Difficult child custody matters can take a turn for the worse when one parent begins to manipulate a child to dislike or even hate the other parent. This is called parental alienation and can be devastating for both the alienated parent and the child.
Parental alienation, or parental manipulation, is all too common in high-conflict divorces or child custody battles. Unfortunately, it’s also devastating and can cause an irreparable breakdown of parent-child relationships. Here’s what you need to know about parental alienation and what your legal options are if you believe your child’s other parent is manipulating them to alienate you.
Adopting a child is highly rewarding, but can also be an overwhelming and stressful process. If you’re pursuing domestic or international adoption on Long Island, New York, it’s important to work with an experienced professional who can help you navigate the challenges ahead to forge a path toward adoption success.
If you’re involved in a divorce, child custody, or child support case, drug testing may be involved either for yourself or your ex, or both. Here’s what you need to know about why Long Island courts order drug tests, how they’re conducted, and when you should reach out for help from an experienced family law attorney.
Why Drug Tests Are Used in Family Court
Contrary to popular belief, drug use isn’t something penalized by family courts, even when illegal. A family court will not issue criminal charges but may forward the case to a prosecutor if deemed necessary, usually in clear instances where more than personal use is suspected. Rather, the primary consideration behind drug testing is ensuring the wellbeing and best interests of any children involved. If drug use is highly suspected, family courts will order testing to confirm and take appropriate action to reduce harm to the child, including but not limited to suspending child custody and visitation rights until a drug rehabilitation program has been completed successfully.
Alimony, also called spousal support or spousal maintenance, is a payment made from the higher earning spouse to the lower earning spouse during and after a divorce. These payments are intended to help bridge the income gap while the lesser earning spouse learns to function independently.
3 Different Types of Alimony in New York
There are three different types of alimony:
#1. Temporary Alimony
Temporary alimony is often awarded immediately after filing for divorce when the lesser earning spouse reveals a financial need. This type of maintenance is usually very short-lived and is re-evaluated during the divorce process.
It’s common for ex-spouses co-parenting on Long Island to disagree about many aspects of raising their child post-divorce. When it comes to your child’s education, however, the stakes are raised because their long-term future may potentially be impacted. Here’s how you can handle disagreements about your child’s education with your ex-spouse and how to get help from an experienced Long Island divorce lawyer.
Establish Who Has Legal Custody
First and foremost, it’s critical to understand who has legal custody of your child. It may be either you or your ex-spouse, or you may share legal custody. Be aware that legal and physical custody are not the same; if you have sole physical custody, you may still share legal custody.
In cases of joint legal custody, both you and your ex-spouse must agree on your child’s education. If you don’t, this becomes a contested issue that requires resolution either via mediation or litigation. If only one parent has legal custody, they can make decisions about the child’s education even if the other parent disagrees. (more…)
Going through a divorce was very challenging and emotional. Searching for an attorney can be challenging as well when you consider everything that is at stake. The choice I made to work with Rob Hornberger was surely the best choice available. His professionalism, expertise, and understanding made him and the entire team perfectly suited to achieve the outcomes I desired. Rob was always available to answer my questions and give me advice and legal considerations that affected my situation. The support I received from his staff was exemplary as well. The staff was courteous, kind, and also very professional. Thank you so much Rob and team for a worry free experience.
Annemarie Cusumano
21:41 17 Mar 20
Being in family court especially when your children are on the line is extremely emotional and stressful but working with Robert and Christine put me at ease and made the process as pleasant as a situation like that can be. I have a now 3 year old daughter (who is the most important person in my life) and I've been working with them for over two years since my daughter was 7 months old, the case has been up and down and through it all Rob and Christine have never given up. My original case was due to a neglect charge. Cps is not easy to work with, but Rob and Christine were vigilant and I ended up getting my daughter back within 8 months and did not have to plead guilty to the neglect. Currently I am in family court to figure out a custody agreement. They are professional, empathetic, and patient. They have always explained everything thoroughly, informed me of all my options and advised me of what my best option would be. They always respond quickly when I contact them with questions or concerns and most importantly they fight for me in court and don't give up even when things get rough. Before hiring Rob and Christine I met with other attorneys who did not make me feel confident or comfortable at all about my case, so I am very grateful to have found Rob and Christine and to be represented by such great attorneys. I highly recommend them for any family court matters and will definitely continue to use them in the future if needed.
Steven Frierman
02:25 07 Mar 20
After meeting with 3 different lawyers, we felt Robert understood us best and he genuinely had our best interests at heart. This helped us resolve a few minor issues in a timely fashion and make a potentially stressful situation go more smoothly.Thank you
Randi Gottlieb
18:47 03 Mar 20
Hornberger Verbitsky, P.C. - Mr. Robert Hornberger and his staff are beyond professional, they quickly gave me my consultation appointment, and helped me with an after-Divorce issue. Mr. Hornberger was empathetic and explained to me what I should expect. Mr. Hornberger was extremely professional and advised me of my options, he helped me proceed with accurate and smart decisions. I wish I had Mr. Hornberger and his highly recommended staff when I was getting divorced. I would highly recommend Robert and his staff to anyone who is getting a divorce or in need of help with situations after the divorce!
Rob Spielmann
22:15 27 Feb 20
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