Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/21pdf/20-1034_b8dg.pdf
Page Number: 18

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

15 

Opinion of the Court 

ate, a district court reasonably may decline to consider ame-
liorative measures that have not been raised by the parties,
are  unworkable,  draw  the  court  into  determinations 
properly  resolved  in  custodial  proceedings,  or  risk  overly 
prolonging return proceedings.  The court may also find the 
grave risk so unequivocal, or the potential harm so severe, 
that ameliorative measures would be inappropriate.  Ulti-
mately, a district court must exercise its discretion to con-
sider  ameliorative  measures  in  a  manner  consistent  with 
its general obligation to address the parties’ substantive ar-
guments and its specific obligations under the Convention. 
A  district  court’s  compliance  with  these  requirements  is
subject  to  review  under  an  ordinary  abuse-of-discretion
standard. 

III 
The  question  now  becomes  how  to  resolve  the  instant 
case.  Golan urges that this Court reverse, arguing that the 
ameliorative measures adopted by the District Court are in-
adequate  for  B. A. S.’  protection  and  otherwise  improper. 
The United States, as amicus curiae, suggests remanding
to allow the District Court to exercise its discretion in the 
first  instance  under  the  correct  legal  standard.    Brief  for 
United States as Amicus Curiae 32. 

Under  the  circumstances  of  this  case,  this  Court  con-
cludes  that  remand  is  appropriate.  The  Convention  re-
quires courts to make a discretionary determination as to
whether  to  order  return  after  making  a  finding  of  grave
risk.  The District Court made a finding of grave risk, but 
never  had  the  opportunity  to  engage  in  the  discretionary
inquiry as to whether to order or deny return under the cor-
rect legal standard.  This Court cannot know whether the 
District Court would have exercised its discretion to order 
B. A. S.’ return absent the Second Circuit’s rule, which im-
properly  weighted  the  scales  in  favor  of  return.    Accord-