In re the Application of John Walsh, 53 F.Supp. 91(D.Mass 1999)

Docket Number
98-11638-WGY
Published
Yes
Decision Date
1999-06-11
Name of Court
United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts
Opinion by
Young, William G
Counsel for Petitioner
Merrill, E C
Counsel for Respondent
Barbar, Thomas J; Corraro, Anne M; Najarain, Robert G
Counsel for Court
Benn, Bernard J
Requesting State
Ireland
Requested State
United States of America
Procedural History

On December 18, 1998, the trial court granted the Petitioner/father’s Hague petition. The Respondent/mother filed a motion to dismiss or vacate the court’s previous order granting the Petitioner/father’s request to have their two minor children returned to him in Ireland.

Summary of Facts

The Petitioner/father and the Respondent/mother, a U.S. citizen, were married and living in Massachusetts when the Petitioner/father was arrested in 1994 after his arraignment for assault with the intent to murder a neighbor in Massachusetts. The Petitioner/father fled to Ireland and the Respondent/mother followed him. After living in Ireland for a few years with their two minor children, the Respondent/mother violated an Irish court order by taking the two children to Massachusetts, escaping the years of violence. The Petitioner/father then filed for the return of his minor children to Ireland. The court granted the Petitioner/father’s motion.

Defenses Raised

Equitable doctrine of fugitive disentitlement as a defense to the court’s order.

Treaty of Extradition Between the United States of America and Ireland, Jan. 3 1985, T.I.A.S. No. 10813

Statutes Considered (ICARA)
11601, 11602, 11603, 11604, 11605, 11606, 11607, 11608, 11609, 11610
Articles Considered (Hague Convention)
Cases Considered
Degen v. United States, 517 U.S. 820 (1996); Magluta v. Samples, 162 F.3d 662 (11th Cir.1998); Ortega-Rodriguez v. United States, 507 U.S. 234 (1993); Pharaon v. Board of Governors of Fed. Reserve Sys, 135 F.3d 148 (D.C. Cir 1998); Prevot v. Prevot, 59 F.3d 556 (6th Cir.1995); Prevot v. Prevot, 855 F.Supp. 915 (W.D.Tenn.1994)
Judicial Outcome or Order
Return Order Denied
Posted
2005-08-11

Why this Project?

We are a team of individuals from various professional backgrounds who are dedicated to creating a comprehensive resource that will enable mothers, domestic violence advocates, attorneys and judges to better prepare themselves for Hague Convention cases in the United States' legal system.

Copyright © Hague Domestic Violence Project, UMN and UW Schools of Social Work