Case Law Search

Non-Convention Issues

Appeal allowed, return refused

Appeal allowed and return refused; a return to Lebanon would flagrantly violate, or completely deny or nullify, both the mother and child's right to respect for their family life together.

Habitual Residence - Art. 3 | Consent - Art. 13(1)(a) | Grave Risk - Art. 13(1)(b) | Undertakings

Appeal dismissed, return ordered

Appeal dismissed and return ordered; the retention was wrongful for the children had neither lost their Israeli habitual residence at the relevant date nor acquired a habitual residence in Australia. There was no grave risk of harm and whilst the father had at one stage consented to the relocation the trial judge had correctly exercised his discretion to make a return order.

Aims of the Convention - Preamble, Arts 1 and 2 | Rights of Custody - Art. 3 | Grave Risk - Art. 13(1)(b)

Application dismissed

By a 4:3 majority the European Court of Human Rights ruled that there had not been a breach of the mother and child's right to family life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Rights of Custody - Art. 3 | Grave Risk - Art. 13(1)(b) | Brussels IIa Regulation (Council Regulation (EC) No 2201/2003 of 27 November 2003)

Appeal dismissed, return ordered

Appeal dismissed; return ordered. The removal was wrongful and the mother had not established that an exception was applicable.

Settlement of the Child - Art. 12(2)

Appeal dismissed, return refused

Appeal dismissed; the judge at first instance rightly considered that the children had settled in France.

Removal and Retention - Arts 3 and 12 | Grave Risk - Art. 13(1)(b) | Procedural Matters

Appeal allowed, return ordered

Appeal allowed and return ordered. The removal was wrongful and it had not been proven that a return would expose the child to a grave risk of harm.

Habitual Residence - Art. 3 | Removal and Retention - Arts 3 and 12

Appeal dismissed, application dismissed

Appeal dismissed and application dismissed; the child had become habitually resident in the United States at the time of the retention, therefore the latter action was not wrongful.

Acquiescence - Art. 13(1)(a)

Appeal allowed, return refused

Procedural Matters | Non-Convention Issues

In an unanimous ruling the Court held that Albania had breached Article 8 of the ECHR in that the efforts of the Albanian authorities were neither adequate nor effective to discharge their positive obligation under Article 8 to reunite the father with his daughter. The Court also made an award of compensation to the father under Article 41 of the ECHR.

Consent - Art. 13(1)(a) | Undertakings | Issues Relating to Return | Procedural Matters

Appeal dismissed, return ordered

Appeal dismissed and return ordered subject to a mirror order being obtained in the Netherlands; the retention was wrongful and the allegation that the applicant father had consented had not been proved.

Habitual Residence - Art. 3 | Rights of Custody - Art. 3 | Brussels IIa Regulation (Council Regulation (EC) No 2201/2003 of 27 November 2003)

Preliminary Ruling issued, case remitted to United Kingdom (England & Wales) courts.

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

Appeal by the mother (the taking parent) dismissed: the removal was wrongful and none of the grounds for exception invoked were applicable. The father's appeal was partially allowed: removal of the condition of taking protective measures.

Brussels IIa Regulation (Council Regulation (EC) No 2201/2003 of 27 November 2003)

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

Return ordered subject to undertakings

Removal wrongful and return ordered, subject to undertakings; a grave risk of harm had not been established to the standard required under the Convention.

Acquiescence - Art. 13(1)(a) | Undertakings

Return ordered subject to undertakings

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

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

Return ordered

Removal wrongful and return ordered, subject to undertakings; Article 13(1)(b) had not been proved to the standard required under the Convention.

Grave Risk - Art. 13(1)(b) | Undertakings | Jurisdiction Issues - Art. 16

Return refused

Removal wrongful but return refused; Article 13(1)(b) had been proved to the standard required under the Convention.

Habitual Residence - Art. 3 | Jurisdiction Issues - Art. 16 | Procedural Matters

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

Appeal dismissed, return ordered

Appeal dismissed, return upheld. The removal was wrongful and there had been no consent to the removal.