October Term 2019 · Docket 18-935
Does a child's habitual residence depend on parental agreement?
The dispute centers on whether a child's habitual residence requires proof of a shared parental intent to reside in a specific country.
Verified source milestones
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
The arguments, in order
This case may have been argued more than once. Each entry below uses that session's official transcript. Later arguments do not erase earlier ones.
Argument 1 ·
What happened at the argument
Mr. Tayrani argued the Convention protects children from wrongful removal.
Mr. Joshi stated habitual residence asks where the child usually lives.
Mr. Pincus noted European courts consider the family and social environment.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 17-23 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 17-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 11-49 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 11-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 53-9 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 53-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 23-45 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 23-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 15-23 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 15-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 27-37 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 27-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 51-9 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 51-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 45-21 — Transcript, file page 31, lines 45-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-25 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 43, lines 19-7 — Transcript, file page 43, lines 19-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 31-37 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 31-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 43-55 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 43-55
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 55-15 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 55-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 37-7 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 37-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 29-49 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 29-49
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
The case involves a two-year-old child removed from the United States. The lower court applied the Hague Convention to separate the child from her mother. the side that brought the case argues this application harms the child. the opposing side argues the Convention protects the child's home country.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 45-21 — Transcript, file page 31, lines 45-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-25 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 43, lines 19-7 — Transcript, file page 43, lines 19-7
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on December 11, 2019.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-21
What each side wants
the side that brought the case wants the Court to reject the requirement of parental agreement for habitual residence.
the opposing side wants the Court to uphold the lower court's finding of habitual residence.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 45-21 — Transcript, file page 31, lines 45-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-25 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 43, lines 19-7 — Transcript, file page 43, lines 19-7
What each side says
the side that brought the case argues habitual residence is a flexible, fact-intensive concept that does not require parental agreement.
the opposing side argues habitual residence depends on the shared intent of the parents to reside in a country.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 45-21 — Transcript, file page 31, lines 45-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-25 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 43, lines 19-7 — Transcript, file page 43, lines 19-7
What the justices asked
Justice Alito asked if the agreement between parents is a pure question of fact.
Justice Ginsburg questioned the likelihood of parental agreement in acrimonious relationships.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 17-23 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 17-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 11-49 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 11-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 53-9 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 53-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 23-45 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 23-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 15-23 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 15-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 27-37 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 27-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 51-9 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 51-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 31-37 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 31-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 43-55 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 43-55
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 55-15 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 55-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 37-7 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 37-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 29-49 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 29-49
Why it matters
This case defines how courts determine a child's home country. It affects the rights of parents and children in international custody disputes. It clarifies the scope of the Hague Convention's protections.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 45-21 — Transcript, file page 31, lines 45-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-25 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 43, lines 19-7 — Transcript, file page 43, lines 19-7
What happens next
This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 17-23 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 17-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 11-49 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 11-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 53-9 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 53-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 23-45 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 23-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 15-23 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 15-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 27-37 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 27-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 51-9 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 51-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 31-37 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 31-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 43-55 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 43-55
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 55-15 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 55-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 37-7 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 37-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 29-49 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 29-49
Official Court provenance
Official docket and case history · Official Supreme Court oral-argument detail page
Title and summary sources
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 45-21 — Transcript, file page 31, lines 45-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-25 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 43, lines 19-7 — Transcript, file page 43, lines 19-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 45-21 — Transcript, file page 31, lines 45-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-25 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 43, lines 19-7 — Transcript, file page 43, lines 19-7
Revision history
- Revision 1 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.
- Revision 2 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.