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How Is Child Support Calculated in New York?
While we try to make this blog fun, sometimes what parents and spouses need are the straight facts. In this post, we are going to provide you with just that – here is a detailed rundown of how exactly child support is calculated in New York. The first question we often hear from clients is […]
A Separation Agreement Can Have Unintended Consequences
The internet has been abuzz with news that popular fact-checking and myth-resolving website Snopes has put out a desperate SOS asking its readers for financial assistance to keep it afloat. According to the site: “We had previously contracted with an outside vendor to provide certain services for Snopes.com. That contractual relationship ended earlier this year, […]
EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT from Jacqueline Newman’s Bestseller “Soon to be Ex”
As you may have heard, Jacqueline Newman, managing partner here at Berkman Bottger Newman & Rodd and esteemed New York divorce professional, recently released a guide to the ins and outs of divorce, from when to file for it, to how to survive it: “Soon to be Ex: A Guide to Your Perfect Divorce & […]
New York Appellate Court denies separate property credit for marital home
Every few weeks it seems there is a new decision by a New York court, trial or appellate level, that speaks to the importance of obtaining a prenuptial agreement before marriage. Last month, in Klauer v. Abeliovich, the First Department (which handles mid-level appeals from Manhattan trial courts) issued just such a decision. First, some […]
Divorce on Screen: Mrs. Doubtfire
SPOILER ALERT for a very predictable movie from 1994. We all remember the 1994 classic family comedy Mrs. Doubtfire, yes? A heartwarming tale of a dedicated if absentminded dad who would do anything to spend time with his kids. Belly laughs, tears, the mom is mean, etc. Let’s take a minute to recollect the actual […]
Long Island Court: A child can have three legal parents
A Suffolk County trial court has issued a first-of-its-kind decision in a New York case: a child may have three legal parents, who all share custody. You can read the entire decision in Dawn M. v. Michael M. here, or read the more “fun” New York Post article describing it here. And the facts are […]
Family Law on Screen: The Affair, Season 2
Those watching Showtime’s drama series The Affair (and if you aren’t, you should be, it is excellent) have been treated to quite a bit of New York family law over the last two seasons. While HBO’s Divorce, starring Sarah Jessica Parker, has gotten the lion’s share of press coverage regarding on-screen depictions of matrimonial discord, […]
New York’s Highest Court Expands the Definition of “Parent”
In a true landmark ruling, the New York Court of Appeals, New York State’s highest court, has embraced a broader definition of a “parent” which would include the same-sex spouses of biological parents who did not adopt their partner’s child. In doing so, the Court overturned its prior precedent defining parenthood for purposes of custody […]
On neglect findings and custodial rights of parents of neglected children
In a sad story from Ulster County, the Third Department, in In the Matter of O’Dale UU v. Lisa UU, has upheld a trial court decision granting the father of a 9 year-old child sole legal and physical custody after the mother admitted to, over a three-month period, giving the child excessive amounts of the […]
Should I Get a Prenuptial Agreement?
Engaged couples should think about getting a prenuptial agreement (“prenup”) if: Either partner owns their own assets; One or both partners owns a business; There is an earning disparity between the partners; or They wish to reduce uncertainty and risk in the future In New York, and particularly in NYC and the surrounding metropolitan area, […]
