Divorce is rarely an easy prospect for most Howard County couples to deal with. From property division to child custody and support issues, it can certainly be a complicated process to navigate. However, that prospect can become even more challenging when one of the two spouses is a native of another nation. Determining what rights both parents have when it comes to potentially moving the children overseas is not always easy.
Child custody issues can become especially difficult when two countries may be involved. Some couples marry in one country, for instance, but spend at least part of their marriages living in the other nation. When some international couples decide to split, it can become that much more difficult to decide child custody matters.
In contentious divorces, one spouse may decide to take their children to their home country, inspiring accusations of child kidnapping. Before a divorce has actually become official with the resulting orders granting one parent or the other physical custody of the children, such an act may not even be forbidden. Typically what determines which country actually does have jurisdiction in a divorce filing is which country the couple has most recently made their family home.
The international community is working to make child custody issues involving multiple countries a more streamlined process. However, this is a complicated situation and may require that a Howard County spouse consult with a legal counsel who is experienced in handling international custody matters. Having such a representative on a person’s side can take some of the anxiety associated with navigating an international divorce out of the equation.
Source: Reuters, ” Divorce in two countries is double the trouble,” Geoff Williams, Oct. 24, 2012
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For child custody questions in Maryland, Leffler, Bayoumi & Oliver, LLC can help. We serve Howard County, Anne Arundel County, Baltimore County, and central Maryland.
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