The impact of realistic estrangement on child custody matters
Life After Love Gone Wrong Podcast: Season 3, Episode 7 - Invisible Scars: The Impact of Coercive Control on Children
Jewish Divorce Talk: Episode 8 - Narcissism and Parental Alienation Talk
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
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
Individuals who are engaged in protracted custody litigation in Pennsylvania may come across the concept of a parenting coordinator during the duration of their custody matter. The below covers the basics of a parenting...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
The Massachusetts Probate and Family Court has substantially revised Standing Order 3-23, which requires completion of a four-hour online parenting course, which has been renamed “Two Families Now.” The revised Standing...more
Clients often ask whether a nesting arrangement (also called “bird nesting”) in a child custody or divorce matter is a good idea. There is no right or wrong answer, as it depends upon the specific separating parents, the...more
As a trial lawyer, there were many days when I would sit in the back of a courtroom and take comfort in the fact that I didn’t have to decide the custody case that I was witnessing as a spectator. At times the facts made the...more
The first page of the non-precedential custody and contempt decision in T.J.N. v. K.M. more or less reflects a lot of the custody cases we have reported on in recent years. “Mother and Father were never...more
During the holidays, families spend time together observing religious, secular, and other personal traditions. For parents living together with their children, planning where everyone should be and when can already be a...more
In many divorces, emotions run high, resulting in hurtful comments, emotional pain, and anger toward the other spouse. For spouses with young children, it can be hard to keep those emotions in check in the presence of the...more
Almost like King Solomon suggesting that a child be cut in two so that each parent can have half, more and more, I am hearing about judges and custody evaluators who default to 50-50 shared parenting. Now, that isn’t the law....more
The Massachusetts Probate and Family Court has issued Standing Order 3-23, which requires parties to divorce, annulment, parentage, and modification actions involving custody or parenting time filed on or after November 1,...more
With Halloween, Thanksgiving, and the winter holidays right around the corner, many people are preparing for the fun of the holiday season. For parents involved in a custody action, the below tips will help to ensure that the...more
Halloween has always been a special holiday for children, and parents enjoy reliving it through their eyes. However, divorce can put a damper on things if the parents do not plan ahead and work together. Here are some tips to...more
Unlike most other cases, divorce and child custody cases often start somewhat explosively. This seems to apply to the recent filings involving Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner. Cases involving people with enormous wealth get...more
Celebrity news often grabs everyone’s attention, especially when it involves a divorce that is playing out both in the court system and in the public eye. Recently, headlines have followed the divorce of celebrity couple Joe...more
It’s only Wednesday but the Superior Court has already had a tough week in terms of parental insanity. On Tuesday we had T.P v. G.P., a protection from abuse case from Delaware County. There is plenty to unpack here but the...more
Sharples v. Sharples, decided by a panel of the Superior Court on August 1, 2023 presents just about every problem modern custody cases can encompass. And, after the decision issued today, the parties are going back for more....more
While vacations offer a wonderful way for families to spend quality time together as well as relax and recharge, for a parent who is separated from his or her spouse or is otherwise navigating a co-parenting relationship,...more
I have written a bunch on this blog about the use of parent coordinators. In fact, one of the most read blog posts on this blog, almost 4 years after it was initially published, is titled The Futility of Parent Coordination...more
Did you know that over half of all divorces result from low-conflict relationships? This may seem surprising, but it’s true. When a marriage ends in divorce, especially one that was low conflict, the impact on children can be...more
When parents divorce, finding a way to communicate about the children amidst grief, anger, or resentment can be a challenge. Several mobile applications are available to help facilitate smoother communications, including some...more
Unfortunately, most teachers have witnessed the unintended consequences of protracted child custody cases and the enormous pitfalls that result when schools are forced to make critical child welfare decisions without the...more