When One Parent Blocks Visitation in New York: Interference, Alienation, and What Courts Do About It
Note: This article is general information, not legal advice. Every custody/visitation case turns on its facts. If you need advice about your situation, talk to a lawyer.
The most common custody complaint nobody wants to admit: “I can’t see my kid.”Visitation interference shows up...
Unwed Fathers and Adoption: What the Supreme Court Cases Really Mean in Real Life (Stanley, Quilloin, Caban, Lehr)
Note: This article is general information, not legal advice. Every custody/visitation case turns on its facts. If you need advice about your situation, talk to a lawyer.
Why this topic is so confusing (and so common)People hear a simple idea: “If he’s the biological...
Do I Get a Lawyer in New York Family Court? The Right to Counsel and the Right to Appeal in Cases That Can Separate Families
Note: This article is general information, not legal advice. Every custody/visitation case turns on its facts. If you need advice about your situation, talk to a lawyer.
If you’re scared and confused, you’re not aloneParents often describe their first Family Court appearance the same...
Relocation After Tropea: Real-World Fact Patterns, Virtual Parenting, and What New York Courts Actually Weigh
Note: This article is general information, not legal advice. Every custody/visitation case turns on its facts. If you need advice about your situation, talk to a lawyer.
Tropea is the rule—but parents still need a plan that makes sense in real lifeNew York’s relocation...
Grandparent Visitation in New York After Troxel: When Courts Let Grandparents In—and When They Don’t
Note: This article is general information, not legal advice. Every custody/visitation case turns on its facts. If you need advice about your situation, talk to a lawyer.
A familiar story: “We used to see our grandchild every weekend—until we didn’t.”If you’re reading this, there’s...
New York Relocation Is Really a Visitation Case: Tropea and the Real-World Move
If you are thinking about moving (or trying to stop a move), this is the case that quietly controls the conversation in New York.
Quick takeaways
Tropea rejected rigid relocation rules. New York courts generally avoid automatic presumptions and instead...Family Court vs Criminal Court for Family Offenses in New York: Concurrent Jurisdiction, Transfer, and Strategic Risks
When someone is accused of a family offense in New York, one of the first strategic questions is where the case will be heard: Family Court, Criminal Court, or both. New York law allows overlap, and the forum can change the burden of proof, procedures, and consequences. For the court’s overview, see...
Fact-Finding Hearings in NY Family Offense Cases: Burden of Proof, Evidence, and Defense Strategies
In a New York Family Court Article 8 family offense case, the key “trial” event is usually the fact-finding hearing - the hearing where the judge decides whether the allegations are proven. If you are defending against an order of protection petition, understanding the burden of proof, what evidence tends to matter,...
Served With a Family Offense Petition in NY Family Court? A Respondent’s Step-by-Step Game Plan Before the First Court Date
If you’ve been served with a family offense petition in New York Family Court, it can feel like everything changed overnight - especially if the paperwork includes a Temporary Order of Protection (TOP). In many cases, a TOP is issued at the outset and can have immediate consequences (housing, contact, parenting time)....
What Is an Exclusion Hearing in an Order of Protection Case in Family Court?
When a person in New York seeks an Order of Protection in Family Court, the judge can include specific conditions to ensure safety—such as staying away, avoiding contact, or leaving a shared residence.
When a person is temporarily ordered to leave their home, it’s called an exclusion order, and...