Governor Cuomo wants to utilize four hundred million dollars of federal housing money to fund a buyout program of homes destroyed by Superstorm Sandy. Governor Cuomo had stated these homeowners are trapped because no one will buy their home since it was destroyed and it was in a flood zone. He wants the state to pay one hundred percent (100%) of … [Read more...]
Same Sex Parent Denied Visitation
New York State Supreme Court Justice, John C. Bivona, recently ruled the estranged spouse of Marley Bishop, the daughter of United States Congressman, Timothy Bishop, did not have any parental rights to visitation because the parties' son was born before New York passed the Same Sex Marriage Act in 2011. The Judge ruled Mercedes Counihan did not … [Read more...]
Assault In Juvenile Facilities Triples in 2012
The state of juvenile facilities in New York is dismal. In 2012, there was a threefold increase in the assaults on inmates in juvenile facilities. The New York State Commissions on Corrections found more than 335 assaults took place in four juvenile holding facilities in 2012. This averaged out to approximately 1 ½ assaults for each and every … [Read more...]
Divorce And The Needs Of Special Needs Children
Every parent hopes and prays their children will be born without mental or physical problems. Children with special needs take a toll on both parents. This toll sometimes is the cause of divorces. Studies have shown children with autism and the burdens placed on the parents by these children can be the cause of the parents' divorce. Divorce … [Read more...]
New York Considering Tougher Hit And Run Penalties
The Legislature in the State of New York is considering changing the criminal penalties related to hit and run car accidents. New York State Legislator, Lee Zeldin, from Shirley, Long Island recently stated "many drivers believe if they are intoxicated or under the influence of drugs, there is more jail time by staying at the scene of a car … [Read more...]
Conviction For Child Endangerment Set Aside
Mona Kanciper, the President and founder of the New York Horse Rescue, in 2009, injected a tranquilizer into a dog named Cooper. She did this in front of two riding students. One of the students, Michelle Struder, was 10 years of age and told her mother about the incident. Treatment of Dogs Based on allegations of Kanciper's treatment of three … [Read more...]
Retirement Problems
Do you have enough money to retire? This is a question baby boomers are starting to think about. How much money do you need before you retire? What is the best way to plan for retirement? When Should You Start Saving? Experts agree that you should start saving for your retirement as early as possible. The longer you defer putting aside money in a … [Read more...]
Family Court Deals With Orders of Protection
In a recent decision, Justice John Leventhal of the Second Department of the Appellate Division (Appeals Judge) wrote a unanimous decision in the Matter of Briannal, 2012-05594. This decision reversed a lower court order. In this case, Justice Leventhal stated "the Family Court has the unique resources to effectuate and determine the best … [Read more...]
Decedent Considered Married Despite Not Having A Marriage License
The Surrogate Judge of Kings County, Diana Johnson, recently held a hearing related to the probate of a decedent's estate. She was presented with the issue of whether the decedent and the objectant, Avrumson, were legally married. The marriage took place before Rabbi Dembitzer at the Rabbi's residence. However, there was no marriage license. The … [Read more...]
Grand Jury Decision Reversed
In a rare ruling, the Appellate Division of the Third Department, an Appeals Court in the State of New York, reversed the conviction of a man who had been charged with robbing a convenience store. The Appeals Court found the prosecution's "fundamentally flawed" presentation to the grand jury was rife with inadmissible elements. The court found the … [Read more...]
