The Hague Domestic Violence Project

International Child Abduction and Domestic Violence

New Minnesota Bench Guide Available for Judges

A team of Minnesota judges, attorneys, advocates and social scientists have just completed a new Bench Guide for judges who are hearing Hague Convention cases involving allegations of domestic violence. The case law in the guide is focused on the District of Minnesota but we plan to help other areas of the country adapt it.

Final Report and Presentation Now Available

Our final report to the National Institute of Justice has been approved for release. Our presentation at the National Institute of Justice is also online. Please go to our Reports page to listen to the presentation and download our report for free.

On-Demand Continuing Education Videos Available

The HagueDV Project offered a live, global webcast on Human Rights Day 2010. Actors from the world renown Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis performed staged readings of battered mothers' stories as told to us in our recently completed NIJ-funded study on Hague Convention cases. These readings were interspersed with commentary by leading scholars in law and social science about how Hague hearings should consider domestic violence. The event was FREE anywhere in the world online thanks to our partnership with West Legal Edcenter and the Guthrie Theatre and with generous support from the law firm of Robins, Kaplan, Miller and Ciresi, LLP and Greater Twin Cities United Way. Over 1,200 people attended. The video broadcast along with another two-hour "Nuts 'N Bolts" session on representing battered mothers who are respondents in Hague cases are now available through the HagueDV Project. Please contact us at info@haguedv.org if you are interested in viewing these videos.

Providing Assistance to Attorneys Representing Respondent Battered Parents and to Judges Hearing Hague Convention Cases in U.S. Courts

The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction is an international treaty that requires countries to work together to quickly return an abducted child back to his or her home country. Although the treaty was created to protect children, the results are often the opposite when domestic violence is involved. The Hague Domestic Violence Project focuses on providing comprehensive technical assistance to attorneys who are representing battered parents who are respondents to Hague petitions in U.S. courts and to judges who are hearing these cases. Our current funding does not permit us to assist individuals involved in a Hague Convention cases.

Hague Convention Cases are Time and Fact Sensitive

Whether you are a woman seeking safety, an attorney facing your first Hague Convention case, a judge hearing a Hague Convention case for the first time, or an advocate seeking to assist a battered woman and her children, you are likely facing strict deadlines and confusion about what steps you need to take. This site is meant to help guide you through the system.

• For domestic violence victims, we provide resources to assist you in obtaining legal aid and other forms of assistance.
• For attorneys, we have compiled databases with cases, legal briefs and other useful documentation to assist you in preparing for court hearings.
• For judges, we have created bench guides and provide access to our case database to assist you in presiding over Hague Convention disputes.
• For advocates for battered women, we are compiling expert testimony and other useful resources to guide you in providing aid to victims.

Meet the Members of the Hague Domestic Violence Project

We are a team of individuals from various professional backgrounds who are dedicated to creating a comprehensive resource that will enable mothers, attorneys, judges and advocates for battered women to better prepare themselves for Hague Convention cases in the United States' legal system. To learn more about our dedicated team, visit our page on Our Staff and Volunteers.

We are Always Looking for Ways to Better Help You

We at The Hague Domestic Violence Project are constantly updating this Web site to provide you with the information you need to handle your situation effectively and efficiently. If you cannot find what you are looking for on this site, please let us know. We are continuously looking for more information and ways to improve this site.