Finding an Attorney
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Attorneys Abroad
In order to pursue the return of your child from another country, you will likely need to retain an attorney in the country to which your child was taken. This attorney abroad can help you navigate the foreign country's legal system.
For information about hiring an attorney abroad, refer to our flier called Retaining a Foreign Attorney. Although we cannot recommend an attorney to you, many U.S. Embassies do keep lists of attorneys. These lists may help you find an attorney right for you.
Attorneys in the United States
The Office of Children’s Issues maintains a list of attorneys in the United States who offer assistance to parents whose children have been abducted to the United States from another Hague Abduction Convention country. Many of these attorneys offer assistance for free or for a reduced charge. If you need our assistance to find an attorney in the United States, we will provide you with a list of attorneys from our network.
Legal Aid Resources
If you are party to an international parental child abduction case in the United States or abroad, a legal aid organization may be able to assist you with your legal representation. Many legal aid organizations provide legal assistance for free or for a reduced charge to those who qualify. Some organizations may impose income and resource ceilings as well as restrictions on the types of cases they will take.
Below are links to many legal aid organizations in the United States. To contact a legal aid organization, view the organizations
listed in your state or the state to which your child was abducted.
DISCLAIMER: The U.S. Department of State assumes no responsibility for the professional ability or integrity of the organizations whose
names appear on this list. This referral does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation of the U.S. Department of State.
