International Parental Child Kidnapping

overview

Burns & Levinson helped pro bono client and British citizen Jean Karim regain custody of his daughter after the minor child’s mother had illegally taken her to America amidst marital troubles. The removal was in direct violation of Karim’s custody rights and was done without his knowledge or consent, and so Burns filed the action for Karim in federal court under the Hague Convention, a treaty that addresses international parental child abductions. After a video bench trial, the U.S District Court of Massachusetts ruled in favor of Karim and issued a judgement that the minor child was to return to the United Kingdom to live with her father, nearly two years after she was abducted by her mother. Following the Court’s decision and the expiration of the deadline to file an appeal, Burns lawyers helped ease the custody transition and even visited the New England Aquarium and Boston Children’s Museum with the father and daughter on the emotional reunion day. Jean Karim and his daughter have since returned to the United Kingdom and are enjoying life together after years of being apart.