Category Archives: Child Custody
How Family Courts Fail Domestic Violence Victims in Child Custody
Custody and visitation when one parent has an established history of domestic violence New York, like a number of other states, simply weighs whether there has been a history of domestic violence in the family when weighing a number of factors in deciding what is in the best interest of the child when it… Read More »
When A Child Custody Case Is Against the City
One mother’s case made headlines in early September after she won her case against the city of New York, which had taken custody of her baby over her legal use of marijuana. The case against the city’s Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) is the first one to hold the agency accountable for violating provisions… Read More »
Disabled Parents, the Best Interest Standard & Custody Rights
The best interest of the child standard involves judges weighing a number of factors in deciding on what the best custody arrangement is for the child. In New York, two of those factors include “the child’s health and safety” as well as “mental and physical health of the parents.” This standard is arguably subjective,… Read More »
Parents of Children Killed in NY Family Court Disputes Urge Reforms
We’ve previously discussed the issue of risk of violence against children during and after divorce – an issue that sometimes leads one parent to stay with an abuser for longer than they should, out of fear for their children. The issue has reached such a level of seriousness here in New York that parents… Read More »
Breastfeeding & Child Custody
One child custody issue in particular has gained national headlines this month: The story involves the issue of custody affecting such parental choices as breastfeeding. Specifically, one judge ordered a mother who had been breastfeeding her daughter for seven months – since the child’s birth – to make every effort to place the child… Read More »
What Is An Attorney For Children In Family Law Cases?
In family law, child custody is determined based on what state law dictates is in the best interest of the child, which involves a number of specific factors that the court weighs. Some of these cases can, in some circumstances, involve what’s known as an Attorney for Children (AFC), which is a court appointed… Read More »