Decision of the Court of Appeal of Catania 26 February 2014

The Court of Appeal of Catania confirmed the decision of first instance through which the competent court had assigned the full custody of a child to his father. The Court of Appeal observed that, though relevant, the will of the child was not decisive for deciding on custody, as well as an agreement on joint custody that might be reached between the father and the mother. In deciding on children custody, the best interest of the child is a matter of priority, and must be assessed in the light of the ECHR and the New York Convention on the Rights of the Child.