Category Archives: Custody

Developing a Workable Holiday Visitation Schedule

Most divorcing parents understand that arrangements will have to be made regarding where their children will spend the holidays going forward. However, completing a fair, comprehensive parenting time schedule is more complicated than saying that a son or daughter will spend Thanksgiving in one house and Christmas or Hanukkah in the other. Thoughtful discussion regarding… Read More »

Judge Orders Father to Vacate the Premises Following the Disclosure of Late-Night Religious Rituals

Parents who are going through a divorce, or living under a custody order after their relationship has ended, must be cognizant of how their behavior might affect their parental rights. Even actions that a father or mother believes to be justified could have negative consequences when brought to the attention of a judge. This is… Read More »

NY Appeals Court Requires a Full Hearing on Grandparents’ Visitation Petition

When the parents and grandparents of children have serious conflicts with each other, it can be a heartbreaking situation for the family and a tricky legal matter. Parents, unless they are shown to be unable to carry out their responsibilities properly, have the legal authority to determine who spends time with their sons and daughters…. Read More »

Why Might a Court Require Supervised Visitation? 

Family courts frequently struggle with the balance between a parent’s right to see their child and the need to make sure that the youth will be safe with a noncustodial father or mother who has engaged in risky behavior. Often, supervised visitation is viewed as a suitable compromise. In these situations, the judge appoints a… Read More »

Special Considerations for Divorce During the Pandemic

Forced closer together by lockdowns, travel restrictions, work-from-home orders and school closures during the pandemic, many married couples have seen their relationships strained to the point of breaking. This has led to a surge of divorces in New York and across the nation. But with the backlog of cases caused by COVID-related court closures, estranged… Read More »

Grandparents Rights & The Grandmother Hypothesis

Since 1996, we have been handling grandparent’s rights. Previously, grandparents did not have rights to visitation or time with their grandchildren except for in certain circumstances: If the parents of the child have passed away If the grandparent has an existing relationship with the child There must be no objection by the parents of the… Read More »

Can I Prevent My Ex’s New Partner from Meeting My Children?

It is understandable for there to be tension or bad blood between you and an ex-spouse, particularly when they bring a new romantic partner into the picture. If you do not like that new partner, you might wonder if you have any recourse to keep them away from your children while they are visiting your… Read More »

Can a Parent Whose Job Requires Them to Travel Obtain Custody?

There are a variety of factors courts will look at when determining which spouse in a divorce will have primary physical custody of the couple’s children. Courts want to create an arrangement that’s in the best interests of the children—that means placing them in a home with parents who are capable of fulfilling all their… Read More »

How Teachers Can Have an Advantage in Child Custody Proceedings

New York, as with all states, uses the “best interest” standard for determining child custody arrangements. This means parents can expect judges to consider a variety of factors that will go into determining what arrangement would be in the child’s best interest for the long term. Some examples of some of those factors include: Parental… Read More »

In What Circumstances Will a Court Grant Full Custody?

A parent who is granted full custody has the authority to make all major decisions regarding the child without consulting the other parent, an authority known as sole legal custody. That parent will also have sole physical custody, in that the child will live with them full time. It is rare for a parent to… Read More »