One of the primary concerns when a couple decides to separate is child custody. It’s difficult to envision not living with your children all the time, but it’s the reality of separate households. What post-separation parenting arrangement is best for your children? Consider shared custody. Absent extraordinary circumstances such as…
In a recent tightly orchestrated, if not closely watched, courtroom drama, New York has rejected the claim that chimpanzees possess the fundamental right to liberty. The suit brought by the Nonhuman Rights Project against Patrick Lavery, the owner of Santa’s Hitching Post, a farm and tourist attraction in Gloversville, New…
It is no secret that the Courts are overburdened with litigation. With matrimonial trials sometimes lasting weeks, courtroom time is at a premium. Wishing to reduce both the congestion and the cost of litigation, judges will commonly appoint “neutral” experts, instead of each party hiring his/her own partisan expert. By…
There is no question that equal access to the courts is essential to the fair administration of justice. Whether it’s filing an initial petition, demanding a speedy trial, or gaining access to court records, all persons should be afforded equal opportunity. This may be self-evident to some, but in the…
The constitutional right to travel freely, like all rights, exists in a balance with other rights. For instance, courts have long held that a custodial parent is not free to relocate to a distant locale without court permission, since the move may be contrary to the children’s best interests. But…
The thousands of comments to the recent report of attorney David Schorr’s defamation suit filed against court psychologist Marilyn Schiller are mostly incredulous, along the lines of how can a father be penalized for what most agreed is good parenting. Schiller had recommended that Schorr’s visitation be curtailed when he refused to…
