A mother brought an application for attorney’s fees. She claimed the children’s father willfully violated a custody order.
Judge Duggan, sitting in the Family Court of Albany County, found that the father notified the mother of his intention to return the children to the mother nine days late, after he took a vacation with them. The mother rejected the father’s request. The father thereafter refused to allow the mother to see the children. The court found that the father now had to pay both his attorney’s fees and two-thirds of the mother’s attorneys fees for his violation of the custody order. The father argued to the court that his violation of the custody order was a minor one. Nonetheless, the court found that he did violate the order and was on notice from the mother that, if the child was not returned at the appropriate time, she would take legal action to enforce the custody order. In the end, the court decided that the father’s actions involved willfulness and that he should pay a majority of the mother’s attorneys fees.
Nassau and Suffolk County Fathers’ Rights Lawyers
We represent fathers! We have been doing this for more than 45 years. We litigate all aspects ofdivorce, 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 negotiateseparation agreements for our clients. Feel free to call us for a free consultation.
