International Family Law

International parental child abduction cases require immediate, strategic, and highly coordinated legal action. Junnier Law & Research P.A. works closely with parents, foreign legal professionals, and, where appropriate, the United States Department of State to pursue the safe return of abducted or wrongfully retained children while remaining sensitive to each child’s physical and emotional wellbeing.

The Firm handles matters arising under the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, which currently includes more than 100 contracting states worldwide.  In addition to Hague Convention remedies, Junnier Law & Research P.A. evaluates other applicable international agreements, bilateral arrangements, immigration remedies, domestic custody laws, emergency jurisdiction procedures, and diplomatic or negotiated solutions that may offer faster, less traumatic, or more practical resolutions for families.

The Firm also considers cases involving countries that are not signatories to the Hague Convention. These matters often present extraordinary legal and logistical challenges, particularly where local judicial systems are unstable, ineffective, heavily politicized, or difficult to access. In such circumstances, successful representation may require practical problem-solving, careful coordination with local professionals, cultural and political awareness, and strategies extending beyond traditional litigation. Junnier Law & Research P.A. works to develop creative and individualized approaches tailored to the realities of each jurisdiction and family situation.

Beyond the Hague Convention, international parental abduction matters may also implicate additional treaties, international human rights principles, regional agreements, and cross-border enforcement mechanisms affecting custody, access rights, and child protection. Collectively, international child protection and family law agreements affect well over 150 countries worldwide, although treaty participation and enforcement vary significantly between jurisdictions.

Attorney Junnier is a member of the United States Department of State’s Attorney Network for international parental child abduction matters. Members of this network are not employees or representatives of the United States Department of State. Rather, they are private attorneys who have agreed to consider accepting international child abduction matters on a pro bono or reduced-fee basis in appropriate circumstances.

If your child has been abducted abroad, consider Junnier Law & Research, P.A. located in Coral Springs.

International prisoner transfer matters involve a highly specialized intersection of criminal law, treaty law, diplomacy, corrections policy, and international legal procedure. Junnier Law & Research, P.A. assists foreign nationals incarcerated in the United States and Americans imprisoned abroad in evaluating potential transfer options under applicable international treaties, federal statutes, and correctional procedures. The Firm works to coordinate with foreign counsel, family members, consular officials, and government agencies to help clients navigate the complex transfer process and improve the likelihood of approval.

The United States International Prisoner Transfer Program is governed principally by 18 U.S.C. §§ 4100–4115 and administered through the United States Department of Justice’s International Prisoner Transfer Unit within the Office of International Affairs.  The program permits certain convicted foreign nationals imprisoned in the United States to serve the remainder of their sentences in their home countries, and likewise permits Americans incarcerated abroad to request transfer to the United States. The system was designed to promote rehabilitation, maintain family connections, reduce diplomatic burdens, and address the unique hardships associated with incarceration far from home. 

The United States currently maintains international prisoner transfer relationships through both bilateral treaties and multilateral conventions. Bilateral transfer treaties exist with countries including Mexico, Canada, Thailand, Bolivia, Peru, Panama, France, and Turkey, among others.  In addition, the United States participates in two major multilateral agreements: the Council of Europe Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons and the Inter-American Convention on Serving Criminal Sentences Abroad. Together, these agreements create prisoner transfer relationships with nearly 80 countries and territories worldwide. 

International prisoner transfer cases generally require satisfaction of several core legal requirements before a transfer may occur. These typically include:

• The prisoner must be a citizen or national of the receiving country; 
• A valid treaty relationship must exist between the United States and the receiving nation; 
• The conviction and sentence must be final, with no pending appeals; 
• The offense must generally be criminal in both jurisdictions; 
• All parties must consent to the transfer, including the prisoner, the sentencing country, and the receiving country; and 
• A sufficient portion of the sentence must usually remain to justify transfer.  

For federal prisoners, the process ordinarily begins through the Bureau of Prisons and the Department of Justice’s International Prisoner Transfer Unit. Federal inmates are generally advised of treaty transfer opportunities during intake and orientation.  Successful federal transfer applications often depend upon institutional conduct, sentence stability, rehabilitation efforts, immigration consequences, family circumstances, diplomatic considerations, and the receiving country’s willingness to accept supervision and enforcement of the sentence. Counsel may assist by organizing supporting documentation, presenting humanitarian and rehabilitative considerations, coordinating with foreign consulates, and helping ensure compliance with treaty and procedural requirements.

