To Encourage Appointment of State Points of Contact to Facilitate Compliance with Family Law Related International Treaties
Resolution 2: To Encourage Appointment of State Points of Contact to Facilitate Compliance with Family Law Related International Treaties
WHEREAS, in our expanding global society international treaties are needed to facilitate cooperation and communication among countries and the recognition and enforcement of foreign decrees and judgments; and
WHEREAS, the United States is currently a party to the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (Abduction Convention) and the 1993 Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Co-operation in respect of Intercountry Adoption and is considering ratification of other family law related international treaties; and
WHEREAS, the Hague Conference on Private International Law has called for each party to the Abduction Convention to establish a judicial network to facilitate application of the Convention and dissemination of information about the Convention; and
WHEREAS, the United States Department of State has appointed three judges to be liaisons on the Abduction Convention and has inquired about the possibility of designating liaisons in each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the territories to develop expertise on the Convention and facilitate compliance with its terms; and
WHEREAS, state court points of contact have been designated for other policy areas such as child welfare, child support, and problem solving courts, and these points of contact have duties similar to those described above for the international judicial network;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Conference of Chief Justices and the Conference of State Court Administrators encourage each member to appoint an individual in the administrative office of the courts and/or a judge to serve as the point(s) of contact for family related international treaties.
Adopted as proposed by the CCJ/COSCA Courts, Children and Families Committee at the CCJ/COSCA Annual Meeting in August 2009.