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.
Like the birth of a new child, adoption can seem like a miracle for families, but for different reasons. Unfortunately, there are many barriers to adoption and the road to bringing home a child is long and difficult. As you are considering adoption to grow your family, it’s important to understand the most common obstacles to successful adoption so you can be as proactive as possible to avoid or minimize them. Here’s what you need to know. (more…)
If you’re considering ending your marriage, there are generally two options available on Long Island, NY: legal separation or divorce. While divorce may be your first inclination, especially when you’re in the emotional first stages of deciding to end your marriage, staying legally married but separated has many advantages and may be in your best interests until you’re fully committed to divorce. Here are some questions you can ask to determine if legal separation could be a better choice for you.
Divorce Mediation can be an excellent way to finalize your divorce if you and your ex-spouse are in agreement about some issues related to your separation and are willing to negotiate or reach a compromise on others. Find out if you need an attorney for your mediation on Long Island and if so, how can you get the most legal support for your money.
An attorney is not legally necessary for mediation, but they are highly beneficial to ensure that your rights and best interests are protected throughout the process. Take some time to learn about what an attorney’s role is during mediation and how they provide support for you. Divorce mediators, for example, can provide legal information but not legal advice. They can discuss with you Long Island child custody laws, but they cannot tell you what you ought to do in your child custody case. Your lawyer, however, can let you know what your legal options are and which actions would be in your family’s best interest.
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.
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.
Child custody matters are difficult enough without adding distance to the mix. Unfortunately, many Long Island families must deal with exactly that. Navigating family legal issues when two parents live in different states requires a special set of rules that differ from those related to custody cases where the parents and child all live in the same state. Here’s what you need to know about long-distance child custody. (more…)
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