Family
Child Abuse and Neglect Cases in New York
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...
Child Custody and Visitation in New York
What is child custody and visitation?
Custody is the legal responsibility for a child’s care. Physical custody or residency provides for where the child lives. Legal custody provides for...
Child Support in New York
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...
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 relative other than a parent.
If a child is removed from the child’s parent or custodian by Social Services,...
Mediation in Custody and Visitation Cases in New York Family Court (ADR)
Mediation, which is also called alternative dispute resolution or ADR, is becoming an increasingly common tool in Family Court in New York State. As the name suggests, ADR is an alternative to...
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 they cannot do to another person, or what contact is allowed.
Sometimes an Order of...
Paternity in New York
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...
Rights When There is a Child Protective Investigation
If there is an investigation in NY by Child Protective Services (CPS), a parent or caretaker has the following rights:
1. The parent or caretaker is not required, unless court ordered, to...
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?
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...
What is Guardianship?
What is Guardianship?
There are 3 types of guardianship petitions: Guardianship, Kinship Guardianship, and Standby Guardianship.
All types of guardianship allow the guardian to have...