International family disputes and cross-border family matters

Legal support in cross-border family matters without acute conflict or emergency situations

Many family disputes today extend beyond one country. Spouses live in different states, have different citizenships, assets may be located abroad, and a decision issued in one jurisdiction may need to be recognised in another.

I handle international family disputes and cross-border family matters that do not involve child abduction or emergency high-conflict situations. Typical examples include divorce, maintenance (alimony), and financial issues where different legal systems are involved.

My focus is on the legal questions created by a foreign element: citizenship, habitual residence, applicable law, and jurisdiction.

Matters I handle:

What matters most?

Cross-border family matters are primarily about jurisdiction and applicable law. The outcome often depends on where proceedings start and how your position is framed.

I treat these matters as a legal task — without emotional promises and without one-size-fits-all solutions.

I do not handle international child abduction cases or emergency, high-conflict family disputes.

My practice focuses on legally complex, procedurally calm cross-border family matters.

Example from practice:

Two foreign nationals living in Russia on visas could not agree on a father’s contact schedule with the child. The child, mother, and father had long been living in Russia, and the child attended kindergarten in Russia.

Russian courts — from the district level up to cassation — refused to hear the case, stating they lacked jurisdiction because the parties were foreigners and did not have residence permits in Russia.

In a complaint to the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, we argued that the key factor is not the parents’ migration status, but the child’s habitual residence. Under The 1996 Hague Convention, Russian courts were obliged to consider the dispute.

The Supreme Court agreed and overturned the lower courts’ decisions.

How we start

Any international family case begins with an assessment of:
• in which countries proceedings are possible;
• which law will apply;
• which decisions will be realistically enforceable.

This helps determine whether the matter has practical value and what strategy makes sense.

Request a case assessment