Like so many New Yorkers, married couples are often deeply devoted to their pets. One recent study even found that “most pet owners would not trade their pets for even $1 million in cash”. Couples facing divorce often find themselves spending considerable sums asking courts to decide who will take custody of a pet. But there is no guarantee that, in doing so, the court will take into account the deep emotional connection most of us feel to our pets.
Read moreChurch, State and Religious Divorce
Divorcing couples in New York often need a religious divorce—in addition to a traditional divorce—to truly move forward with their lives. This is particularly true in the Jewish orthodox community, where divorcing parties need what is known as a “Get” in order to date, remarry or have children in a subsequent relationship. Religious issues like these raise challenging issues for courts—and show how important it is for couples to plan in advance to allow courts to assist with issues relating to religious divorce.
Read moreIn Divorce, Equitable Doesn’t Mean Equal
I just read a decision that caught my eye and hasn’t let go—for both good and bad reasons. This case, D.C. v. P.C., demonstrates one of the legal principles my clients often find surprising—that, when it comes to dividing assets in a divorce, doing so “equitably” doesn’t always mean “equally”—and shows how important it can be to work with divorce professionals who can help families avoid unpredictable outcomes in court.
Read moreModern Family? No Problem, Say the New York Courts
If the twenty-first century has made anything clear, it’s that no two families are alike. Couples are creating multiracial families by adopting from different countries. Same-sex spouses are rearing biological children as a result of innovative procedures like artificial insemination and surrogacy. Couples are choosing to raise children in committed partnerships rather than marriages. Today, the family unit ranges from single-parent households to families with three or more parents. With the constantly evolving social landscape, courts are breaking from custom and proving to be more accepting of “unconventional” families.
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