International Family Law describes all family law matters with an international element. People are increasingly mobile, living outside their country of origin and experiencing international relationships more frequently. In such cross border situations the rules of international family law determine jurisdiction and the aplicable family law. The closest link to determine which national family law rules are applicable to specific family matters is the habitual residence or domicile of the parties concerned. Family matters include marriage, divorce, maintenance obligations, spouses, inter-country adoption, lineage, inheritance etc.
This Research Guide provides a starting point for research on the International Family Law. It provides the basic legal materials available in the Peace Palace Library, both in print and electronic format. Handbooks, leading articles, bibliographies, periodicals, serial publications and documents of interest are presented in the Selective Bibliography section. Links to the PPL Catalogue are inserted. The Library's subject heading (keyword) International Family Law is instrumental for searching through the Catalogue. Special attention is given to our subscriptions on databases, e-journals, e-books and other electronic resources. Finally, this Research Guide features links to relevant websites and other online resources of particular interest.
Sources of international law
Treaties
- Blair, D.M. and M.H. Weiner, International Family Law: Conventions, Statutes, and Regulatory Materials, Durham, NC, Carolina Academic Press, 2010.
- Family Law Statutes, International Conventions and Uniform Laws, New York, NY, Foundation Press, 2007.
- Hausmann, R., Internationales und Europäisches Familienrecht: EU-Verordnungen (EuEheVO, EuGüVO, EuPartVO, EuSchutzMVO, EuUntVO, Rom III-VO) und Staatsverträge (ErwSÜ, EuSorgeRÜ, HAdoptÜ, HKÜ, HKUntÜ,HKUntVÜ, HUntÜ, HUntVÜ, HUP, HUÜ 2007, KSÜ, LugÜ 2007, MSA, UNUntGÜ) mit AdÜbAG, AdVermiG, AdWirkG, AUG, EGBGB, ErwSÜAG, EuGewSchVG, FamFG, IntFamRVG, VFGüterstG, ZPO, München, C.H. Beck, 2018.
Case-law
The EUPILLAR database provides case law on the Brussels I (Brussels I Recast), Brussels IIa, Maintenance, Rome I and Rome II Regulations and the Maintenance Protocol in the Court of Justice of the European Union and in Belgium, Germany, England and Wales, Italy, Poland, Scotland and Spain from the entry into force of the Brussels I Regulation on 1 March 2002.
Soft law
Reference works
- Althammer, C. (ed.), Brussels IIa, Rome III: Article-by-Article Commentary, München, C.H. Beck, Oxford, Hart Baden-Baden, Nomos, 2019.
- Andrea, M., Internationales Familienrecht, Vierte Auflage, Baden-Baden, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft, 2019.
- Bergmann, A., Ferid. M., (ed.), Internationales Ehe- und Kindschaftsrecht mit Staatsangehörigkeitsrecht, looseleaf edition.
- Erb-Klünemann, M., Internationales Familienrecht in der Praxis. Ein Leitfaden, Frankfurt am Main, Wolfgang Metzner Verlag, 2019.
- Estin, A.L., International Family Law Desk Book, Chicago, American Bar Association, 2012.
- Groot de, G.R. and O. Vonk, International Standards on Nationality law, Texts, Cases and Materials, Wolf Legal Publishers, 2016.
- Hodson, D., A Practical Guide to International Family Law, 2008.
- Pagano, E., Diritto Internazionale Privato: Parte Generale e Diritto di Famiglia, Napoli, Ed. Scientifica, 2012.
- Scherpe, J.M. (ed.), European Family Law, Cheltenham, 2016.
- Stark, B. and J. Heaton (eds), The Routledge Handbook of International Family Law, Abingdon, Routledge, 2019.
Selected books and articles
- Baarsma, N.A., The Europeanisation of International Family Law, The Hague, Asser, 2011.
- Basedow, J. von, "Gesellschaftliche Akzeptanz und internationales Familienrecht", Zeitschrift für das gesamte Familienrecht: Ehe und Familie im privaten und öffentlichen Recht, 66 (2019), No. 22, pp. 1833-1839.
- Bergamini, E. and C. Ragni (eds), Fundamental Rights and Best Interests of the Child in Transnational Families, Cambridge, Intersentia, 2019.
- Blair, M. (ed.), Family Law in the World Community: Cases, Materials, and Problems in Comparative and International Family Law, Durham, Carolina Academic Press, 2015.
- Boele-Woelki, K. (et al.), Principles of European Family Law Regarding Property, Maintenance and Succession Rights of Couples in de facto Unions, Antwerpen, Intersentia, 2019.
- Boele-Woelki, K., C. Mol and E. van Gelder, European Family Law in Action: Volume V: Informal Relations, Antwerpen, Intersentia, 2015.
- Boele-Woelki, K., Dethloff, N. and W. Gephart (eds), Family Law and Culture in Europe: Developments, Challenges and Opportunities, Cambridge; Antwerp; Portland, Intersentia, 2014.
- Boele-Woelki, K., and D. Martiny, Plurality and Diversity of Family Relations in Europe, Cambridge, Intersentia, 2019.
