Relocation Disputes - by Rob George (Hardcover)

About the Book

This book looks at the different ways in which the legal systems of England and New Zealand currently deal with relocation cases, drawing on case law, literature and the views of legal practitioners in the two jurisdictions.

Book Synopsis

Relocation cases are disputes between separated parents which arise when one parent proposes to move to a new geographic location with their child and the other parent objects to the proposal. Relocation disputes are widely recognized as being among the most difficult cases facing family courts, and the law governing them is increasingly a cause for debate at both national and international levels. This book examines the different ways in which the legal systems of England and New Zealand currently deal with relocation cases. Drawing on case law, literature, and the views of legal practitioners in the two jurisdictions, Relocation Disputes represents a major contribution to the understanding of the everyday practice of relocation cases. The empirical data reported in the book reveals the practical differences between the English and New Zealand approaches to relocation, along with a detailed analysis of the pros and cons of each system as seen by judges, lawyers, and court experts who deal with these cases in practice. This analysis leads to detailed criticisms and lessons that can be learned, together with practical suggestions about possible reforms of relocation law.

Review Quotes

"George's analysis of relocation law in England and New Zealand will be of benefit to practitioners in both jurisdictions, as well as in countries with similar family law systems. His incorporation of interviews with 22 practitioners in each country highlights the fundamental divergences of informed opinion on this fraught issue, at a time when it has been estimated that in 2010 there were 215 million international migrants annually, with that number typically increasing by around 10% every five years. Relocation Disputes is tightly and readably constructed. It is well researched and thoughtfully argued. George's modest proposals to find both a rapprochement between English and New Zealand law, and a middle road that fairly addresses the fundamental issues, deserve careful consideration. His research and data collection constitute a welcome and valuable contribution to scholarly analysis of issues in this fundamentally important area of family law. Relocation Disputes can be warmly recommended for all modern family law practitioners with an interest in the law, practice and policies relating to the post-separation life of families." --Ian Freckelton QC, New Zealand Family Law Journal

"This is an interesting and useful book." --Dorothea Gartland, Journal of Social Welfare and Family Law

"Dr Rob George is part of a small coterie of researchers around the world, including Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the USA, who have been looking over the past decade or so, in longitudinal studies, of the impact on children and parents of relocation. It is therefore highly appropriate in his latest publication that he looks at relocation in England and New Zealand and the reality of relocation in law and practice in these two jurisdictions. ... Dr Rob George, through his research, shows in interviews how these complex cases affect those directly involved in the relocation process. He provides fresh insight into the wider issues affecting families who have gone through the relocation process. His findings will assist all family practitioners and family court judges in the way they approach these hugely difficult cases." --Ann Thomas, Family Law, July 2014

About the Author

Rob George is a British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow at University College, Oxford, and an Associate Member of Harcourt Chambers, London. He is the author of numerous articles on relocation disputes and other aspects of family law, and is co-author, with Frances Judd KC, Damian Garrido and Anna Worwood, of Relocation: A Practical Guide, published in June 2013.