Common law marriage is the concept of a couple living together for a certain amount of time and thereby automatically gaining status as a married couple. While some states recognize common law marriages, New York is not one of them. In New York, a couple must take measures to legally wed in a civil proceeding or church ceremony in order…
The Navy actually uses better screening for clearance than almost any other organization/branch of government or private industry. In fact, for the Navy, an allegation of adultery can prevent someone from obtaining or maintaining security clearance. Notably, during the D.C. shootings (the unfortunate and most percent mass shooting claiming the lives of 12 people) has left many questioning why certain…
Rotating spheres of influence are usually done when there is joint decision making but the parents can’t decide equally on all decisions, because one parent has specific specialty or knowledge or interest in an area of decisions. For example, since the commencement of a divorce, one party has a specific religious zeal or passion that party may request that all…
Judges have stated, privately, that when it comes to custody disputes it is often difficult for them to really make decisions since they do not “live with the parties.” Their decisions are based on the testimony of the parties; character witnesses; witnesses that have been present during certain occurrences; together with opinions of experts, the recommendations of an attorney for…
Sexting is a no-no, except between consenting adults. Facebook is for friends until they are unfriended. Much has been written about the dangers of social media during divorce, but what about before you call it quits? My firm is the largest family law practice in Long Island. We focus exclusively on divorce and family law and work daily with men…
After divorce, finding someone new is a common goal – but actually tying the knot again is not. According to SmartMoney.com, fewer than half of divorced women and slightly more than half of divorced men are remarried – and those numbers are dropping. Marriage does offer legal and financial benefits over cohabitation, including the tax advantages of joint filing and…
If you are a parent wishing to file for child custody in the state of New York, you should familiarize yourself with the state’s child custody laws first. In a child custody case, the court’s job is to decide what is in the best interest of the child. Although there is no clear-cut way to know what the court will…
Divorce places significant financial stress on separated parties. The old saying that two can live as cheaply as one is not too far from the mark. After a divorce, a couple divides everything and then must support two completely separate households. One positive financial avenue that exists after divorce is that if you are a spouse who was a low…
Divorce affects all who are touched by it and grandparents are among those likely to be injured. Grandparents are often left out in the cold in terms of custody and visitation. While many jurisdictions are slowly granting grandparents rights to see their grandchildren, New York is far from being on the cutting edge in this area. Nonetheless, New York does…
Divorce law falls under the umbrella of family law. Very few people are able to effectuate a divorce without the assistance of a lawyer, as this is rarely possible or practical. The best way to protect your rights and your relationship with your children is to seek out the assistance of an attorney who handles family law on a daily…