The Elliot Schlissel New York Law Blog

Santia Williams was murdered. The person responsible killed himself. The order of protection she had against her killer, her ex – boyfriend and her child’s father, did not work!

Santia Williams lived in Bayshore, Long Island. She had a child with Jason Jenkins. She was involved in litigation with him as to when he could visit their child. On July 12, 2011, he brought a shotgun into their apartment. He shot Santia Williams. She died of the wound. After killing his child’s mother, he turned the shot gun on himself. He died instantly.

Order of Protection From Suffolk County Family Court

When Santia’s relationship with Jason started to fade, arguments ensued. She was not giving him the visitation with his child that he demanded. Santia went to court and obtained an order of protection from the Suffolk County Family Court. Jenkins violated the order of protection when he rushed into Santia’s home and shot her. Sometimes orders of protection are just pieces of paper. They won’t stand up to bullets!

New York Divorce Lawyer

The law office of Elliot Schlissel have been handling divorces in the Metropolitan New York area for over thirty three years. We litigate all aspects of divorce related proceedings in the Supreme Court and Family Court. These proceedings involve divorce grounds, no fault divorce, child custody, mothers’ rights, fathers’ rights, child support, downward modification of child support, spousal maintenance (alimony) and domestic violence issues. In addition, we negotiate separation agreements, prenuptial agreementsand post-nuptial agreements for our clients. We litigate equitable distribution issues involving doctor, dentist and lawyer licenses. Call us for a free consultation.

When you and your spouse are together, don’t surf the internet. Spend quality time with your spouse. Don’t check for your messages on your cell phone. Look at your spouse, concentrate on what he or she is talking about and ignore your e-mails and text messages.

Buy Flowers, Women Like Flowers!

When men go on dates, they think about buying flowers during the courting process. Sometime after, married men typically stop buying flowers. The attractiveness of fresh flowers can put an affirmative spin on a relationship. Go for it and every now and then buy flowers.

Look Good

Staying in shape is important for both your health and your marriage. When young people are dating, they’re very attentive to how they look. Once married, they let themselves go. This can be demotivating from a sexual perspective for your spouse. Looking good is always helpful in a relationship!

Dress Well

Don’t take your spouse for granted. Try to look good when you’re with him or her. Dressing attractively impacts on your spouse’s perception of you and the sexual attraction between you. Keep yourself up, dress well and live healthy. Your life will be longer and your love life may be better.

Fathers’ Rights Lawyer

Fathers are half the population of the world. In New York State, they share equal rights on issues concerning custody, visitation and all other aspects of matrimonial and family law. However, many fathers feel they get treated like second class citizens when they go to court. The job of the Law Office of Elliot Schlissel is to give fathers equal standing before the courts and protect their rights. We litigate all aspects of divorce, including child custody, visitation, child support, spousal maintenance (alimony) and equitable distribution of property. We also represent fathers with regard to proceedings in family court. We litigate issues involving paternity, downward modifications of child support, relocation problems, parental alienation cases and issues involving parental alienation syndrome. We also negotiate separation agreements for our clients. Call us for a free consultation.

Divorces are very personal legal proceedings. You need a divorce lawyer who you have faith in, who is reliable and who you can trust. How do you decide that you have the right lawyer to represent you? Here are some suggestions:

1) Is your attorney familiar with the local court practices and procedures? Things are handled differently in different jurisdictions. The courts in New York City and Long Island differ on how they handle some aspects of matrimonial and family law issues. Is your attorney aware of these practices?

2) How do you feel about your lawyer? You should trust your instincts when you hire a lawyer. Are you comfortable with him or her? Is he or she dealing with your issues in a manner that makes you feel secure?

3) Does your attorney return your calls. Litigating divorce and family court issues can be aggravating and nerve racking. When you call your attorney, does he or she return your calls within 24 hours? Are your lawyers paying attention to your case?

Is Your Attorney Compassionate?

The law and the courts are cold. You may not always obtain the result you desire. Your lawyer should have compassion for your personal circumstances. You should be treated as a person with personal problems, not as a case file!

Professionalism and Interaction with Courts and other Attorneys

Your attorney should act in a professional, competent manner. He or she should do his or her best to deal with judges and opposing counsel. Sometimes antagonistic and difficult situations arise and your attorney must be very aggressive. Aggressive litigating may be necessary to get your point across. There are other times your attorney should be taking a negotiating posture to try and obtain the best possible result for you.

New York and Long Island Fathers’ Rights Lawyers

We represent fathers! We have been doing this for more than thirty years. We litigate all aspects of divorce, including child custody, visitation, child support, spousal maintenance (alimony)and equitable distribution of property. We also represent fathers with regard to proceedings in family court. We litigate issues involving paternity, downward modifications of child support, relocation problems, parental alienation cases and issues involving parental alienation syndrome. We also negotiate separation agreements for our clients. Feel free to call us for a free consultation.

As the economy falls back into recession, monetary issues will become more significant to American families. Men and women will argue even more about financial issues.

Losing Your Job

When the primary bread winner loses his or her job, it creates an enormous amount of stress. The job market impacts on all aspects of family life. It becomes an issue for couples who are married or who are thinking of getting married. Can you imagine the impact the word “unemployed” has on your Facebook site! Putting this on a dating profile basically eliminates all your opportunities for social interaction. Dating and marriage relate to economic unions. No job, no deal!

Washed Up

Men in their forties and fifties who lose their jobs and are divorced will find it very difficult to get remarried. While unemployed, these men must live off their savings, if they have any. A recent Newsday article stated that men in their forties and fifties who lose their jobs have the same odds of returning to their peak earning potential as they do of their hair growing back!

Financial Distress

Recent surveys indicate that women are three times more likely to feel financial stress during periods of unemployment. Surveys women have greater guilt and concern about being unable to support their children than men.

