Michigan Military Divorce

Grandparenting time controversy in the Sean Goldman case

On April 5th, the Associated Press reported that Sean Goldman's Brazilian grandmother has filed a court action seeking to have visitation with Sean. Apparently she and her husband have been
in New Jersey since last month and arrived with hopes of visiting 9-year-old Sean Goldman. Sean and his father arrived home in the United States on December 24, 2009.

Apparently Silvana Bianchi has a short memory. Is it possible that she has forgotten that David Goldman had to wait four years to see Sean after Goldman's former wife (Bianchi's daughter, now deceased) abducted the child to Brazil?

David Goldman | Great spokesman for left-behind parents

In the spirit of the families of Adam Walsh and Polly Klass, David Goldman steps beyond the recovery of his son Sean, kidnapped by his mother to Brazil and recovered more than five years later.

David Goldman is today continuing his heroic efforts on behalf of left-behind parents whose children have been kidnapped to foreign countries. Today he spoke out on Canadian television on behalf a another child kidnapped to Brazil--a country that, while a signatory to the Hague Convention, seems determined to thwart the basic legal premises of the Convention.

Here's a link to a terrific interview of David Goldman on a Canadian television station advocating for a left-behind parent from Canada in his efforts to recover his child.

http://watch.ctv.ca/news/clip261805#clip261805

Foreign travel with minor children | What documents are required?

We've had recent discussions on the ABA Family Law Listserv about how best
to guarantee that there are no glitches when a parent is traveling abroad with minor children and the other parent is not also traveling. The New York Times has published a helpful article discussing the issues and good suggestions for ensuring travel that doesn't involve border stops. The article, Practical Traveler: Stroller, Diapers, Paperwork may be read here.

Spring Break is fast arriving. Parents traveling to Mexico are usually required to present a notarized document from the other parent that will state with fair precision the knowledge of the trip, the expected departure and return dates, etc. An affidavit for parents to use that will facilitate border crossings can be found here.

David & Sean Goldman abduction case | Dateline | Background

Dear Readers,

NBC DATELINE: January 8, 2009:   I am sure that many of you saw the Dateline program on the Goldman parental abduction case. I am told that there were 11 million viewers! Here is an excellent summary of the program. http://tinyurl.com/y9bqczp

The segment where Sean calls David "Dad" will make your heart melt! I know that there are legions of folks who were overwhelmed to see David Goldman's determination to recover his son and know he is equally determined to ensure Sean's safety and well-being.

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL:    Video material that was left on the cutting floor when this moving 2-hour program was assembled can be accessed here:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032600/

ANOTHER SHOWING:    In case you missed it, I am told that the show will be aired again today, Sunday, January 10th at 7 PM EST on TLC

BRING SEAN HOME FOUNDATION:    See http://bringseanhome.org for more information on how you may help other left-behind parents (LBPs). There are about 50 cases involving about 65 children still in Brazil There are many other tragic cases involving children abducted and and held in other countries. See http://bringseanhome.org to see how you can help! It is particularly important that you write, call, camp out on the lawn of your representatives in Congress. [Note: The best currency might be in your time and energy helping the foundation and/or contacting your representatives.

GOLDMAN ARCHIVES:    The complete archives (so far) on the Goldman discussion on this Blog can be accessed below:

Sean and David Goldman | Home at last in New Jersey

In case you did not see it, here's a terrific video of David Goldman describing Sean's first moments at home, finally, in New Jersey.

Beautiful, beautiful boy | BSH to continue helping left-behind parents

I wasn't aware until today that I could share this incredibly moving revision to the website at http://bringseanhome.org. BSH is adamant that David and Sean Goldman's case is just the beginning. Nothing makes that more clear that the film format in this revision that not only celebrates David and Sean's return from Brazil, but also shows photos of all of the 60+ children who have been abducted to Brazil and remain there. A film student at UCLA, Jeramie Rellos, designed this beautiful new Home Page.

CBS vs NBC and the New York Times on the Goldman case

CBS has taken a wrong-headed stance on the Goldman case from the beginning, insisting upon calling it a "custody" battle when, in fact, this is a case about kidnapping. [In his June 2009 decision ordering the immediate return of Sean Goldman to the United States, Brazilian Judge Pinto called the wrongful retention of Sean Goldman by Lins e Silva, Sean's stepfather, a "second kidnapping."

Then CBS invited Sean's grandmother, Silvana Bianchi, and Lins e Silva to give their views on The Morning Show. Of course their claim was that Sean wanted to stay in Brazil and that he should be allowed to tell the court his wishes. [They did not tell CBS that one of the family members is an expert in parental alienation.] The outrageous performance of CBS and "the family" inspired me to get up on my constitutional highhorse.

On the morning of December 24th, the world watched Sean being brought to the US Consulate on foot, being pushed and shoved through hordes of paparazzi.  According to the New York Times, "[t]he family had no immediate comment on American charges that they rebuffed offers for a more discreet encounter."

NBC coverage of Sean Goldman return to his father, David Goldman

NBC's initial reports today about the Brazilian family bringing Sean Goldman to his father, David Goldman, show Sean Goldman paraded through the streets of Rio de Janerio through hordes of pushing and shoving people, including paparazzi. This despicable conduct occurred without regard to Sean's well-being and despite offers from the US consulate to have Sean brought to a private back entrance to avoid any distress for him. What a cruelty the supposedly loving grandmother and stepfather showed to Sean.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Apparently a television helicopter followed the Goldmans when they left the consulate for the airport. David and Sean Goldman left Brazil almost immediately after the turnover. Forbes Magazine coverage of Sean and David Goldman's arrival back in the U.S. is here.

Goldman case | Brazilian family says it will not file more appeals

I received an alert at about 12:15 PM today that CNN reports that the Brazilian relatives of 9-year-old Sean Goldman, will not file any further appeals. Sean has been the subject of an international abduction case. [Note CNN still calls this a "custody battle"]. Yesterday, Chief Justice Gilmar Mendes of the Brazilian Supreme Court ruled against the grandmother and Sean's stepfather, Paulo Lins e Silva. He ordered the return of Sean to his American father David Goldman.

Sergio Tostes, attorney for Sean's grandmother Silvana Bianchi, said that the family is "just looking for a peaceful handover of Sean Goldman to his father and that they plan to start discussion about a transfer immediately, but that Sean would not be transferred today. I wonder why they have not scheduled the exchange to occur at the American Embassy soon. Send Sean now. All he needs is a toothbrush. [In fact, send him without a toothbrush.] Tostes says that he sees no reason to rush, despite the fact that Sean was to be released to David Goldman within 48 hours of the decision that was rendered on December 16th, one week ago.

The CNN report is here.

Lins e Silva lectures on parental alienation "syndrome"

David Goldman and his supporters, as well as many commentators have expressed concerns that the Brazilian family has exercised enormous mind control over Sean Goldman and that the parental alienation he's experienced will create some difficulties for him in adjusting to life back in the United States. To get an idea of just how capable, how ruthless the Lins e Silva family might be in using parental alienation in this case, watch this 10-minute segment of a lecture delivered by Joao Paulo Lins e Silva, a lawyer specializing in family law in Rio de Janeiro. Lins e Silva delivered this lecture at a conference at The Hague. Then imagine him tutoring Bruna Goldman and her Brazilian mother in the techniques of parental alienation.