Defenses to Return under the Hague Convention

The Hague Convention establishes four defenses to the return of a child who has been wrongly taken from its habitual residence: 1) The proceeding is commenced in the responding state more than one year after the wrongful removal or retention, and 'the child is now settled in its new environment' (Article 12); 2) The party now seeking return of the child was not actually exercising custodial rights at the time of the wrongful removal or retention of the child; or there was consent to the removal; or there was acquiescence to the retention (Article 13 (a)); 3) The return of the child would expose him or her to physical or psychological harm 'or otherwise place the child in an intolerable situation'(Article 13(b)); or the child objects to being returned and is of such age and maturity that it is appropriate to take account of his views (Article 13 (b)); and 4) That human rights and fundamental freedom would be abridged if the return were permitted (Article 20).