YOUR CHILD’S BEST INTERESTS ARE PARAMOUNT
This includes:
- their short term best interests
- their long term best interests
- the well-being of those close to them
- contact with both (extended) families.
My name is Martine Wernsen.
I have been a lawyer since 2003.
My focus is on child relocation and international child abduction cases.
You can contact me if you wish to start negotiations about relocation or if you wish to create an international parenting plan.
In these international cases I take into account the interests of parents, children, siblings, combined families, grand parents and other members of the extended families.
I would love to tell you about all the ways in which you can use the parenting plan to ensure that your children can benefit from the cultural background of both families.
If you want to learn more about international relocation of children, please visit the website Carefulchildrelocation.com.
I started this website in 2021 in order to create an international network of family lawyers who focus on child abduction and child relocation.
This website covers:
- international visitation,
- international parenting plans,
- obtaining permission to relocate,
- preventing the other parent to relocate,
- child abduction,
- the 6 defences in cases of child abduction
and much more!
CHILD RELOCATION
If you are considering relocating, you should discuss the consequences with the other parent and discuss the necessary changes in the care arrangement.
If there is no agreement, you can ask he court permission to relocate and/or to change the care arrangement.
The court will:
- look at if the relocation was well prepared and thought through
- consider all interests
- consider if the negative consequences for the contact between the child and the other parent can be compensated.
Court procedures about child relocation may also deal with:
- a ban on relocation
- a ban on leaving the country
- a fine for not continuing the care arrangement.
INTERNATIONAL CHILD ABDUCTION
In a case of international child abduction, you will have to find out what legal actions can be taken in your home country and what actions can be taken in the country where the children have been aducted to.
In the country where the children were reciding up until the abduction, you may:
- ask the court to order the other parent to bring the children back, based on national law
- ask the court for sole custody
- start a return procedure, if the other country is not a member to the Hague Convention on Child Abduction.
In the country where the children have been abducted to, you may:
- ask for a return order, based on the Hague Convention on Child Abduction or other international conventions/ treaties.
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MARTINE WERNSEN
For 21 years, I have been working as a lawyer. I mostly assist expats residing in the Netherlands or whose child or ex-partner resides in the Netherlands.
In the past I have been working on cases of family law and juvenile law, as well as criminal law and psychiatric patient law. This background helps me with my work as a lawyer or mediator in family law cases.
I write divorce covenants and parenting plans. Often parties already have good ideas of how they want to shape the future and I help them with the final details. Sometimes parties have disputes that they cannot resolve and I can use my experience to help the parties reach a solution.
I help parents who wish to relocate with their child, or who seek permission from the other parent or the court for a holiday with a child, or permission to obtain a passport for a child. I can assist parents to create a good (international) visitation schedule or (international) parenting plan.
In a case of parental child abduction, you can contact me for advice or to start a return procedure at the court of The Hague, in The Netherlands.
How my clients and I work together:
- I am available outside office hours
- We choose to keep the peace
- We prefer peace over arguing about minor details
- I will give you lots of homework, because I want to understand the bigger picture
- If you provide me with the information in an organised manner, this will save you a lot of money
- I can handle your divorce, if it is an amicable divorce, without a court hearing
- In a case of child abduction, we will try to avoid criminal charges.