Last week, I mentioned that a client wrote to me concerned about the future of same-sex marriage and the possibility that the Obergefell decision could be overturned. My client isn’t alone. Almost 80% of married same-sex couples reported the same concern in a recent study conducted by UCLA’s Williams Institute and reported in the Los Angeles Times. Marriage changed couples’ lives in all kinds of positive ways – they had increased feelings of safety and security, increased financial stability, legal … read more »
Is Marriage Equality a Given?
A few weeks ago, a client wrote and said that she was having trouble sleeping at night, worried about what would happen to her rights as a married person if the Obergefell decision was overturned. (And that was before the Supreme Court decisions were issued in the last few weeks!) I thought it would be a good idea for this week’s post, but it’s a long answer, so I’ll continue it next week. History Let’s start by going way back to 1996 … read more »
Till Death Do Us Part – or Not
They say that January is Divorce Month (we get more inquiries after New Years!) but it also seems to be Prenup Month. I started working on two prenuptial agreements this week – one as a mediation and one as a collaborative case. I also read an article in the New Yorker, Prenups Aren’t Just for the Rich Anymore. I’m curious about your experiences with prenups – do you have one or know anyone who does? Or who should have had … read more »
Promises, Promises
The Oscar-nominated film, Marriage Story, by Noah Baumbach, is really a divorce story. It centers on the relationships between Nicole, an actor, her husband, Charlie, a Broadway director, and their eight-year-old son, Henry. The family lives together in Brooklyn until Nicole gets a job on a TV series in Los Angeles – and moves to LA with Henry. From Nicole’s perspective, she and Charlie had a deal that, someday, they would move to Los Angeles, which is where she grew … read more »
The Four Divorces
In my practice, I have observed that when couples divorce, there are actually several layers of separation, each of which requires its own attention. I think of these as the emotional, social, physical and legal divorces. The emotional divorce between spouses, like that of any friendship, often happens over time. People may simply grow apart, particularly those who began their marriage when they were young. They may change their expectations for themselves and for what they want from a partner. … read more »
Who Can You Marry?
Happy New Year! I am thrilled to let you know that this coming semester, I will be teaching New York family law at my alma mater, the CUNY School of Law in Long Island City. It is a community of the most amazingly creative, intelligent, and committed students and professors, all dedicated to law in the service of human needs. I am really honored to have this opportunity! Over the next few months, I will use this space to share … read more »
R-E-S-P-E-C-T — Find Out What it Means to Me!
I write this just days after the death of the infamous Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. Hers was the voice of a generation — my generation — but she meant so much more. While it is difficult to imagine a world without her, I am grateful for her music, which will live on. From my perspective, Aretha’s most influential song was “Respect,” written by Otis Redding. As Wesley Morris wrote in her obituary, she turned the song — and the … read more »
Listing Assets for a Prenup (VIDEO)
Why you need to know your debts and assets before signing a prenup…
Prenup? That’s Good News!
Your wedding day is only a few months off and your fiancé nervously mentions that he would like a prenuptial agreement. You are taken off guard. “But don’t you trust me?” you cry. “It’s not that,” he stammers. “It’s just that, that I will be disowned if I don’t…” Or, “It’s just that I have worked so hard on creating my own business, and I want things to be clear with my business partners…” Or, “It’s just … read more »
Same Sex Married Couples Still Need Second Parent Adoptions
I have written about this before, and it is still true – same sex couples still need second parent adoptions even though they are legally married. New York’s Appellate Division Second Department made this clear their May 2015 decision, Matter of Paczkowski. The case is about a lesbian couple who was married and had a child together during the marriage. The non-biological mom had not adopted their child. The couple later broke up, and she filed for joint custody, arguing … read more »