Merritt Island Parental Child Abduction Lawyer
Losing custody of their children is every parents' nightmare. When people lose their children because the other parent has taken them out of state without permission, the situation is even worse. If your child has been kidnapped by his or her other parent, we can help.
Attorney Joe Caruso is a Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer by the Florida Bar Board of Legal Specialization and Education. He has 30 years of experience with parental kidnapping cases. He has helped parents get their children back from numerous other states, as well as other countries. Call him at 321-684-4815 today to discuss your case.
Domestic and International Child Abduction
Most cases of parental kidnapping occur because one parent is unhappy about the custody decision. The parent takes the child to another state or country and files a petition for emergency custody. In order to sidestep the rules of the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction Enforcement Act (UCCJEA) or the Hague Convention, the parent must claim that the child was physically or sexually abused by the other parent.
The UCCJEA mandates that every state recognize orders of custody from other states except when there are allegations of child abuse. The Hague Convention rules, which apply to international cases, are generally the same.
There are, of course, genuine cases of child physical and sexual abuse. However, a parent may make false allegations against the child's other parent to affect pending custody (parental responsibility and time sharing) decisions or, in the case of parental kidnapping, to fight an existing custody order.
Attorney Caruso understands that these are very frustrating, emotional cases. The timeline varies in every case, but it is often months before the matter is settled. Parental kidnapping is an extremely complex legal issue that requires assistance from an experienced attorney.
Please call our office at 321-684-4815 to schedule an appointment with a Brevard County parental kidnapping charges attorney.
