Rocco Ritchie is at the center of a heated custody dispute that may, in fact, be the result of a long-term feud between parents Guy Ritchie and Madonna.

.@Madonna and Guy Ritchie wrapped up in custody battle over 15-year-old son Rocco Ritchie. pic.twitter.com/Ax1MdufhJQ

— Good Morning America (@GMA) December 28, 2015

TMZ reports things have been volatile between Madonna and Guy for years, and when Rocco Ritchie went to visit his dad in London this last time, Guy used it as an opportunity to drive a wedge between mother and son.

Not nice! It seems as if Guy Ritchie is bad mouthing Queen @Madonna to son Rocco: https://t.co/1Sq0HsbPRU pic.twitter.com/gOg7LeihcY

— CELEBUZZ (@CELEBUZZ) December 28, 2015

A judge ordered Rocco to return to New York before school begins again following Christmas break. He will then deal with legal proceedings in the U.S.

Eric Buckley serves Rocco Ritchie’s counsel in London.

“He has expressed very clearly that he does not want to return to New York,” he said last week.

Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Deborah Kaplan said if Rocco Ritchie wants to live in London with his dad, he first needs to return to New York first to make it official.

“I’m directing the child to be returned to New York. If he wants to stay with his father, he must return to his mother,” Kaplan told Madonna during a court hearing earlier this week.

A hearing took place on December 23, after Rocco Ritchie retained his own legal counsel in London. The lawyer was–at that time–holding Rocco’s passport for safe keeping. The London court, however, sided with the New York court, deeming Rocco must return to New York, where he’ll get his own court-appointed attorney.

“The parties should be doing this in New York instead of initiating it in England,” Kaplan added.

Hello! reports that as of Christmas Day, Rocco Ritchie hadn’t returned to the U.S. He spent Christmas with his dad in London.

Do you think there is really a problem between Rocco Ritchie and the Material Girl? Or has Guy Ritchie used typical 15-year-old discontent to his advantage, and fueled it into a more serious issue?

Will Rocco Ritchie return to the U.S. or will Madonna wind up going to London to retrieve him?