and none of the exceptions was applicable.

Grave Risk - Art. 13(1)(b) | Objections of the Child to a Return - Art. 13(2)

Appeal allowed, return refused

Appeal allowed and return refused; the child objected to a return and the standard required by Article 13(2) had been reached.

Acquiescence - Art. 13(1)(a) | Objections of the Child to a Return - Art. 13(2) | Procedural Matters

Appeal allowed and case remitted to the trial judge to enable the child's views to be ascertained.

Aims of the Convention - Preamble, Arts 1 and 2 | Rights of Custody - Art. 3 | Objections of the Child to a Return - Art. 13(2)

Return ordered

Removal wrongful and return ordered; none of the Article 13 exceptions had been proved to the standard required under the Convention.