NJ: Mother May Relocate to Japan Against Father’s Wishes

The New Jersey Supreme Court has ruled that a mother may return to Japan with their seven year old daughter against the father’s wishes. The US Supreme Court has declined to stay the ruling.

The father still plans to take an appeal to the US Supreme Court.

Japanese law is reputed not to be protective of visitation rights by the non-custodial parent. And the father fears he will be unable to enforce his US court orders against the mother once she is there.

New Jersey law is more accommodating of requests by custodial parents to relocate with minor children than some other states, including Florida. All the mother had to show in New Jersey was that she had a “good faith reason for the move” and “that the child will not suffer from it”.

The current law in Florida governing relocation is more stringent.

Read more in this Newsday article: U.S. Supreme Court declines to intervene in custody case.

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