Unfortunately, one parent and a child or children become estranged during a lot of divorces. An estranged child is hostile to or continuously angry with one of his or her parents. The child often refuses to have visitation or custodial access time with that parent. Read more
Children
Reflections of a Family Law Attorney
Practicing family law over the years has involved unexpected and surprising experiences. I have met people during the most difficult periods of their lives–some in truly extraordinary circumstances. My job is to help them through hard times with the best possible outcome, yet some of Read more
When Parents of Special Needs Adults Get Divorced
Parents with special needs children who are young adults often cope with a difficult set of circumstances. A divorce may make things worse. Special needs adults are challenging even when their parents are married, but the challenges continue and may get worse when their parents Read more
Should Children Have a Say in Custody and Visitation Schedules?
When parents separate, one of the first tasks is to decide on a custody and coparenting plan, with a weekly or monthly visitation schedule for when the children will spend time with each parent. It has become more common for parents to want an equal, Read more
Parental Alienation or Child Abuse: An Overview
Parental alienation and child abuse are two of the toughest issues faced by courts in resolving custody disputes. Here’s what I found while surveying parents’ opinions and stories on Twitter, news sites and custody threads: There is a large body of parents who view the Read more
How to Make the Holidays Better for Divorced Families
It’s January 2019. The holidays are over. For many separated and divorced parents, the holidays are a mixed event: a time for special celebration with their child or children, and a time of heightened stress. Both parents’ wishes to have a joyful Chanukah/Christmas/Kwanzaa with the Read more
After You Divorce, Your Child May Need a Supplemental Needs Trust
If you have a child with special needs, you have probably thought about what he or she will need after age 18 or when you die. Children with special needs may not follow the traditional path of moving out of the home and supporting themselves. Read more
Divorce Mediation is Not for Everyone
Many couples choose divorce mediation because it can be cheaper, quicker and less adversarial than litigation. But it is not for everyone. For divorce mediation to work, couples need to be able to be civil to each other. They also have to be willing to Read more
Advice for Alienated Parents
What happens to the alienated parent? There is a lot of advice about how to help a polarized child reduce or bridge the anger and antagonism toward the alienated parent. What happens to the alienated parent if there is no reconciliation while the child is Read more
