The impact of realistic estrangement on child custody matters
Jewish Divorce Talk: Episode 8 - Narcissism and Parental Alienation Talk
Jewish Divorce Talk: Episode 1 - Get Refusal Talk
How to Put Your Children First in Co-Parenting
Let's Talk Child Custody and Quarantines
Navigating the school year and the start of extra-curricular activities is hard enough. When you are separated or divorced, it can be even more challenging....more
I have blogged several times before , including last week, on cases where trial courts were reversed for failing to hold plenary hearing and provide for discovery, often in FD (non-dissolution) matters. I have also discussed...more
Summer is over and we will all be back to the school year grind next week. This means schedule changes, new things to buy, lunches, transportation issues, etc. which can all be difficult to coordinate. For blended families...more
Many are familiar with parental alienation, where one parent deliberately tries to damage the other parent's relationship with their children, often through persistent efforts to belittle or discredit them. Though this...more
One of the most common questions posed by parents of minor children who are separated—or who are about to separate—is: What is child support, and how much can I expect to pay or receive in child support from my co-parent?...more
Since the Child Support Guidelines were amended in the late 90s, the number of overnights with each parent factored in to the child support calculus for cases within the Guidelines. In general, the more overnights meant less...more
Well, it was great while it lasted. The summer is already drawing towards its epic conclusion and if you are a parent, you know what that means...getting your kids ready to go back to school....more
Co-parenting applications are becoming increasingly popular in divorce or family law matters where there are children. In cases where these matters are not resolved amicably, or where there are continued disagreements, more...more
We are seeing more sunshine during the day, water ice openings, and traffic to the shore. It must be summertime! Although summer brings excitement and joy, it also means the loss of school-provided childcare and other issues...more
Summer break is often a joyful time for many children but can be a common point of conflict for divorced or separated parents. With the family’s typical school routine derailed, parents may need to revisit parenting schedules...more
You have a child with another person—either an ex-partner, ex-spouse, or someone with whom you never actually had a romantic relationship. You’ve gone through the court system and agreed upon or litigated a final parenting...more
As the school year comes to an end, parents are planning their vacations. Now is the time to check your Custody Orders and make sure that you are following all the terms and conditions. Most Custody Agreements have provisions...more
Absent a waiver, anyone involved in a child custody case in the Massachusetts Probate & Family court – whether via a Complaint for Divorce, Complaint for Separate Support, Complaint to Establish Parentage, or Complaint for...more
When determining child custody, Courts must weigh all factors based on what the judge feels is in the “best interest of the minor child.” Often, it can feel ambiguous in knowing how a judge may rule under this standard, but...more
Lawyers are a jaundiced lot. Law school is a three year exercise in anticipating what can go wrong whether in a trial or a transaction. The lawyer’s job is to anticipate, and course correct to protect the client. Napoleon is...more
This Father’s Day, fathers in Florida have more rights than last Father’s Day. As of July 1, 2023, new laws were enacted in the state. One law requires that a minor child have frequent and continuing contact with both...more
Depending on the circumstances, you and your co-parent may have already contemplated whether your child will attend private school in the future and incorporated this decision in a Marital Settlement Agreement or Court Order....more
Iowa law clearly states that “parents with joint legal custody” means both parents jointly have legal custodial rights and responsibilities toward their child and neither parent has legal custodial rights superior to those of...more
As I have said in this space before, I try to keep up with recent appellate decisions in the family law area, and some of the most interesting decisions from the Superior Court of Pennsylvania are those that are referred to...more
Married couples that are contemplating separation or divorce often want to put off thinking about the future during the summer and instead get in that pre-planned Disney trip with their kids....more
You filed for a Temporary Restraining Order against the other parent of your child and, after a hearing, were granted a Final Restraining Order. The other parent is now restrained from communicating with you either directly...more
Back on October 6, 2023 we wrote about the concept of sharing custody in a setting where the children stay put and their parents move in and out of the former marital residence. We noted then that the concept can work but...more
When a divorcing parent asks this question, their attorney might respond with the common saying, “Children have a voice, not a choice.” In Washington state, the extent to which a child’s voice is heard in establishing a final...more
While the rights of parents to see their child hold a high importance in the law, when it comes to custody, the best interest of the child is the family court’s number one priority....more
Just about everyone who has tried a custody case has been called upon to present a “school choice” dispute. These are the ones where Springfield High is pitted against Bayside High or Chilton Prep in the race to see which...more