Dear Karina,

I hope all is well.

Sorry I've not been in touch about the divorce lately. Things got totally out of hand here, with parallel legal actions in London.

To cut a long story short, my wife removed our child from London back to Russia. She then came back to United Kingdom by herself. It's possible that she has left UK again now. I have no idea if or when I will see the child again and I am frantic with worry.

The England court ordered that she return the child here within 5 days. She has ignored the order.

Could I please ask you hourly rate and to see if you could get involved in this for legal advice to see if the order is enforceable in Russia? It would entail liaising with my lawyer here.

I am a US citizen who lives in New York. I am seeking a divorce from my ex who is not a US citizen and does not have any duel citizenship. He has Russian citizenship and continues to live in Moscow, Russia. I am looking for a divorce attorney in my area to have this divorce done 100% properly the first time. I have absolutely NO interest in returning to Russia for this divorce for many reasons, the primary reason being that I do not wish to have any encounter with my ex. Do you have any recommendations of lawyers who would help me through the divorce process? I am afraid to start the process with someone and have it done incorrectly - the goal is to have no connection with my ex, I do not want anything from him except for a divorce.

I appreciate any help- thank you!

I have divorce order from Russian court, and I need to have divorce certificate. My attorney said, even if the ZAGS is willing to talk with her, it asks to for the passport of the divorced person to get it stamped. Without passport, the ZAGS does not issue the divorce certificate. The opportunity to send the passport to Russia does not sound enticing, right? Karina, according of your experience, is it possible to obtain divorce certificate for me? Can you help me?

It was nice speaking with you Karina. I understand you speak Russian and are familiar with Russian Family Law. I am will to pay for your legal advice concerning a Russian Family Law matter. We are represented by an attorney in Russia, who is willing to proceed with the case, but we wanted to seek a second opinion before proceeding.

Situation:
My wife and her son emigrated to the United States from Russia and obtained their green cards, after we were married about a year ago. We recently discovered that the Russian father to her son (whom I understand apparently still has 50% paternal rights?) sued my wife in court and won a decision regarding an apartment dispute stemming from their marriage together (now divorced). The judgment was for approximately $XXX US for back-payments for this apartment she had signed on. The Russian father has never paid child support payments and it was my wife’s idea to take him to court to counter-sue, this time for child support. We have gathered the supporting documents for this was suit and they are in transit at this time to Russia.

Question:

Am I correct that the Russian father could have the ability (in my understanding) to disrupt travel to and from Russia for my wife and child, in retaliation to the counter-suit (indicating he does not allow her travel out of Russia)?

What are the potential repercussions of taking these counter-suit measures? I know that in America, the father can (at least if complying with child support) is subject to rights regarding visitation. Does this apply to Russian law as well? In other words, would there be demands regarding visitation rights (or even that she would be required to live with him part of the time)?

We just don’t want to get into a situation where we would be required to significantly alter our lifestyle as a family, as a potential repercussion.

Dear Karina,

I have a difficult Russian law problem.

I am a US citizen and had a relationship with a Russian man, the result of which was a daughter. The man did not tell me he was married and when I found out I ended the relationship.

The man is a well known businessman in Moscow. He has two older sons from his marriage.

The man and I had a verbal agreement (and I have done emails too) that he would pay child maintenance to me for my daughter, would pay for her to attend private school and pay for her university education - i.e. she was to be in the same position as his sons and enjoy the same lifestyle. He has paid nothing. After my daughter was enrolled in the school it was left to me to find the money to pay.

Three years ago I commenced legal proceedings against him.

His son angrily told me that, two years ago, this man signed over the successful business to him and his brother (obviously to hide his assets/earnings etc).

My question are:

1) Why are the courts taking so long to settle this matter when they have all of the information required (to date three years)and this man is quite well known?

2) If court proceedings were started three years ago, but he only transferred the business to his sons two years ago, will the courts still consider the business in its calculations and understand he has transferred the business to avoid paying?

3) Can my daughter make a claim to a third of the business or else ask for monetary compensation for her third?

4) Can the court impose sanctions on this man, restricting his passport for example, for hiding assets and non payment etc?

Any help would be so much appreciated.
Thank you and kind regards.

Dear Ms. Duvall, Esq:

I am an American national living in New York. My daughter Olga was born in the US when my husband had already become a US citizen, though he was born in St. Petersburg. An American child born in America to two Americans. He divorced me in 2014 and we share custody of child. I recently found out that he somehow got her a Russian passport!!! I do not know how. He has told me laughingly that he will take our baby away and nothing will stop him.

He is planning to leave me without a child, and her with no Mama to care for her. I have a lawyer here (Natalia Gourari) but there is not a lot to be done without proof. I need the documents related to her Russian passport, especially if her US birth certificate needed to be filed in some way with Russia to get that approval? So I can probe that he did what he confesses when we are alone.... I also need a copy of her passport and passport number. I have been calling Russian Consulates for 5 days. No answer! I also have learned that he bought apartment in St. Petersburg, and I need to learn where that is so I can show our Court that I am not lying about this crazy plan. I can give you names, birthdays, social security numbers, a Russian passport of my husband, bank account information, etc. Please let me know what guidance or assistance you might provide or direct, and God bless you.

What problems may arise in connection with dual citizenship?

Dual Citizenship. What is it? How to get it?

How I can get divorce papers?

How do I begin the divorce process if me and my spouse has different nationality (United States and Russian Federation)?