{"id":687,"date":"2026-04-17T13:23:47","date_gmt":"2026-04-17T13:23:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ruthlopezmorueco.com\/international-family-lawyer\/"},"modified":"2026-09-01T09:59:11","modified_gmt":"2026-09-01T09:59:11","slug":"international-family-lawyer","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/ruthlopezmorueco.com\/en\/international-family-lawyer\/","title":{"rendered":"International Family Lawyer"},"content":{"rendered":"
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International Family Lawyer in Torrevieja<\/h1><\/div><\/div>\n\n
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Specialist in cross-border family matters. Jurisdiction, applicable law, international child relocation and urgent child protection proceedings. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

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Lawyer specialising in international family law<\/h2><\/div><\/div>\n\n
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Your case has an international dimension if any of these apply: you and your partner hold different nationalities, you live in different countries, there are assets outside Spain, there is a court order from another country you need to enforce here (or the other way around), or a child whose life spans two legal systems.<\/p>\n

In these situations which court has jurisdiction and which law applies is the main aspect. Getting these wrong at the start is the most common reason cases collapse, deadlines are missed, and orders that cannot be enforced where they actually need to take effect. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

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Proceedings started in another country<\/h3><\/div><\/div>\n\n

When there is a risk of parallel proceedings in two jurisdictions, the first to file has a significant advantage. If you believe your spouse is about to start proceedings outside Spain, every day counts. Call before making any decision. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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International child abduction<\/h3><\/div><\/div>\n\n

Moving a child's habitual residence to another country requires the other parent's explicit consent or a court authorisation. Without either, the relocation can constitute international child abduction. The authorisation is obtained beforehand, not after the fact. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Enforcing a foreign court order in Spain<\/h3><\/div><\/div>\n\n

A judgment from another country does not apply here automatically. If it comes from an EU member state, recognition is usually straightforward. If it comes from outside the EU, it will generally require an exequatur procedure. The correct route depends on the country of origin, the type of order, and the procedural stage. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Cross-border maintenance claims<\/h3><\/div><\/div>\n\n

European and international mechanisms exist to claim and enforce maintenance across borders. They work, but they require choosing the right channel and coordinating with the relevant central authority. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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International Divorce<\/h3><\/div><\/div>\n\n

Mixed-nationality marriages, couples married outside Spain, spouses living in different countries. Each of these factors affects where it makes sense to file and under which law. When there is room to choose, that choice is strategic and shapes the outcome. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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International child abduction<\/h2><\/div><\/div>\n\n
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If your former partner has taken your child to another country without your consent, or is keeping them abroad beyond the agreed time, there is a specific procedure to request their immediate return.<\/p>\n

Time works against you. Once a year has passed since the abduction, the proceedings become significantly harder to succeed with. The process runs through the relevant central authority, requires specific documentation, and involves coordination between the country of origin and the country where the child has been taken, usually in parallel to a criminal complaint. <\/p>\n

If you are on the other side of this situation, defending yourself after a relocation, you also need specialist representation. Exceptions to the return obligation exist, but they have to be argued correctly and at the right procedural moment.
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Si esta es tu situaci\u00f3n, no esperes. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

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Book an appointment<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Ruth L\u00f3pez Morueco, international family lawyer<\/h2><\/div><\/div>\n\n
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I am registered as n\u00ba 1595 with the Ilustre Colegio de Abogados de Orihuela and a member of the Asociaci\u00f3n Espa\u00f1ola de Abogados de Familia.<\/p>\n

I previously practised in Madrid (n\u00ba 78.344) for over eight years, litigating in courts across Spain, and I have been working in family law in Torrevieja and the Vega Baja for more than 20 years.<\/p>\n

A significant part of my caseload since opening my own practice has involved families with an international dimension: British residents in Orihuela Costa, mixed-nationality couples, relocations between Spain and the UK, child custody arrangements and estates spanning more than one country. This is a client profile I know well, and one I handle personally from the first consultation, without passing the file to an assistant. <\/p>\n

I advise in Spanish and in English, in person at my office or by video call.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Clients reviews<\/h2><\/div><\/div>\n\n
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