
Calabasas International Child Abduction Lawyers
Contact Our Los Angeles & Ventura County Attorneys to Help You Get Your Child Back Safe and Sound
Child abduction cases can quickly become complex legal affairs, especially when a parent takes a child across country borders. If you're involved in an international child abduction case, obtaining legal counsel that understands acts such as the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction is vital.
At Feinberg & Waller, APC, our Calabasas international child abduction attorneys have decades of combined experience helping parents navigate abduction cases. We'll fiercely advocate for your parental rights and help you get your child back.
Schedule a consultation with our team!
Contact us online
orvia phone at
(844) 252-1140.
We have offices in
Beverly Hills,
Calabasas &
Westlake Village.
The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction & International Child Abduction Laws
Various laws impact international child abduction cases, but perhaps the most important to be aware of is the Convention of 25 October 1980 on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (“HCCH”). This is a “multilateral treaty, which seeks to protect children from the harmful effects of wrongful removal and retention across international boundaries by providing a procedure to bring about their prompt return and ensuring the protection of rights of access[SS1].”
The U.S. and many other countries have signed the HCCH Treaty, which is designed to help parents and law enforcement officials address child abduction cases across country borders. How the HCCH works is fairly simple:
-
To file a child abduction case under the HCCH Treaty, a parent must submit
a “Hague Application” to the Central Authority, which is part
of the U.S. State Department. This application contains details about
the abduction and proof the child was wrongfully removed from their habitual
residence (the place they stay most often or have the strongest ties to).
Parents often offer the following evidence as proof of habitual residence:
- A child's medical records;
- Identification related to their home country (social security, driver's license, etc.);
- School transcripts;
- A custody order procured by a court.
- Each country participating in the HCCH Treaty has a Central Authority. The Central Authority works with parents and Central Authorities from other countries to address child abduction cases.
- Documents submitted from one Central Authority to another are processed more quickly than legal documents otherwise exchanged between two countries.
- If the Central Authorities agree that a child has been abducted, they will take the appropriate legal measures to return the child home and enable the other parent to seek action against the abductor (modifying the custody order, seeking jail time, etc.).
It's important for parents to know that the HCCH follows certain guidelines and may not be a surefire way for a parent to have their child returned. International courts can deny the return of an abducted child if the court believes that:
- Returning the child to their habitual residence would expose them to physical or psychological harm;
- The child has a degree of maturity and wishes to remain in the new country;
- The child has been in the new country for over a year and settled there;
- The parent filing the Hague Application originally consented to the child moving and now wishes to revoke that consent;
- The child would lose fundamental human rights (as defined in their current country) by moving to their old one;
- The parent submitting the Hague Application does not have a valid custody order for the child.
Other Than Submitting a Hague Application, What Can I Do?
If you believe your child was abducted, you should immediately report the abductions to local law enforcement. Local authorities can enter your child's name into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), making it easier to locate them. You can also notify the FBI.
You may also be able to obtain a court order restricting travel for your child. If they have not yet left the country, this court order can prevent the other parent from boarding a flight with them through measures such as restricting the child's passport or requiring a court to approve of travel for them.
If a child from another country is wrongfully retained here in California or has been wrongfully removed from another jurisdiction and landed in California, then you can immediately contact law enforcement here in California and file a Petition for the return of the child in the California court system to seek to return the child back to the child’s appropriate jurisdiction.
At Feinberg & Waller, APC, our Calabasas international child abduction attorneys have more than a decade of experience helping parents navigate abduction cases.
To schedule a consultation with our team and work with us to protect your child, contact our office online or via phone at (844) 252-1140.


Recent Testimonials
Read What Past Clients Had to Say-
“Capable, attentive, and effective attorneys and staff who have gone above and beyond for our family! Superior expertise and strategy from Adina Rosenfeld and Marshall Waller.”
- Verified Client Review -
“The people of Feinberg & Waller, APC are consummate experts and truly care about their clients. While the topic is difficult and emotionally charged, they were able to explain things in terms that are easy to follow, ethically and reasonably motivated.”
- Verified Client Posted Review -
“Marshall is a trusted advisor and delivers exceptional, quality service.”
- Verified Business Referral Source -
“Marshall was very easy to work with and I recommend him highly as a competent lawyer and source of legal advice.”
- Verified Client Posted Review -
“Marshall is quite simply THE BEST!”
- Verified Client Posted Review

What Makes Feinberg & Waller, APC Different?
Committed to Each & Every Case-
Certified Family Law Specialists
We have three certified family law specialists on our team. Attorneys wishing to become family law specialists must pass a rigorous examination in the field of family law, fulfill mandated ongoing educational requirements, been favorably evaluated by peer review, and show at least a five-year focus and proficiency in family law.
-
Team Approach
At Feinberg & Waller, APC, the power of our entire team is behind you. As one or two lawyers oversee the fine details of each case, our clients further benefit from practice-wide strategic planning sessions. During these sessions every partner and associate brainstorms together to execute and deploy tactical case objectives, providing clients with an added value beyond the standard lawyer/client arrangement.
-
Outstanding National and International Reputation
Firm shareholder, Marshall Waller is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. He is also a Fellow of the International Academy of Family Lawyers. Fellows are recognized as having advanced skills in family law and are recognized leaders in the field.
-
Role of the General Counsel
The office of Feinberg & Waller, APC has a general counsel whose role is to focus on law firm management, corporate governance, and business policy. The litigation attorneys are then able to focus on your matter rather than having to concentrate on running the business aspect of a law firm.


Intake Process
To simplify your experience in finding the right attorney, here is the Intake Process so you know whatto expect when calling our office.
-
Our Intake Process helps us determine if we can handle your matter while managing the needs of our existing clients.
-
Our Case Intake manager will ask you basic questions. Feinberg & Waller, APC limits the number of cases we accept because we’ve found that selectivity advances our commitment to excellence.
-
After the intake process, we run a conflict check to make sure we have not spoken with the other party in your matter in the past. If we determine that there is no conflict, our case intake manager will go over the range in fees , from our Paralegals at $195/hr, to our Associate Attorneys starting at $250/hr, and our Certified Family Law Specialists (CFLS) starting at $495/hr.
-
We will schedule your consultation with one of Feinberg & Waller, APC Certified Family Law Specialists. A CFLS has gone through a rigorous process of proven qualifications. If you find yourself in the position where you need to speak to an attorney immediately, you may schedule an initial consultation with Marshall Waller through our "Schedule Consultation" links.