State prisoner transfers involve additional procedural complexity because both state and federal authorities must approve the transfer. Although all fifty states have enacted legislation authorizing participation in the international prisoner transfer program, state prisoners historically comprise only a small percentage of total transfers.  In state cases, approval is generally required from the state correctional system or governor’s office before the Department of Justice conducts final federal review. Strategic advocacy in state cases may therefore require simultaneous coordination with state prosecutors, correctional authorities, diplomatic officials, and federal agencies.

Many international prisoner transfer matters also implicate broader international legal protections and diplomatic considerations. The Vienna Convention on Consular Relations provides important consular notification and communication rights for detained foreign nationals, while bilateral consular agreements may affect access to foreign diplomatic assistance and coordination.  In some cases, humanitarian concerns, prison conditions, medical issues, political instability, language barriers, or family reunification considerations may also influence transfer advocacy and negotiations.

Because international prisoner transfer decisions remain highly discretionary, successful cases often require careful legal analysis, diplomatic coordination, institutional preparation, and persuasive presentation of rehabilitative and humanitarian factors. Junnier Law & Research, P.A. works to develop individualized transfer strategies designed to address both the legal and practical realities of international incarceration matters in state and federal systems.

Initial half-hour consultations are $210. If we believe there is a reasonable possibility of success and Junnier Law & Research, P.A. accepts your case, flat fees are available.

Junnier Law & Research, P.A. represents individuals and families in asylum and protection from removal matters throughout the United States. As federal immigration policy, enforcement priorities, and procedural rules continue to evolve, many immigrants and their families face significant uncertainty regarding their ability to remain safely in the country. The Firm works to provide clear legal guidance, careful case preparation, and strategic advocacy for individuals seeking humanitarian protection under United States immigration law.

Attorney Richard Junnier brings a strong background in international and human rights law to asylum and protection-based representation. In addition to his Juris Doctor, he holds two post-graduate LL.M. degrees concentrated in international law:

• An LL.M. in International and Comparative Law from the National University of Singapore Faculty of Law; and 
• An LL.M. in Global Economy and Human Rights from New York University School of Law. 

This academic foundation informs a practice grounded in federal immigration law, constitutional protections, international human rights principles, and country-condition research.

The Firm represents clients in matters involving:

• Affirmative asylum applications; 
• Defensive asylum proceedings in immigration court; 
• Withholding of removal; 
• Protection under the Convention Against Torture; 
• Motions related to orders of removal; 
• Credible fear and reasonable fear preparation; 
• Country-condition and human rights research; and 
• Emergency advocacy involving detention, transfer, or location concerns. 

The asylum process can be legally and procedurally complex. Some individuals affirmatively apply for asylum through United States Citizenship and Immigration Services after entering the country, while others seek asylum defensively while facing removal proceedings before an immigration judge. Successful asylum claims generally require demonstrating persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution based upon protected grounds such as political opinion, religion, nationality, race, or membership in a particular social group. In some cases, individuals who do not qualify for asylum may still be eligible for withholding of removal or protection under the Convention Against Torture.

Many asylum matters require substantial supporting documentation, including affidavits, country-condition evidence, medical or psychological records, expert materials, and corroborating evidence from abroad. Junnier Law & Research, P.A. works carefully with clients to develop detailed factual records and legally supported applications designed to clearly present the humanitarian, legal, and evidentiary basis for protection.

The Firm also assists individuals facing detention, abrupt transfer, or uncertainty regarding the location of detained family members. Where appropriate, we work to communicate with federal agencies, detention facilities, family members, and outside organizations to help identify available legal remedies and humanitarian protections.

Junnier Law & Research, P.A. can accept asylum and protection-from-removal matters throughout the United States and its territories.

When individuals and families face the possibility of persecution, detention, or forced return to dangerous conditions, experienced and thoughtful legal representation can be critically important. Junnier Law & Research, P.A. is committed to providing careful, informed, and compassionate advocacy during some of the most difficult circumstances clients may encounter.

Initial half-hour consultations are $140. If we believe there is a reasonable possibility of success and Junnier Law & Research, P.A. accepts your case, flat fees are available.