Ciotola v. Fiocca, 684 N.E.2d 763 (1997)

Docket Number
No. 96DR-06-2645 DRC
Published
Yes
Decision Date
1997-03-12
Name of Court
State of Ohio, Court of Common Pleas
Opinion by
Brown, Susan
Counsel for Petitioner
Bracco, Robert A; Gottfried, Gary J
Counsel for Respondent
Dalena, Albert F; Briscoe, Colleen H
Counsel for Court
Requesting State
Italy
Requested State
United States of America
Procedural History

On December 11, 1996, magistrate heard this matter upon the Petitioner/father's petition for return of child pursuant to Hague petition and ordered the child to return to Italy. On December 20, 1996, the Respondent/Mother appealed the magistrate's return order.

Summary of Facts

The Respondent/mother, a U.S. citizen, and e Petitioner/father, a citizen of Italy, married in Italy on September 4, 1994. The couple lived in Italy and had one child in February 1995. A few weeks after the birth of their child, the Respondent/mother filed for certificate of residence in Italy. In July 1996, while visiting family and friends in the U.S., the Respondent/mother filed for legal separation from Petitioner/Father and served him in Italy. The Petitioner/father asked for visitation of the child, but the Respondent/mother refused. On September 23, 1996, the Petitioner/father filed the Hague Petition. The Respondent/mother testified that the Petitioner/father had an explosive temper and that she was a victim of domestic violence during the marriage. The domestic violence allegations were seriously contested at trial and the court took particular notice of the fact that the Respondent/mother neither reported any incidents of abuse to the local Italian authorities nor sought medical attention as a result of domestic violence.

Defenses Raised

Hague Article 3a: The child's habitual residence is not the requesting state

Hague Article 13a: Acquiescence or consent to the removal of the child by the requesting party

Hague Article 13b: Grave risk of harm to the child if returned to the petitioning country

Hague Article 20: Return of the child would violate principles of human rights and fundamental freedoms

Statutes Considered (ICARA)
11601(b)(4), 11603(b), 11603(c), 11604
Articles Considered (Hague Convention)
6(f), 8, 12, 13(a), 13(b), 16, 20
Cases Considered
Brooke v. Willis, 907 F.Supp. 57 (S.D.N.Y. 1995); C.E. Morris Co. v. Foley Const. Co., 54 Ohio St.2d 279 (1978); Caro v. Sher, 296 N.J.Super. 549 (Ch. Div. 1996); Conroy v. Conroy , No. 93AP-27 WL 310421 (Franklin App. 1993); Eitel v. Eitel, No. 93APF12-1745 WL 479450 (Franklin App. 1994); Feder v. Evans-Feder, 63 F.3d 217 (3rd Cir. 1995); Flynn v. Flynn, 15 Ohio App.3d 34 (1984); Friedrich v. Friedrich, 983 F.2d 1396 (6th Cir. 1993); Friedrich v. Friedrich, 78 F.3d 1060 (6th Cir. 1996); In re Application of Ponath, 829 F.Supp. 363 (D. Utah 1993); Levewque v. Levewque, 816 F.Supp. 662 (D. Kan. 1993); Loos v. Manuel, 278 N.J.Super. 607 (Ch. Div. 1994); Rydder v. Rydder , 49 F.3d 369 (8th Cir. 1995); Seasons Coal Co. v. Cleveland, 10 Ohio St.3d 77 (1984); Tahan v. Duquette, 259 N.J.Super. 328 (App. Div. 1992); Tyszka v. Tyszka, 503 N.W.2d 726 (1993)
Judicial Outcome or Order
Return Ordered
Posted
2004-11-21

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.

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