If you are one of the many separated or divorced spouses in Texas who has minor children with your former partner, you will understandably be concerned about the strength and validity of any custody agreement you enter into. You know that even getting to the point of agreeing on how to share your parenting time can be a major undertaking. However, for some people there may be the added concern that the other parent may not always abide by the agreement.
Taking children out of the United States is one way that some parents attempt to circumvent a child custody decision or order. If this happens to you, you may be able to seek help under the Hague Abduction Convention. As explained by the United States Department of State, the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction is a treaty that multiple nations have voluntarily entered into. It aims to help custody issues be heard and decided in the appropriate jurisdictions.
Integral to the Hague Abduction Convention is the agreement by all participating countries to return a child to their country of habitual residence if a custody violation may have occurred. This allows the local U.S. court to then hear the matter and make a ruling in the matter.
This information is not intended to provide legal advice but is instead meant to give Texas parents an overview of what the Hague Abduction Convention is and how it may help them if their child may be taken from the U.S. by their other parent.