INTERNATIONAL DIVORCE
International Family Law Attorney
“These are complex cases often being tried in two countries simultaneously therefore a lot of moving parts: two sets of lawyers, interpreters, and often considerable expense. Family court can only take jurisdiction over a case in California if one of the parties is considered a resident of the state. If there are children living outside the US, a domestic court will not make a custody order over those children, they’ll allow the courts in the country or countries where the children live to make determinations.”
Amy Laughlin
Why are international family law cases on the rise?
International family law represented a fairly small percentage of family law cases in America not too long ago. However with the rise of globalization over the last few decades, there has been a sharp increase in international marriages therefore international divorces, child custody cases, and prenuptial agreements, and a sharp increase in the need for skilled and experienced international family law attorneys.
International law cases are significantly more complex.
Family law in the US is regulated at the state level. Interstate divorce or child custody cases, though common, are somewhat more complicated than a strictly local case. International family law matters, on the other hand, address all the same issues domestic family law addresses, but they’re exponentially more complex.
Why? When you factor in multiple languages, time zones, customs, currencies, legal and political systems, citizenships, tax codes, etc., it’s easy to see why it’s even more important than in a typical divorce or child custody case that your attorney is a very experienced international divorce lawyer or international family lawyer.
There’s simply no substitute for experience.
Our international divorce lawyers and international family lawyers have handled complex family law matters for clients from more than 30 countries.
We’ve managed many, many cases with one or both spouses living outside the US or in multiple locations, including divorce, child custody, domestic violence, relocation to outside the US with children, child adoption, child abduction, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, property division, and business issues.
The most common international family law issues we address…
International Divorce | Amy Laughlin represents clients in divorce matters where one spouse is living abroad and the other spouse and/or children live in California. In these cases, financial complexities and custody considerations are particularly complicated. We successfully resolve these matters through local and sometimes foreign courts and many times through negotiations between the parties and counsel.
International Prenuptial Agreements | International clients who intend to marry and want the protection of a prenuptial agreement should always consider the international ramifications. The world is getting smaller and globalizing. International borders matter far less than even ten years ago. Divorce laws are sometimes inequitable and vary widely throughout the world. Our office has extensive experience in negotiating and preparing such agreements when one or both of the parties intend to live outside the United States after marriage.
International Child Custody Cases | As a result of technological advances in communication and wide accessibility to international travel, there are more international marriages than ever before. When these parties have children, and their marriages end in divorce, complicated international issues abound and often result in contentious custody disputes. Some of the most difficult cases involve one parent’s decision to remove a child from his or her home country or retain the child in a foreign country without the other parent’s consent. In such cases, the parent who has been left behind may invoke the protections of a local court or the Hague Convention to assert their rights. Our office has extensive experience in resolving these complex custody matters.
Terminology
describes any and all family law practiced by an international family lawyer for legal matters with an international element such as one or both of the spouses either born in, possessing citizenship in, married in, living in, and/or owning property in another country, and/or with a child or children either born in, possessing citizenship in, and/or living in another country. International family lawyers
As a skilled international divorce lawyer, Amy Laughlin represents clients in divorce matters where one spouse is living abroad and the other spouse and/or children live in California. In these cases, financial complexities and custody considerations are particularly complicated. We successfully resolve these matters through local and sometimes foreign courts and many times through negotiations between the parties and counsel.
As a result of technological advances in communication and wide accessibility to international travel, there are more international marriages than ever before. When these parties have children, and their marriages end in divorce, complicated international issues abound and often result in contentious custody disputes. Some of the most difficult cases involve one parent’s decision to remove a child from his or her home country or retain the child in a foreign country without the other parent’s consent. In such cases, the parent who has been left behind may invoke the protections of a local court or the Hague Convention to assert their rights. Our office has extensive experience in resolving these complex custody matters.
International clients who intend to marry and want the protection of a prenuptial agreement should always consider the international ramifications. The world is getting smaller and globalizing. International borders matter far less than even ten years ago. Divorce laws are sometimes inequitable and vary widely throughout the world. Our office has extensive experience in negotiating and preparing such agreements when one or both of the parties intend to live outside the United States after marriage.
How An Experienced International Divorce Lawyer Can Make Your International Divorce A Lot Less Complicated And A Lot Less Expensive
Domestic divorce is complicated enough. But international divorce, especially for couples with substantial assets, is uniquely complicated. For starters, you have to determine where you’re going to file and for
Next Step
Book a consultation.
Let’s talk about your international family law needs. How can we help?
If you’re looking for some of the best international divorce lawyers in Silicon Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area, or an international family lawyer, let’s talk. Call us at 650.343.3486 or email us here.
Let’s get started.
Q How does Divorce generally work in CA?
Q What’s the difference between a Divorce and Legal Separation?
Q What does the “best interest” standard mean in custody cases?
Q Is it possible to successfully divorce a narcissist?
…and while we can’t offer legal advice or address specific individual situations, we’ve got some answers.
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