Legal Question in International Law in New Hampshire

International Child Support

I am a US citizen. I was married and divorced in Germany to a German National in accordance with German law. I have three children that are US citizens but live with their mother in Germany. The German court order states that I owe child support, normally it would be garnished from my wages if I worked in Germany, and have visitation rights on weekends. I have been paying voluntary child support to my ex-wife for 7 years with no visitation possibilities. I have recently stopped paying support and my ex is threatening legal action. Am I legally obligated by a US federal or NH state court to pay child support to my children in Germany because of a German order that exists, especially when I am not familiar with the details and cannot fly to Germany on weekends and visit my children? Could I be extradited? Am I a derelict dad?


Asked on 8/03/03, 12:28 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Lawrence Graves Coolidge & Graves PLLC

Re: International Child Support

I am by no means an expert on international child custody issues, but do know enough to suggest that you need to consult someone who is. There are multilateral conventions on child custody; I believe that the US is a party to one or more, and think it likely that Germany is as well. The main focus of these treaties is to remedy cases where one parent "abducts" children contrary to a court's custody order in a country whose courts properly exercised jurisdiction over the marriage dissolution, but there may also be provisions relating to child support obligations.

Best wishes,

LDWG

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Answered on 8/03/03, 2:17 pm


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