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The U.S. Supreme Court overturns the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)

The U.S. Supreme Court struck down section 3 of the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) which defined marriage as between a man and a woman. Under DOMA, same-sex couples legally married in a state or country that authorized same-sex marriage were not eligible for important federal benefits available to heterosexual couples. Such benefits include […]

How Child Support is Calculated in NY

In New York State, child support is governed by the Child Support Standards Act, also known as the CSSA. The CSSA is found both in Domestic Relations Law Section 240 and Family Court Act 413. In New York, parents are responsible for the support of their children until they reach the age of 21. Child […]

Custody – Who Chooses the Child’s School?

In Sequeira v. Sequeira, 2013 N.Y. App. Div. Lexis 2401 (1st Dept. April, 2013) the parties’ agreement provided the parents with joint legal custody, and equal input into all major decision about the child. When a dispute later arose and the parties disagreed as to a choice of school for their child, the Supreme Court […]

Think it’s easy to divide property at divorce? Think again

Some people think they can handle a divorce on their own, especially if they don’t have children (or they have grown children) and they’re not fighting bitterly. It sounds easy – you know what you and your spouse own, and you can figure out how to split it. Right? In trying to end a marriage […]

Live-in partner walks away with nothing

A New York couple never married, but they dated for 13 years, lived together and had a daughter. During that time, the man purchased property in Manhattan and in the Hamptons, and told the woman that the places were “their” homes. The woman claimed the man referred to the properties as “theirs” and to her […]