Opinion ID: 2975873
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Expedited Review Under the Hague Convention

Text: Thus far, we have reached two conclusions: 1) A child acquires a new habitual residence when, focusing exclusively on the child’s experience, they are present in a new country long enough to allow acclimatization, and that presence has a degree of settled purpose; and 2) a court should determine a child’s habitual residence under a preponderance of the evidence standard. The only remaining issue is whether to reverse and remand this case for the district court to apply the proper legal standard, or to decide the outcome of the case at the Court of Appeals level. The Hague Convention instructs “[t]he judicial or administrative authorities of Contracting States [to] act expeditiously in proceedings for the return of children,” Hague Convention, Article 11, and requires the return of a child “forthwith” to their nation of habitual residence if a meritorious petition is filed within a year of the child’s removal. Article 12. These provisions were emphasized to this Court in a letter from the United States Department of State “request[ing] expeditious consideration as required by Article 11 of the Convention.” (Letter from Julie Furuta-Toy, Director, Office of Children’s Issues, United States Central Authority to United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit of 8/9/2007, at 2). Faced with Article 11's mandate, we believe that the Hague Convention requires this Court to resolve this case in its entirety, given a sufficiently developed record to allow us to do so. Such a well-developed record does exist in this case. In addition to deposition testimony from both parties, the magistrate judge conducted nine days of hearings and examined numerous exhibits, including correspondence between the parties, financial records and photos of their belongings and homes. Allowing additional testimony or exhibits to be submitted would contribute little to the already bulging record in this case.