There Is No Predictability in Divorce
{2:18 minutes to read} At a recent conference, I sat in on an update on the law. The presenter, who was an attorney that was very knowledgeable about divorce law, was reviewing various cases and [...]
How to Lose Custody
{2:24 minutes to read} The law with regard to custody is fairly simple to recite. A court will award custody to the parent it feels has the “best interest” of a child in mind. I [...]
“Equitable” Distribution?
{3:36 minutes to read} When mediating their divorce, many couples want to know “what would happen if we went to court.” I suppose for many of them they want to be assured that what they [...]
Divorce & Debt
{3:54 minutes to read} Many people are under the impression that they are responsible for the debts of their spouse simply because they are married. But, Getting married does not necessarily make you responsible for [...]
Putting the Children First
{3 minutes to read} In my last post I outlined how the Child Support Standards Act (CSSA) works in New York. I recently worked with a couple who created an agreement that worked much better [...]
Child Support: The CSSA
The Child Support Standards Act (CSSA) imposes a legal obligation on parents to support their children until they are emancipated. This is defined to be the age of 21, unless they demonstrate that they can [...]
The Grey Divorce
{2:36 minutes to read} While the rate of divorce for the general population was relatively flat between 1990 and 2010, the divorce rate for couples age 50 and over doubled during that span. As a group, [...]
The “Mediation Friendly” Attorney
{2.9 mins to read} I have often heard mediators say that they recommend that their clients each see a “mediation friendly” attorney for legal advice either during or after the mediation process. But I do [...]
Breaking an Impasse
Bob* and Mary* were about halfway through their first mediation session when Bob announced that he was never going to leave the house. He did not want the divorce and did not feel it fair [...]
Ode to Dale
My friend Dale died the other day. He was 45 years old, had a wife and a job that he loved, and suddenly he was gone. I was talking and joking around with him on [...]