Collapsed International Marriages Rasie Child Abduction Issue

Japanese women from collapsed international marriages are increasingly bringing their children to Japan without confirming custody rights, creating diplomatic problems between Japan and other countries, it has emerged.

In one case three years ago, a Japanese woman's marriage to a Swedish man collapsed and she brought their child to Japan. Later when she traveled to the United States by herself she was detained, as police in Sweden had put her on an international wanted list through Interpol for child abduction. She was sent to Sweden and put on trial.

The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction bans people from taking their children to their home country after a collapsed marriage without confirming issues such as custody and visitation rights. The convention has about 80 signatory countries, mainly in Europe and North America, but Japan is not one of them.

50 Cent Wraps Up Custody Deal

There'll be no more kidding around for 50 Cent. At least, not in court.

The rapper and his former girlfriend, Shaniqua Tompkins, have reached a settlement in their ongoing and bitter custody dispute over 11-year-old son Marquise, announcing this morning they have managed to broker a visitation schedule outside of court, thus avoiding the burden of a high-profile trial.

"I'm happy it's actually done with," Fiddy told reporters outside the Suffolk Family Court of the deal, despite the fact that it grants him less visitation time with the boy than he originally sought.

During this morning's five-minute hearing, in which both the rapper and Thompson were present, but avoided eye or any other contact, lawyers disclosed that 50 Cent will see his son one weekend per month, one month in the summer and spend half his winter and spring breaks in his father's custody.

Connecticut Says Mandatory Parenting Classes Allowable

A state law requiring Connecticut couples to take parenting education courses as a condition of their divorce cases is constitutional and protects children's interests, the state Supreme Court ruled Monday.

The high court, in a unanimous ruling, rejected an appeal by Bristol resident Thomas Dutkiewicz stemming from his 2006 divorce.

Dutkiewicz said forcing parents to attend the classes is akin to convicting a person without a trial, since the law does not consider whether a person already is a good parent.

He also said it infringes on constitutional guarantees of freedom of choice in family matters and violates parents' right to choose what is best for their children.

The Supreme Court upheld a trial court's decision that the classes achieve "a compelling state interest by aiming to maintain familial harmony through a difficult transition."

North Dakota Child Custody Reform?

Existing child custody laws in North Dakota do not work as well as they could.

Divorce is most often hard. And the more the divorce is a matter for the court, given our adversarial legal system, the harder it becomes to have a good solution. That seems especially the case when it concerns the children of divorce.

Of course, there are couples who have divorced who have acted responsibly toward their children. They may be in the majority. However, in those occasions where a child or children become the focus of passionate, even obsessive, disagreement between parents, then something must be done.

Ideally, the laws and regulations that guide families through divorce should treat all parties fairly, within reason, with the needs of any children in the family considered first and foremost. These laws and regulations should be humane. Compassionate, yet firm and frank.

The Legislature’s Judicial Process Committee has endorsed changes in the state’s child custody laws that do much to improve the existing situation. The proposal originated with a North Dakota State Bar Association task force. When lawmakers arrive in January to do their work, this reform of child custody should be a high priority.