United States Supreme Court Hearing International Child Custody Case

Family law such as divorce and child custody cases are usually kept at the state level.  Very rarely do the federal courts get involved.  The most common time a federal court has anything to do with a family law matter is in bankruptcy court when a divorced or divorcing couple is also going through bankruptcy.

For a case to go before the United States Supreme Court is rarest of all.  However, right now, the United States Supreme Court is determining the fate of a young girl in an international child custody case.  The father is a United States serviceman located in the United States and the mother lives in Scotland.  Both want the daughter with them.  

Allegations have flown back and forth in this case, much like most child custody case, including that the mother is known alcoholic and therefore the daughter's best interest would not be to be her care.  The mother was arrested for attacking a cab driver and domestic violence in 2010, and was deported in 2011.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/12/06/soldier-international-custody-battle-over-daughter-reaches-us-supreme-court/#ixzz2EI8FiE99

The major part of this decision will involve interpreting an international treaty called the Hague Convention. The Supreme Court's written decision in this case will have immediate and far reaching consequences on international family law disputes and a future article will have to be dedicated to that decision.