Category Archives: co-parent adoption
SCOTUS Rules Alabama Must Honor Georgia Same-Sex, Second-Parent Adoption
In a decision that further solidifies the constitutional rights of same-sex partners, the Supreme Court of the United States has reversed an Alabama Supreme Court decision not to recognize a Georgia adoption by a mother’s same-sex partner. The high court case arose out of an Alabama child custody dispute between two women, former partners in… Read More »
Firm Update: Edward W. Jakubowski, Esq (1939-2015)
We are sad to announce the passing of Edward W. Jakubowski, Esq. Our condolences to his wife, Wanda, and his sons, Eddie (Lisa) and Matthew. If anyone would like information with regard to wake and funeral services, please contact our office. Thank you.
Who’s the Daddy?
Unfortunately, human relationships are not always neat and simple. Nowhere is this more apparent than in a paternity suit. Sometimes a father is shirking his responsibility to support a child and other times the mother is denying the father’s biological parenthood. If the parties cannot resolve the issue on their own, a Family Court judge… Read More »
Divorce: Understanding Your Digital Assets
Dividing property during a divorce can be difficult and sometimes contentious. Decisions about dividing material goods like the residence, a vacation home and investment accounts can be particularly difficult with partners who are splitting. But what about the iTunes account? In New York, property and assets accumulated by a couple during their marriage are considered… Read More »
Baby Veronica Goes Home
In a family law case that captured headlines for years, Veronica Capobianco has finally gone home. In 2008, Christina Maldonado informed her then-boyfriend Dusten Brown she was pregnant. Mr. Brown pressed for marriage indicating he would not support the child if Ms. Maldonado did not marry him. Ms. Maldonado ended the relationship and Mr. Brown… Read More »
Spousal Support in Same-Sex Divorce
Statistics suggest that the boom in gay and lesbian marriages since the Marriage Equality Act became law in 2011 is likely to be followed by a boom in divorce. It is important to understand and appreciate the financial implications of same-sex divorce. Marriage traditionally created a legal obligation upon a husband to support his wife,… Read More »
School Liability for Bullying
A sophomore college student at Brandeis University launched a lawsuit against an alleged bully and the prestigious Manhattan school he attended for an incident of bullying that took place eight years earlier. Eric Giray, 19, claims he was attacked by Daniel Dworakowski in 2004 after enduring several months of verbal harassment. The incident, in which… Read More »
How Do I Keep My Child Out of Juvie?
Plans announced by the office of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo would see two juvenile detention centers in Tompkins County and Orange County close, with the two facilities expected to be fully closed by the end of July. The move is part of Governor Cuomo’s Close to Home initiative, in which juvenile offenders are placed… Read More »
Fostering and Terminating Parental Rights
A court in Texas has terminated the parental rights of the parents of an abandoned newborn baby girl. The baby, known as Chloe, was found in a plastic bag by a woman who was walking her dogs. Baby Chloe still had part of the umbilical cord attached when she was found, and was taken in… Read More »
Same-Sex Divorce: The Residency Quandary
There are now twelve states that legally recognize same-sex marriage, the most recent state being Minnesota ― passing legislation permitting same-sex marriage on May 14, 2013. New York became the sixth state to legally recognize marriages between same-sex couples when it passed the Marriage Equality Act in July 2011. The Act allows all couples to… Read More »