Family court of Vechta
         05 May 1992
         Docket No. 16250 - 12 F 304/91 HK

         H vs. H.  WMHFN -1

         The petition for return of the children to England is denied.

         Every party has to pay his/her own costs.  The value at issue is
         set at 6.000,- DM.

         Reasons :

         The parties are husband and wife living separately. There are two
         children of the marriage living with the respondent (Wife).

         The British court entered its dccision of 19 August 1991 as
         follows:  WMHFN -2

                It is declared that the  children  were
                wrongfully     removed     from     the
                jurisdiction  of  this  court.   It  is
                hereby   ordered  that  the  respondent
                (Wife) has to return the aforementioned
                children  within  14  days   into   the
                jurisdiction  of  this  court.    It is
                further  ordered  that  the  petitioner
                (father)  is  awarded  joint custody of
                the children.

         Then the petitioner (father) filed with the Federal Attorney at
         the Federal Court for the return of the children to England.

         The children have been heard. The welfare officer has filed a
         report. There has been evidence taken whether the return of the
         children would result in grave danger of mental harm for the
         childen (Art. 13(b) of The Convention on the Civil Aspects of
         International Child Abduction, done at the Hague on 25 Oct 1980
         [The Convention]) by a report of the Psychologist.

         There are not sufficient grounds to issue the order requested.

         The court saw no need to investigate further the question whether
         there really was a removal against the wishes of one parent
         within the meaning of Arts. 3 and 12 of The Convention, because
         according to the statements of the children and according to the
         facts as undisputed between the parties the question most
         pressing was whether "a return of the children resulted in grave
         danger of mental harm for the children",  Art. 13(b) of The
         Convention, so that but for Art 13(b) the court would have been
         obliged to order the return of the children.

         The children have also declared unmistakenly when they were heard
         that they want to stay with their mother and that they don't want
         to return to Enland.  This wish of the children is quite
         conceivable when considering that they have spent the major part
         of their life in Germany.  Both speak German fluently for their
         age nothwithstanding the petitioner (father)'s testimony to the
         contrary. WMHFN -3

         Because of the results of the hearing the court ordered a child
         psychologist's report as to the consequences of their return. The
         finding's in the expert's report is convincing and to which the
         court refers, that a return of the children would lead to the
         grave danger of mental harm for them.  WMHFN -4

         Accordingly the petition had to be denied.

         Contributed by:

         Dr. Donald J. Cramer
         Rechstsanwalt
         Bruderstrasse 2
         8000 Munchen 22
         Federal Republic of Germany

--------------------
         1.   All footnotes were written by William M. Hilton, CFLS

         2.   See Art 15 for the effect of this finding.

         3.   This would appear to be a case of first impression as to the
              language of the children being determinative as to their
              return when used in conjunction with the wishes of the
              children.  Nothing is said about the age of the children.
              This decision appears to be contra to the great weight of
              decisions in other countries.

         4.   Perhaps the presentation of a Safe Harbour Order to the FRG
              court would have circumvented this decision.  See SAFEHBR.ORD
              on the Hilton House BBS for typical language.