Litigating an International Child Abduction Case Under the Hague Convention

This course, presented by Valentina Shaknes of McLaughlin & Stern, will examine the ins and outs of litigating an international child abduction case under the Hague Convention on Civil Aspects of International Child Abductions. It will provide practitioners with an overview of the Hague Convention on Civil Aspects of International Child Abductions and the relevant case law interpreting the Convention. Emphasis will be placed on pleading and proving the Article 13(b) defense, commonly known as the "grave risk of harm defense," which allows courts to decline returning a child to his home country if doing so will expose the child to a "grave risk of physical or psychological harm."

Learning Objectives:

1. Gain an overview of the Hague Convention on Civil Aspects of International Child Abductions
2. Analyze relevant case law interpreting the Convention
3. Examine how to plead and prove the Article 13(b) defense