Author Archives: Friedman & Ranzenhofer

My Former Spouse Isn’t Paying The Court-Ordered Child Support. What Do I Do?

Failure to comply with court orders is very serious, and failure to comply with court ordered child support is even more serious still. Any violation of a court order can result in a criminal contempt charge in New York, but when a spouse gets behind on child support payments, the court’s actions can be swift […]

Is Property I Purchased With My Own Money During The Marriage Considered Separate Property?

Usually it’s considered marital property. Marital property is understood by New York courts as all income, assets, and debts acquired during the marriage, whether with joint funds or separate funds. It doesn’t matter whether your name alone is on the deed or title, odds are very high that the judge will consider the property to […]

Do I Have To Give My Ex Records Of How I Spend Child Support Money?

There’s a lot of confusion around this point, but the answer is a resounding no. You do not have to provide financial records to your ex, or account for how you spend child support money. Courts would be endlessly clogged if they allowed former spouses to “audit” the spending of support or maintenance payments for […]

Can I Change The Locks Now That My Spouse Has Been Served?

No, changing the locks or otherwise impeding your spouse’s access to their home is illegal without the court’s consent. Except in cases where domestic violence poses a risk to your safety, the judge won’t authorize you to simply kick your spouse out and force them to find lodging or sleep on the street. What needs […]

How Long Will It Take For The Judge To Sign The Divorce Papers?

All of our clients want to have a sense that their divorce process will be over as quickly as possible, but especially once the issues have been negotiated and your final agreement has been submitted to the court. Unfortunately, what happens from that point is out of our hands, and it’s not unusual for several […]

Free National Senior Health & Fitness Day Fair

National Senior Health & Fitness Day Fair on Wednesday, May 28, 2014 from 11 AM-2 PM at the Akron-Newstead Senior Center, 5691 Cummings Road, Akron, New York will provide the following absolutely free: Seminars by five speakers. Beth Nicastro, RN and Women’s Health Educator/Community Coordinator WomenCare for Catholic Health System will speak about diabetes. Leanne […]

My Ex-Spouse’s Relatives Say Inappropriate Things About Me To My Kids. How Do I Make Them Stop?

This is a common issue for clients, and it’s actually a major problem if behavior designed to alienate a child from the other parent continues. New York courts strongly object to the custodial parent, or the people close to them, creating prejudice against the other parent. Judges have gone so far as to reverse a […]