Husband and Wife have Daughter together.

Husband was a US army officer stationed in the United Arab Emirates. Husband recently left the military, taking a private contractor position in Dubai.

Wife reportedly returns home from work one day to find all her belongings outside the home, and a note from Husband informing her that he has Daughter and will be seeking a divorce.

Pregnant and broke, Wife turns to the US embassy for help, claiming to be a victim of domestic abuse.

Wife, who hails from Tennessee, files for divorce and child custody in Tennessee family court. But she hasn’t set foot in Tennessee for eight months.

Giving Husband a basis to file an emergency motion to dismiss Wife’s case in Tennessee.

But the Tennessee family court denies Husband’s motion. (Florida courts, among others, recognize military personnel stationed outside their home state as still being residents of their home state.)

And the Tennessee family court further orders Husband to return Daughter to Tennessee. But the prospect of enforcing the Tennessee family court order in Dubai is not encouraging.

Dubai is not a party to the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, and does not generally recognize court orders entered in the US.

Read more in this 7 Days in Dubai article: US mother seeks daughter’s return from UAE.