Recent Blog Posts

What to Consider Before Negotiating Child Support Outside of Court

New York family courts apply state guidelines in deciding the amount of child support parents must pay after a divorce. These guidelines take into account parental income and the number of children for whom financial support is required. But in many cases, parents may wish to depart from the state guidelines and create an agreement… Read More »

What If Parents Disagree About Vaccinating a Child for COVID?

When divorced parents share legal custody, each one has an equal say in the children’s medical care. So what happens when parents do not see eye-to-eye over the COVID-19 vaccine? New York State made the COVID-19 vaccine available to children 12 years old and older starting in May 2021, with the goal of making shots… Read More »

Divorce Rates Drop as Pandemic Drags on

During the first few months of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, divorce lawyers across the country saw an uptick in filings, with more couples feeling the strain of quarantine and deciding to call it quits. But year-to-year data shows that fewer people are filing for divorce in 2021 than in 2020, suggesting that one side… Read More »

How a “Petnup” May Determine Pet Custody in a New York Divorce

Traditionally, pets have been treated as property when a couple divorces, which often makes them part of a property settlement agreement or judgment. In New York, judges don’t get into resolving pet custody and visitation battles. To deal with these potential conflicts, some couples started to create “petnup” agreements, setting out clear terms for where… Read More »

What a Father Should Know About Seeking Full Custody

Most fathers do not envision needing to fight to prove they can provide the best home for their child. Yet, every day fathers across the country must go to court to seek full custody. Preparation, follow-through and consistency are keys to success. Family courts prioritize the best interests of the child, not the wishes of… Read More »

Opinion: The Best Interest of a Pet – Will it Be in Your Best Interest?

New York may be passing legislation that gives standing to the Supreme Court to consider “the best interest of companion animals in divorce or separation proceedings.” This legislation would be welcome if the divorce process was working smoothly. It is not. The wait time for divorces can be in excess of two years; and the… Read More »

Questions You Will Need to Answer at a Child Custody Hearing

New York courts hold child custody hearings when parents cannot reach agreements on parenting plans. The hearing can be monumentally stressful, since emotions are likely to run high where parent-child relationships are involved. Going over the questions you are likely to be asked — and knowing your answers — may provide you with valuable peace… Read More »

What Does the Data Actually Tell Us About COVID Divorces?

In the early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic and as the months trudged on, there was considerable opinion that marital relationships and family dynamics would be adversely affected. Now that the worst of the crisis seems to be over and we are returning to normal life, what does the data actually show about how the… Read More »

What You Should Know if You Want to Use a Surrogate in New York

For many years, New York was behind the times when it came to recognizing the nontraditional ways in which people have children. The practice of paid surrogacy was banned. But on February 15, 2021, landmark legislation went into effect that allows couples and individuals to have a child by a surrogate they legally hire for… Read More »

Why You Need to Prepare Before Filing for Divorce

Even though you may have set your mind unchangeably on divorcing your spouse, rushing to file papers could hurt you in the long run. If you try to speed through the process to just get it over with, you may find yourself with poor outcomes that affect your life and the lives of your children… Read More »