- Büchler, A. and H. Keller, Family Forms and Parenthood, Theory and Practice of Article 8 ECHR in Europe, Cambridge, Intersentia, 2016.
- Calvo Caravaca. A.L. (ed.), The EU Succession Regulation: a Commentary, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2016.
- Corneloup, S. (ed)., The Rome III Regulation: a Commentary on the Law Applicable to Divorce and Legal Separation, Cheltenham, Elgar, 2020.
- Cresp, M. and M. Ho-Dac (eds), Droit de la famille: droits français, européen et international et comparé, Bruxelles, Bruylant, 2018.
- Cronin, K. and J. Dally (eds), Child Migration: International Family and Immigration Laws, London, Bloomsbury, 2018.
- Curry-Sumner, I., Coherence and Consistency in International Family Law, Tilburg, Tilburg University, 2018.
- Douglas, G. (et al.) (eds), International and National Perspectives on Child and Family Law: Essays in Honour of Nigel Lowe, Cambridge, Intersentia, 2018.
- Dutta, A., Familie und Personenstand. Ein Handbuch zum Deutschen und Internationalen Privatrecht, Frankfurt am Main, Verlag für Standesamtswesen, 2019.
- Espinar Vivente, J.M., El Matrimonio, las Familias y la Protección del Menor en el Ámbito Internacional, Madrid, Dykinson, 2019.
- Friedery, R., L. Manca and R. Rosskopf (eds), Family Reunification: International, European and National Perspectives, Berlin, Berliner Wissenschafts-Verlag, 2018.
- Garb, L. and J. Woods (eds), International Succession, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2015.
- Gray, J., Party Autonomy in EU Private International Law: Choice of Court and Choice of Law in Family Matters and Succession, Cambridge, Intersensia, 2021.
- Hamilton, F. and G. Noto La Diega (eds), Same-sex Relationships, Law and Social Change, London, Routledge, 2020.
- Laquer Estin, A. (ed.), International Family Law, Edward Elgar Publishing, 2 Vols., 2016.
- Nikolina, N.V., Divided Parents: Shared Children, Legal Aspects of (residential) Co-Parenting in England, the Netherlands and Belgium, Cambridge, Intersentia, 2015.
- Rass-Masson, L., "The Foundations of European Private International Family Law", Yearbook of Private International Law, 20 (2018-2019), pp. 521-536.
- Rebouché, R. (ed.), Feminist Judgments: Family Law Opinions Rewritten, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2020.
- Roberts, M. and M.F. Moscati, Family Mediation: Contemporary Issues, London, Bloomsbury Professional, 2020.
- Rogerson, C. (et al.) (eds), Family Law and Family Realities, Utrecht, Eleven International, 2019.
- Scherpe, J.M., European Family Law, Cheltenham, Elgar, 2016.
- Scherpe, J.M. and E. Bargelli (eds), The Interaction Between Family Law, Succession Law and Private International Law: Adapting to Change, Cambridge, Intersentia, 2021.
- Stewart, J., Family Law: Jurisdictional Comparisons, London, Thomson Reuters, 2013.
- Vienenkötter, R., Der Begriff des gewöhnlichen Aufenthalts im Internationalen Familien- und Erbrecht der EU, Jenaer Wissenschaftliche Verlagsgesellschaft, 2017.
- Yassari, N., L.M. Möller and I. Gallala-Arndt (eds), Parental Care and the Best Interests of the Child in Muslim Countries, The Hague, Asser Press, 2017.
- Živković, M. (ed.), Personal Name in Internal Law and Private International Law, Faculty of Law, University of Niš, 2016.
Periodicals, serial publications
- Child and Family Law Quarterly
- European Family Law Series
- International Journal of Law, Policy and the Family
- International Journal of the Jurisprudence of the Family
- International Survey of Family Law
Bibliographies
Encyclopedias
French database on marriage, divorce and family law (text) per region/country, "qui permet de trouver la règle de conflit en matière de divorce, responsabilité parentale, obligations alimentaires, régimes matrimoniaux, bref de raisonner les questions courantes de DIP de la famille."
Dalloz répertoires (updated portefeuilles):
- Répertoire de droit européen: Compétence, reconnaissance et exécution: matières matrimoniale et de responsabilité parentale, E. Gallant, janvier 2013 (actualisation avril 2021)
- Répertoire de droit international: Adoption, J. Foyer, septembre 2003 (actualisation janvier 2021)
- Répertoire de droit international: Aliments, N. Joubert, janvier 2019 (actualisation octobre 2020)
- Répertoire de droit international: Divorce et séparation de corps, P. Hammje, novembre 2018 (actualisation avril 2021)
- Répertoire de droit international: Droits de l'enfant, F. Monéger, janvier 2017 (actualisation juin 2020)
- Répertoire de droit international: Filiation, J. Foyer, juillet 2015 (actualisation juillet 2020)
- International Family Law: a Selective Resource Guide, by Marylin J. Raisch
- International Family Law, The Law Office of J.D. Morley, New York
- International Society of Family Law
- European Union: Family Law
- European Union: Marital Property Law
- European Union: Succession Law
- Decisions applying the European Union Regulations on cross-border litigation in family matters