Monthly Archives: March 2014

Ready, Set…Mediate

Your marriage is over and you want to save money and time and prevent the emotional trouble many people experience during a divorce. Mediation seems like a good option. What should you do?  Mediation is an informal process that is usually less expensive than other methods of divorce, including the collaborative divorce process and litigation…. Read More »

Loose Lips Could Sink Settlement for Mel Gibson Girlfriend

A few slipped sentences to radio host Howard Stern could spell a significant financial loss for Oksana Grigorieva, the former girlfriend of actor Mel Gibson.  A Russian pianist and singer, Oksana Grigorieva gained household recognition in the United States as the girlfriend of actor Mel Gibson. When the relationship soured, allegations and audio recordings emerged… Read More »

Mediation: A Lot to Gain, Not Much to Lose

Mediation is a popular process for getting through divorce on decent terms with your spouse. Using mediation can protect your children and your wallet from the effects of a contentious litigated divorce. What are the pros and cons of divorce mediation?  Mediation is a form of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) intended to create a low-conflict… Read More »

Professional Degrees as Property in a Divorce

When a spouse earns a professional degree or license during a marriage, that spouse’s increased earning potential is marital property subject to equitable distribution in New York. Experience has shown, however, that the principle is far easier to articulate than to execute. Consequently, recent reform efforts are aimed at eliminating that section of the law…. Read More »

What to Do When Your Custody Plan No Longer Works

To foster stability for children, courts favor custody plans that are designed to be fairly permanent. But the law also recognizes that things change. Circumstances beyond the control of the parents can render a plan unworkable. In the worst cases, a vindictive parent actively undermines the child custody plan, forcing the other parent to seek… Read More »

New York Divorce Statistics

It’s normal to feel isolated when you are facing the end of your marriage. The truth, however, is that you are far from alone. Tens of thousands of people go through divorce every year in New York State. With the help of an experienced domestic relations attorney, you can see the process through to a… Read More »

Custody and Support Issues for Military Parents

The men and women who defend our country face special challenges during divorce and child custody litigation. Fortunately, state and federal laws prevent a parent from using the military status of the other parent to gain an unfair advantage in custody and support disputes. The fact that a military parent may be deployed or transferred… Read More »

Can a Parent Be Denied Child Visitation?

There is a presumption under New York law that continued contact with both parents is in the best interests of the child after a divorce. So, even when one parent receives full custody of the child, the other parent is almost always entitled to visitation.  Nonpayment of child support is not grounds for denial of… Read More »

The Interplay Between Child Custody and Child Support

While some states adjust child support obligations to reflect the percentage of time that the paying parent has custody of the child, this is not the case in New York. New York’s child support guidelines do, however, indirectly take custody issues into account. For example:  The parent who has less than 50 percent custody of… Read More »