The Economics of Divorce

The economics of marriage are difficult. The economics of divorce are even more complicated. When a marriage breaks up and both parties have to maintain their own household, both the man and the woman end up poorer. Some studies have indicated that it can take a divorced woman who has custody of her children up to five years to regain her pre-divorce standard of living.

Protecting Fathers’ Rights

The fathers’ rights lawyers at the Law Office of Elliot Schlissel have been representing fathers in matrimonial and family law proceedings for more than 33 years. Our law office aggressively represents fathers!  We litigate all aspects of divorce, including child custody, visitation, child support, spousal maintenance (alimony)and equitable distribution of property. We also represent fathers with regard to proceedings in family court. We litigate issues involving paternity, downward modifications of child support, relocation problems,parental alienation cases and issues involving parental alienation syndrome. We also negotiate separation agreements for our clients. Feel free to call us for a free consultation.

Supreme Court Justice Bruno, sitting in Nassau County, recently put a man in jail because he did not comply with the terms of the Stipulation of Settlement. The settlement agreement required that the father maintain a $2,000,000 life insurance policy. The wife and the other children were to be the irrevocable beneficiaries. The wife waived various other financial interests to obtain this life insurance policy.

Policy No Longer Affordable

The husband claimed in his arguments to the court that he couldn’t afford this life insurance policy. It was shown at the time of the trial that the husband had purchased a $750,000 home. He had put this home in trust for another woman. The husband also stated that he was denied life insurance due to his drug use. The drug use resulted in the policy costing $100,000 in premium. The court did not believe the husband’s testimony. He was found in contempt. The judge sentenced him to six months in jail for his “willful deliberate failure to comply with the stipulation that prejudiced the wife’s rights.” The husband was given the option of purging his contempt by obtaining a two million dollar life insurance policy.

Mens’ Rights and Fathers’ Rights

The Law Office of Elliot Schlissel has been handled father’s rights matters for more than three decades. We have an expertise in dealing with divorce issues, orders of protection, child custody and child visitation issues. We help fathers obtain changes in custody when mothers engage in parental alienation of the children.

We also represent fathers regarding issues involving child abuse defense, paternity, no fault divorce and annulments. Call for a free consultation.

In a recent case in New York County, Judge Martino, sitting in the Family Court, dismissed a juvenile proceeding. The juvenile was walking in February in what the police referred to as a high crime area. Police officers saw the juvenile walking alone. He was wearing a winter jacket and had a black ski mask. When the juvenile saw the police officers, he changed directions. He also put his hands in his pocket while walking away. The police officer stopped him and questioned him. They asked if he had any weapons on him. They then searched him and found a gravity knife.

Appeal Taken

The Appellate Division, an Appeals Court, held that looking startled and walking away from police officers is not criminal behavior. This does not generate a reasonable suspicion that a crime has been committed. The court thereafter ruled that the police officers did not have the level of suspicion necessary to ask questions that could be incriminating, even in a high crime neighborhood. The court rule also found that wearing a ski mask and a heavy jacket in February while putting one’s hands in one’s pocket did not rise to the level of suspicion required under common law to indicate a crime was committed. The knife was suppressed, the case was dismissed.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

If you have been charged with a crime or are under investigation for committing a crime, the Law Office of Elliot Schlissel can help you. We represent individuals charged with a variety of offenses including, but not limited to, white collar crimes, violent crimes, sex crimes, weapons possession, drunk driving (DWI), shoplifting, burglary, juvenile defenses, assault and battery, domestic violence, drug offenses and all types of felonies and misdemeanors. Call us should you have criminal problems. We can help you!

In 1991, Kristine Cushing killed her four and eight year old daughters. She was tried for these murders and found not guilty by reason of insanity. Her defense counsel claimed that she murdered her children due to a bad reaction to Prozac. Kristine spent four years in a mental institution. In addition, she had ten years of psychiatric monitoring. She received an unconditional release in 2005 from the State of California.

Kristine Cushing has now moved back in with her former husband, John P. Cushing. John had two children with Theresa Conlin. Their sons are 13 and 14 years of age. The 13 year old lives with Mr. Cushing. Since Theresa Conlin has moved back in with Mr. Cushing, he also lives with a convicted murderer, who murdered her two children. This does not sit well with the 13 year old boy’s mother, Trisha Conlin.

Theresa Goes to Court in California

Theresa has brought a proceeding in the King County Superior Court to prevent her sons from spending time alone with a convicted murderer. Mr. Cushing originally lied to Theresa. He advised her that he was not living with his ex-wife.

In the court proceedings, Mr. Cushing’s attorney stated that Miss Cushing was temporarily insane and didn’t know what she was doing. They are taking a position that she has recovered from this temporary insanity and presents no immediate threat to children.

In June, Miss Conlin received a court order giving her full custody of both of her sons for a period of 30 days. The court advised her that she would have to make a showing on the next court date why this new parenting plan should become permanent. She is still dropping off her sons to spend time with the Cushings on Sundays. Query: Should an ex-murderer be allowed to be alone with children?

Family Law Lawyer for Mothers’ Rights and Fathers’ Rights

Mothers and fathers have rights when dealing with issues concerning their children. Children should be kept in a safe environment. They should not be subject to child abuse or neglect.

The law offices of Elliot Schlissel have been representing parents in matrimonial and family law matters for more than 30 years. We have developed an expertise in dealing with divorce, orders of protection, child custody and visitation. We litigate changing child custody, child support, spousal maintenance (alimony) and issues involving paternity. We also negotiate prenuptial and post nuptial agreements on behalf of our clients. We are especially adept in dealing with parental alienation issues and parental alienation syndrome. Call us for a free consultation.