Fleeing to New York for a Child’s Health Care: What the Shield Law Does — and Does Not — Do in Custody Cases
New York’s Shield Law can protect lawful reproductive and gender-affirming health care from certain hostile out-of-state investigations or liability efforts. It does not automatically give a parent custody. It does not automatically make New York the child’s custody court. And it does not give a parent permission to violate an existing...
Melanie’s Law in Action: Why New York Family Court Protection Is No Longer Limited to the Old Definition of Family
Melanie’s Law expanded New York Family Court protection for people connected to domestic violence through a family member’s intimate relationship. Before the change, some people were told they were in danger but did not fit the old Family Court relationship categories. The amendment to Family Court Act 812 added protection for...
Kyra’s Law and Custody Safety: Why New York Parents Should Treat Safety Evidence Like the Main Event
Kyra’s Law passed both houses of the New York Legislature in June 2026, but publication should treat it carefully until final gubernatorial action is confirmed. The bill is designed to push custody and visitation courts to focus sharply on child safety, including allegations involving domestic violence, child abuse, stalking, coercive control,...
The March 2026 Support Cap Change: Why New York Child Support and Maintenance Cases May Need a Fresh Look
New York changed the support math on March 1, 2026. The combined parental income cap for child support increased to $193,000, and the maintenance payor income cap increased to $241,000. That does not automatically modify an existing order. It does mean that a new case, a pending calculation, or a...
Order of Protection vs. Exclusive Occupancy: Which One Do You Need?
When family conflict creates safety concerns or makes living together impossible, New York law provides different legal remedies depending on your situation. An order of protection is designed to address threats, harassment, abuse, or other harmful conduct, while an exclusive occupancy order can require one person to leave a shared home. In...
Can Grandparents Get Emergency Visitation Rights in New York Family Court?
Grandparents can seek emergency visitation in New York Family Court, but it is not automatic. You must show both legal standing and that urgent circumstances justify faster court intervention to protect the child’s well-being.
In many cases, grandparents were part of a child’s routine until a sudden family conflict...
How Does New York Family Court Handle Claims of Educational Neglect?
In New York, Family Court treats educational neglect as a form of child neglect when a parent fails to ensure a child regularly attends school or receives appropriate instruction. If a petition is filed, the court evaluates attendance records, parental efforts, and the child’s needs before deciding whether state intervention is necessary.
Chatbots Can Write… Court Still Wants Judgment: Pro Se Common Sense in the AI Era
AI can be brilliant at producing a clean-sounding argument. It can also be wildly confident while being quietly wrong. That’s not a contradiction—it's the central issue.
Think of it like this: AI has “logic” (it can...
Will AI Replace Lawyers? The “Fool for a Client” Problem in the Age of Generative AI
Generative AI can now draft pleadings, summarize discovery, and generate litigation checklists in seconds. That reality has reignited a recurring question: will AI replace lawyers? This essay argues that AI will replace many discrete legal tasks, but it is unlikely to replace lawyers wholesale—especially in litigation—because the...
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...