Category: Uncategorized

nav_top_lft_2009Last month, associate Rachel Goldenberg and I co-authored a piece about the ways in which Divorce Mediation might be able to help solve the “Get” crisis — an increasing problem faced by religious Jewish women when their putative ex-husband refuses to give them a religious divorce.  The piece struck a chord within the mediation community and has been picked up by The Huffington Post, The Times of Israel and now, we are so pleased that Mediate.com has entered into this conversation.

While our article focused on the many benefits that mediation might have in providing a forum for Jewish couples facing divorce, the same can be said for couples that practice other religious beliefs where a religious divorce is also a necessary part of the dissolution of their relationship. Asking for a civil divorce is difficult enough; asking for two divorces can be even more overwhelming.

Our original piece is found here: Five Ways That Divorce Mediation Can Help Resolve The Get Crisis. Join the discussion by commenting about your experiences.

That Special Time of Year: Holidays Mean Waiting To Divorce

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This holiday season, you are thinking: “Just one more time.” One more time around your mother-in-law’s nasty snide comments; one more draining day of yule-tide “merriment”; and one last New Year’s hurrah. After the confetti settles, the weight of the relationship will be too much. In fact, the stress could do you in. So you will say “never again,” and spend the next year (or more) getting divorced. And you are not alone. Continue reading “That Special Time of Year: Holidays Mean Waiting To Divorce” →

Differences between Divorce and Annulment

legs-divorceAre you considering a Divorce or an Annulment? How do you know which one is right for you?

People frequently call my office asking about annulment. I blame Britney Spears, in part, for popularizing the idea that a short marriage should be annulled. (Remember, Britney Spears was only married to Jason Alexander for 55 hours?)

Here are some basic differences in the requirements between New York annulment and divorce.

Continue reading “Differences between Divorce and Annulment” →

Divorce Inequality: What Same-Sex Couples Should Know Before They Say “I Do”

Imagine you need to get a divorce, but at court you are told that you can’t because your state doesn’t even recognize your marriage. With a dozen states now permitting same-sex marriage – including Minnesota which joined the fold on May 14, 2013 – the unequal treatment of such marriages is poised to become more widely understood, in the context of divorce.

Let me explain: in my state, New York, where same-same marriage was signed into law in June of 2011, there is no residency requirement to obtain a marriage license.  Because New York recognizes same-sex marriages, couples can come here from all over the country and get hitched. And they have.

But, say that things go badly – as is the case with 50% of marriages today – those same couples who got married here may not be able to get divorced here. Why? Because while there is no residency requirement to get married here, New York does have a residency requirement to get divorced.

Watch me discuss why this complicates matters:

Worse yet: couples who reside in a state that does not recognize the legality of their marriage may not qualify for a divorce in their home state either.  Read more about this issue…

Continue reading “Divorce Inequality: What Same-Sex Couples Should Know Before They Say “I Do”” →