In a recent decision, the Appellate Division of the Third Department, an appeals court, has upheld a Supreme Court decision which found the down payment a husband used to purchase the marital residence was the husband's separate property. The Case The parties to a marriage purchased a home 5 months after they were married. At that time, the … [Read more...]
New York’s Alimony Laws Are Changing
In 2010, the State Legislature in New York passed laws with regard to temporary spousal maintenance which is more commonly referred to as alimony. Since then, many divorce and family law attorneys as well as Judges have been upset about these new laws. The temporary maintenance formula is intended to provide a greater level of consistency in all … [Read more...]
Judge Allows Egregious Fault Inquiry in Equitable Distribution Case
Justice Palmieri in the Supreme Court located in Nassau County, New York, has rendered an unusual decision in a divorce case. Divorce Law in New York does not make fault a factor in equitable distribution of assets unless there is "egregious marital fault." In this case, the wife's husband of ten years had been convicted of sexually molesting her … [Read more...]
Divorce and College Tuition Expenses for Children (Part 1)
There are many issues that come up in divorces. Who gets custody, child support, visitation (parenting schedules), equitable distribution of property and the payment of debts from the marriage. These issues can cause divorces to be contentious. Litigants in divorce cases spend large sums of money fighting to protect their rights concerning these … [Read more...]
‘Genius’ Not Taken Into Account in Equitable Distribution
Judge Dregger, sitting in Manhattan Supreme Court, denied a very successful private equity firm executive from presenting evidence in a divorce case that he had "unique personality traits" prior to the marriage that allowed him to accumulate 450 million dollars in business assets during the thirty year term of his marriage. Justice Dregger, in her … [Read more...]
Getting Divorced During an Economic Downturn
The financial crisis in the United States is causing tension within families. Financial problems can be the cause of a divorce. In most marriages the family home is the largest asset. The decline in home values over the past three or four years has resulted in many homes being worth less than the mortgages on them. Postponing Divorce Recent … [Read more...]
Suspects In Abuse Cases – Phone Calls are Taped
New York City jails tape all phone calls made by prisoners with the exception of calls to doctors and lawyers. Prosecutors have been using these tapes against these prisoners. More than 8,200 calls were taped last year in New York City jails. The largest use of these taped calls comes in domestic violence cases. Domestic Violence Men charged … [Read more...]
Pet Torturer Sentenced
Sharon McDonough may permanently lose custody of her children! Sharon McDonough has been found guilty in Suffolk County, New York, of torturing and killing pets. She raised her children in what has been referred to as horrid conditions. Judge C. Randall Hinrich's sentenced Ms. McDonough to two years in jail. He stated that her crimes were … [Read more...]
Mother’s Request to Relocate Her Child Denied
This past summer, Justice Falanga, a Supreme Court Judge sitting in Nassau County, made a ruling that despite a child’s wishes, the relocation of the child with the mother to Michigan was denied. The wife decided to relocate from New York to Michigan. She had residential custody of the parties’ children. The father brought a proceeding for custody … [Read more...]
Orders of Protection
When one party to a relationship appears in the Family Court and requests an order of protection, there is a tendency for judges to grant these requests. The initial order of protection, given on an ex parte basis (without the other party having his or her day in court), is called a temporary order of protection. Unfortunately for the fathers, a … [Read more...]
