Family Law · European Union
Facing a Hague Convention Case? Get a Lawyer Who Knows the Treaty
Hague Convention proceedings have their own rules, their own deadlines and their own narrow exceptions — and getting any of them wrong changes the outcome. We match you, free of charge, with a vetted family lawyer who handles Hague Convention cases across Europe every day.
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Who this is for
Hague Convention cases are a specialised world within family law
The 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction is the treaty that governs the return of children who have been wrongfully removed to, or retained in, a country other than their habitual residence. Cases brought under it are unlike ordinary family disputes: the court is not asked to decide who should care for the child in the long term, but to decide, usually quickly, whether the child should be returned so that the home country’s courts can settle the underlying questions. The proceedings have their own structure, strict expectations of speed, and a short list of narrowly interpreted exceptions to return — consent, grave risk of harm, and the child’s own objections. Both the parent seeking return and the parent resisting it need a lawyer who understands how the Convention actually operates in practice, because the procedural and tactical rules are unforgiving.
Why Hague Convention cases go wrong
The Convention looks simple on paper.
In practice, its details decide the case.
Deadlines, habitual residence, the narrow exceptions to return — each point is contested ground that a generalist can easily mishandle.
Establishing habitual residence
Almost everything in a Hague case turns on where the child habitually resided before the removal. If that point is lost or mis-argued, the entire application can fail before the merits are even reached.
The exceptions to return
A parent resisting return may raise consent, grave risk of harm, or the child’s objections. These exceptions are interpreted narrowly, but argued well they can change the outcome — and argued poorly they waste the case.
Speed and procedure
The Convention demands a swift process, but delay can occur and procedural missteps can be costly. A lawyer experienced in these cases knows how to keep the matter moving and avoid technical errors.
What you get
A Hague Convention lawyer who knows the treaty inside out
We only match you with family lawyers who run Hague Convention return and custody proceedings regularly, on both the seeking and resisting side.
Precise analysis of the claim
Your lawyer assesses habitual residence, the existence of custody rights, and whether the removal was wrongful — the three building blocks of any application or defence under the Convention.
The return application, done right
Whether you are seeking a child’s return or resisting one, your lawyer prepares the case, gathers the evidence and advances it through the correct central authority and court.
The exceptions, argued properly
The exceptions to return are technical and narrowly interpreted. Your lawyer knows how they are actually applied in practice and presents or answers them with the right evidence.
Coordination across borders
Hague cases run in two countries through two sets of authorities. Your lawyer coordinates the process end to end, so nothing is lost between the home country and the country where the child now is.
Coverage
Hague Convention lawyers across Europe
The Convention operates alongside national law and, within the EU, specific regulations on jurisdiction and recognition. The right lawyer understands how these instruments interact and how the relevant central authorities work. We match cases across the following countries and beyond:
Frequently asked
Hague Convention cases — common questions
What is the Hague Convention?
The 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction is a treaty that provides a framework for the prompt return of children wrongfully removed to or retained in another country. Its purpose is to restore the situation that existed before the removal, so the home country’s courts can decide the underlying care questions.
What does a Hague Convention case actually decide?
It decides whether a child should be returned to their country of habitual residence — not who should have custody in the long term. The court addresses the narrow question of return; any broader dispute about the child’s care is left to the courts of the home country.
What is ‘habitual residence’ and why does it matter?
Habitual residence is the country where the child’s life is actually centred — where they live, go to school and have their main connections. It is usually the threshold question in any Hague case, because the Convention only applies to a child removed from their country of habitual residence.
What are the exceptions to returning a child?
The Convention allows a court to refuse return in limited, narrowly interpreted circumstances: where the left-behind parent consented to the removal, where returning would expose the child to a grave risk of harm, or where an older child objects and their views should be considered.
How long does a Hague Convention case take?
The Convention requires that cases be handled swiftly, and many courts treat them as urgent. Actual timing varies by country and the complexity of the case, but the framework is deliberately designed to resolve return applications quickly rather than allow them to drag on.
Do I need a specialist Hague Convention lawyer?
Strongly advisable. These cases turn on technical points — habitual residence, custody rights, the narrow exceptions to return and cross-border procedure — where general family law experience is not enough. A lawyer who runs these cases regularly is materially better placed to handle them.
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Don’t face a Hague Convention case with the wrong help
Tell us about your situation and we’ll connect you with a family lawyer who runs Hague Convention cases in the relevant countries — free of charge, with no obligation to hire.