New York Divorce Report - New York's Divorce and Family Law Blog

In a highly unusual move, a judge ordered a mother jailed for interfering with husband’s visitation with his children. In Lauren R. v Ted R. Justice Robert Ross ordered to the mother to report to jail for repeatedly violating the terms of the court orders regarding the father’s parenting time. The mother’s imprisonment coincides with the father’s scheduled visitation with the children. The Court’s opinion details instance after instance of the mothers deliberate and willful attempts to alienate the children from the father, including false reports of child abuse, bad-mouthing the father in the presence of the children, and deliberately... More

As difficult as divorce is for the parties, it is far more traumatic for the children. When parents divorce, every aspect of the children’s life is up-ended as they watch their parents prepare to go to war against each other. Children, who should enjoy the unconditional love and affection of both parents, may be drawn into the battle as their loyalty is tested. A showing or expression of affection for one parent could be taken as a sign of betrayal to the other. Children must stagger through an emotional minefield while their parents battle. Although it seems like common... More

The custody fight of Christie Brinkley and Peter Cook reared its ugly head again. Last year the case settled after several days of lurid testimony about Peter Cook's affair with a teenage store clerk and revelations that he spent thousands of dollars downloading pornography. Sophia Chang and John Valenti report in Newsday that the in the current dispute: Cook wanted Brinkley found in contempt of court for allegedly failing to deliver their son's passport to his house in November, which, Cook said, caused Jack to miss a school trip to Egypt. In return, Brinkley's attorneys filed a countermotion to hold... More

A non-custodial parent is not stripped of his parental authority simply because he is not empowered to make decisions regarding the health, education and welfare of his children ruled an Albany County Family Court judge. Judge W. Dennis Duggan dismissed a contempt proceeding, against a non-custodial father who had changed the dosage of his fifteen-year-old daughter's medication during his parenting time. The father, a doctor, believed that his daughter’s prescription was inappropriate. Judge Duggan stated that "While it is the general principle that the custodial parent possesses the sole authority to make medical decisions for her child, this does not... More