Divorce – Wife – International
Client’s Situation: Husband, Wife and children were living together in Minnesota for many years. After fleeing to France (where Husband was originally from) to avoid criminal charges, Husband wanted Wife to join him in France. Wife considered moving to France with the children, but ultimately decided against it. She filed for divorce in Minnesota. An international jurisdictional dispute ensued in which Husband contested Minnesota’s jurisdiction over the divorce, child custody, spousal support and child support.
Allison’s Approach: Aggressively litigated all aspects of jurisdiction through trial and appeal.
Result: Prevailed on all issues, including jurisdiction, spousal maintenance, child support and child custody. Obtained decisions from the Minnesota District Court and Court of Appeals, which concluded that Minnesota had jurisdiction over all aspects of the case.
Divorce – Husband – International
Client’s Situation: Husband was on assignment in a foreign country. He and Wife had young children who were living with Husband in the foreign country. The parties agreed to share custody of the children so that the children could reside with Husband overseas for two years, at which time they would live with Wife in Minnesota for two years and the schedule would rotate like this every two years.
Allison’s Approach: Cooperatively worked with opposing counsel to develop and finalize a parenting plan that honored the parties’ unique situation.
Result: Cooperatively settled all aspects of the divorce, which in addition to child custody and parenting time, included spousal support, child support and division of property.
International Child Custody – Hague Convention
Client’s Situation: Client, who lived in France, was divorced in France from Husband, who had court ordered visits with the parties’ child in the United States. Ex-Husband was supposed to return child after a summer visit but did not do so.
Allison’s Approach: Filed a Petition for Return of Child under the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction in Federal Court to obtain client’s child’s return to France.
Result: Successfully negotiated the child’s return to France with opposing counsel under court supervision.
Husband – International Divorce and Jurisdiction
Client’s Situation: Famous musician and conductor from another country wanted amicable divorce from his wife. The parties were married for over 20 years and had grown children. They had property in another country. Wife initiated a divorce in the other country and there was a question of whether Minnesota had jurisdiction over a divorce.
Allison’s Approach: Worked cooperatively with opposing counsel to gather all relevant financial information. Attended 2-3 sessions of mediation with a financial neutral (forensic accountant).
Result: Reached an agreement with opposing party that divorce and spousal maintenance agreement would be settled in Minnesota and governed by Minnesota law. Settled case with Husband paying Wife an agreed upon amount of spousal maintenance. Submitted skeleton divorce decree to court and maintained separate Marital Termination Agreement at law firm so that it was kept private.
