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 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.
The question of who pays attorney fees in a divorce is often urgent, especially when one spouse has greater income, control over marital accounts, or access to family resources. In Nassau County divorce cases, the answer is not always that each person pays their own lawyer. New York courts can direct one spouse to contribute to the other spouse’s legal fees when fairness and the parties’ financial
For spouses who are able to negotiate respectfully and disclose financial information honestly, a carefully drafted separation agreement can provide immediate structure. It may establish who remains in the home, how bills are paid, when each parent spends time with the children, and how major decisions for the children will be handled.