Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/21pdf/20-1034_b8dg.pdf
Page Number: 6

Cite as:  596 U. S. ____ (2022) 

3 

Opinion of the Court 

under  the  law  of  one Contracting  State  are  effectively  re-
spected in the other Contracting States.”  Art. 1(b), id., at 
7. 

Return of the child is, however, a general rule, and there
are exceptions.  As relevant here, the Convention provides
that return is not required if “[t]here is a grave risk that . . . 
return would expose the child to physical or psychological
harm or otherwise place the child in an intolerable situa-
tion.”  Art. 13(b), id., at 10.2  Because return is merely “a
‘provisional’  remedy  that  fixes  the  forum  for  custody  pro-
ceedings,”  Monasky,  589  U. S.,  at  ___  (slip  op.,  at  3),  the 
Convention requires that the determination as to whether 
to  order  return  should  be  made  “us[ing]  the  most  expedi-
tious  procedures  available,”  Art.  2,  Treaty  Doc.,  at  7;  see
also Art. 11, id., at 9 (providing that the party petitioning 
for return has “the right to request a statement of the rea-
sons for the delay” if the court “has not reached a decision
within six weeks from the date of commencement of the pro-
ceedings”).

Congress  implemented  the  Convention  in  the  Interna-
tional  Child  Abduction  Remedies  Act  (ICARA),  102  Stat. 
437, as amended, 22 U. S. C. §9001 et seq.  ICARA permits
a  parent  (or  other  individual  or  institution)  seeking  relief 
under the Convention to file a petition for return of a child
in state or federal court, §§9003(a)–(b), and directs courts
to  “decide  the[se]  case[s]  in  accordance  with  the  Conven-
tion,”  §9003(d).  Consistent  with  the  Convention,  ICARA 
“empower[s] courts in the United States to determine only 
—————— 

2 The Convention also enumerates several other exceptions to the re-
turn requirement.  Return is not required if the parent, institution, or
body having care of the child seeking return was not exercising custody 
rights at the time of removal or had consented to removal, if the child 
objects  to  return  and  “has  attained  an  age  and  degree  of  maturity  at 
which it is appropriate to take account of its views,” or if return would 
conflict with fundamental principles of freedom and human rights in the
country from which return is requested.  Arts. 13, 20, Treaty Doc., at 10, 
11.