What Do Signatories To The Hague Convention on International Child Abduction do when an application is filed regarding a Parental Abduction or Parental Kidnapping case? According to the treaty, signatories are required to help locate the child, and if they believe the child may be in another country, they are to assist in informing that country of the possible abduction, kidnapping or wrongful retention of a protected child. In Los Angeles, California that would mean coordinating with the local district attorney, either directly as a parent or through the use of local attorneys such as our firm, Pisarra & Grist who are lawyers that work with the appointed Central Authority for return of the child.

Article 9
If the Central Authority which receives an application referred to in Article 8 has reason to believe that the child is in another Contracting State, it shall directly and without delay transmit the application to the Central Authority of that Contracting State and inform the requesting Central Authority, or the applicant, as the case may be.

As lawyers in Santa Monica, we have represented clients throughout the state of California and coordinated with solicitors, lawyers, barristers and attorneys in foreign countries globally.