Family
Child Abuse and Neglect Cases in New York
What is child abuse or neglect?
Child abuse means a parent or a person responsible for the child seriously injures the child or places the child at risk for serious injury.
Child neglect...
Child Custody and Visitation in New York
What is child custody and visitation?
Custody is the authority to make decisions about the child’s care, including education and medical care.
There are two types of custody.
Sole...
Child Support in New York
What is child support?
Child support is money paid by a parent to pay for a child’s needs. Child support covers general expenses as well as child care, health care, and other expenses. ...
Emancipation in New York
What is emancipation?
Emancipation is the process of a parent giving up control over a minor child so that the child has control over his own legal decisions and support before he is an...
How to Change a Child's Name in New York
Schools and government agencies are likely to require that your child’s name match the one on their birth certificate.
There are 3 ways to officially change your child’s name.
You...
How to Change an Adult's Name in New York
In New York, you can change your name without going to court. You can just start using your new name. However, it may be better to ask a court to change your name. Most government agencies or...
Kinship Care in New York
What is kinship care?
Kinship care means that a child is raised by an adult other than a parent.
How does kinship care happen?
There are many situations in which a parent...
New York State Grounds for Divorce
What do I need to know about getting a divorce in New York State?
New York has laws that limit how you can get a divorce. There are now seven grounds (reasons) you can use to get a divorce in...
Order of Protection in New York
What is an Order of Protection?
An Order of Protection is a court order that tells one person what he/she cannot do to another person, or what contact is allowed.
Sometimes an Order of...
Paternity in New York
What is paternity?
Paternity means legal fatherhood of a child.
Paternity gives certain rights and responsibilities to the father. The father must support the child until age 21 or the...
Spousal Support or Maintenance
What is spousal support or maintenance?
Spousal support is court ordered money paid to support a spouse. Maintenance or “temporary maintenance” is support ordered to be paid for an...
What Happens to Property After a Divorce?
How is property divided after a divorce?
When the court grants a divorce, property will be divided equitably (not always equally) between the two spouses. This is decided under the Equitable...