Answers to common New York divorce and family-law questions — covering divorce, custody, child support, and orders of protection — from Jimmy Solomos, Esq. of Solomos & Associates PLLC.
A divorce filing is more than paperwork. The first documents filed, the information included, and the steps taken immediately afterward can affect your finances, your parenting schedule, and the pace of your case. Many divorce filing mistakes happen because someone acts quickly without understanding the New York rules that apply once a case begins.
A custody dispute can move from a difficult conversation to a court deadline quickly. When parents disagree about where a child will live, how major decisions will be made, or whether a parenting schedule is safe and workable, custody lawyers provide the structure and advocacy needed to protect the child and the parent-child relationship.
A child support number can affect your household budget for years. When parents separate or divorce, trying to calculate child support from a salary alone can produce the wrong answer. New York uses a statutory formula, but the final obligation may also depend on parenting arrangements, available tax records, health insurance, child care, and the facts of your family.
A divorce can look straightforward until the paperwork reaches a question neither spouse is prepared to answer: Who keeps the home? How will parenting time work? What happens to retirement accounts, debt, or support? The difference between uncontested versus contested in New York often comes down to whether those questions have been resolved in a legally complete agreement.
Facing a family law issue in Nassau County? Learn how New York courts determine child custody, calculate child support using the CSSA, and handle orders of protection
A missing account statement, an unexplained business expense, or a sudden claim that income has dropped can change the financial stakes of a divorce. Knowing how to handle hidden assets in divorce means acting early, preserving information, and using the legal process carefully rather than relying on suspicion alone.
Facing a Willful Violation Petition in New York Family Court is one of the most urgent legal challenges an individual can encounter in family law. Whether the petition alleges unpaid child support, spousal maintenance, or non-compliance with a court-ordered custody schedule, a allegation of "willfulness" transforms a financial or domestic disagreement into a quasi-criminal matter with penalties
A divorce can move from a private concern to an urgent legal matter quickly. A spouse may serve papers, a conflict over parenting time may escalate, or questions about bank accounts, support, and the family home may demand immediate attention. Knowing how to choose divorce counsel before the pressure builds can put you in a far stronger position to protect your children, finances, and next chapter
For many parents, the question is not simply when does child support end but whether they can safely stop paying when a child turns 18. In New York, stopping too soon can create arrears, enforcement action, and unnecessary conflict. The answer depends on the child’s age, the terms of the court order or settlement agreement, and whether an exception applies. For Nassau County parents, the practica
A parent’s decision to limit contact with a grandparent can be painful and confusing, particularly when a child has a close, long-standing bond with that grandparent. Can grandparents seek visitation NY? In some circumstances, yes. But New York law does not give grandparents automatic visitation rights, and a court will not interfere with a fit parent’s decisions without a careful legal basis. Fo
A spouse can make divorce harder, slower, and more expensive. But can a spouse refuse divorce in New York and permanently prevent it? Generally, no. New York law does not require both spouses to agree to end a marriage. One spouse can file for divorce, serve the other party, and ask the court to move the case forward.
A custody case can begin with a stack of forms, but the information in those forms can shape where your child lives, how major decisions are made, and how parenting time works. Knowing how to prepare custody paperwork before filing can help you avoid delays, present a clear request to the court, and protect your position from the start.