A bitter divorce proceeding in Mexico resulted in the husband winning custody of the couple’s 4-year-old son. The mother seized the boy and fled to Milwaukee. The distraught father tracked her down and filed suit in United States District Court. He alleged a violation of the Hague Convention on Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. The federal judge needed to find capable legal representation to ensure that the little boy’s interests were protected in the dispute between his parents. He appointed Attorney Jennifer A. Ortiz, Supervising Attorney with the Legal Aid Society’s Guardian ad Litem Project, to advocate on behalf of the boy.

Attorney Ortiz, a native Spanish-speaker, thoroughly investigated the complex international law matter. Drawing on 17 years of experience in child custody cases, she negotiated a resolution that allowed both parents to have a continuing relationship with their son—the best outcome for the young boy who loved his mom and dad equally.