Case Law Search

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

Return ordered

Return ordered; the retention was wrongful and neither Article 13(1)(b) nor Article 13(2) had been proved to the standard required under the Convention.

Procedural Matters

Application dismissed

Return application struck out; the applicant had failed to conduct the proceedings with proper diligence and speed.

Habitual Residence - Art. 3 | Procedural Matters

Application dismissed

Application dismissed; the child was habitually resident in England at the relevant date.

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

Return refused

Return refused; the removal was wrongful, but the court exercised its discretion under Article 13(2) not 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)

Return ordered

Return ordered; the removal was wrongful as it breached the father's rights of custody. The standard required under Article 13(1)(b) to indicate that the child would face a grave risk of physical harm had not been met.

Grave Risk - Art. 13(1)(b) | Undertakings | Procedural Matters

Return ordered subject to undertakings

Both appeals dismissed and return ordered, subject to undertakings; any application to set aside an order must be made by way of the Court of Appeal.

Grave Risk - Art. 13(1)(b)

Return ordered

Return ordered; the standard required under Article 13(1)(b) to indicate that the children would face a grave risk of psychological harm had not been met.

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

The father's appeal was allowed and the order dismissing his application as an abuse of the process set aside. The mother's cross-appeal was dismissed as the child was found to be habitually resident in Germany immediately prior to her removal. The child was to be returned to Germany, subject to undertakings.

Aims of the Convention - Preamble, Arts 1 and 2

The court ordered that the girls be returned to Sweden to enable the original Convention proceedings to be completed.

Habitual Residence - Art. 3

Application dismissed

Application dismissed; the child was not habitually resident in Ontario at the relevant date.

Acquiescence - Art. 13(1)(a)

Appeal dismissed, return ordered

Appeal dismissed and return ordered; the father's delay in applying under the Convention was found to have been reasonable and was therefore not sufficient to show that he had acquiesced in the retention of the children.

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

Appeal dismissed, return refused

Return refused: Article 13(2) had been proved to the standard required under the Convention.

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

Return ordered subject to undertakings

Return ordered with an undertaking required; neither Article 13(1)(a) nor Article 13(1)(b) had been proved to the standard required under the Convention.

Human Rights - Art. 20

Unanimous: appeal inadmissible; the issues relating to the consistency of the 1980 Convention with the Constitution had been resolved in an earlier case, and admissibility of the appeal was not necessary for the enforcement of fundamental rights.

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

Appeal dismissed, return refused

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

Appeal allowed, return ordered

Rights of Custody - Art. 3 | Objections of the Child to a Return - Art. 13(2)

Return refused

Return refused; the retention was wrongful, being in breach of the mother's rights of custody, but the child had valid objections to a return.

Habitual Residence - Art. 3 | Removal and Retention - Arts 3 and 12 | Interpretation of the Convention

In its preliminary ruling the Court noted, inter alia, that where the removal of a child has taken place in accordance with a judgment which was provisionally enforceable and which was thereafter overturned, the child's habitual residence must be determined by undertaking an assessment of all the circumstances of fact. Whilst it was possible the child's habitual residence may have changed, account must be taken of the fact that the judgment authorising the removal could be provisionally enforced and that an appeal had been brought.

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

Return ordered

Return ordered; the retention was wrongful and none of the exceptions had been proved to the standard required under the Convention.

Consent - Art. 13(1)(a) | Grave Risk - Art. 13(1)(b)

Return ordered

Removal wrongful and return ordered; none of the exceptions under the 1980 Hague Child Abduction Convention had been proved to the standards required.