Japan has a policy of ignoring U.S. court orders when it comes to family matters, which has left a number of parents childless after a Japanese parent takes the child from the American parent. In some cases, the country will even arrest parents who attempt to take back their children on their own.
While the U.S. has been clashing with Japan on this issue for years, America has decided to turn up the heat recently, with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell warning, “The situation has to be resolved in order to ensure that the U.S.-Japan relations continue on such a positive course.”
Japan is the only country of seven major industrial nations that has so far refused to sign the Hague Convention treaty that would ban child abductions involving other countries. While many have tried to defend the nation by explaining that its culture does not litigate divorce in the same manner that the U.S. does, many, including San Francisco family lawyers, say this is not an acceptable reason to ignore the problem.
To read more on the issue, see the article in the Washington Post. Image via futureatlas.com [Flickr].
A new study shows that the majority of states fail to protect the rights of abused children. Fortunately, the state-by-state report card shows that most states are improving. The study, conducted by two leading child advocacy organizations, showed that in most cases, the court fails to listen to the childrens’ wishes or provide them with adequate representation in court during dependency trials. On the overall grading system, California earned a B for it’s representation of minor abuse victims. Seven states, including Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Maine, and North Dakota received F’s.
Having a life-threatening illness is devastating for both the victim and their loved ones. Many 
This month marks the fortieth anniversary of a revolutionary change in our country. Although its significance is often overlooked, California’s no-fault divorce law has made a major impact on the society we live in.