Can the mother of my child avoid appearing in paternity court without being held in contempt?

Q: I did not establish paternity before the mother of my child left with my child to the island Dominica. Now she will not let me see my child and I would like rights to my child. The child is 1 and the have been out the country for 5 months. I would like to serve her a court order but she is 2,000 miles away.

A: If you’ve already filed a paternity case, then you’d need to arrange for her to be served in Dominica. You should consult whether that country is a signatory on the Hague Convention on service abroad – if it is, then service will need to be done via that Convention. Schedule a consult with a Bronx Child Custody attorney for a full assessment.