One significant way to keep costs down in a Rochester divorce is to be willing to negotiate and keep items of contention to a minimum. A negotiated settlement will be much less expensive than a litigated one. Beyond that, keep things organized. When you have calls or meetings related to your divorce, have a set…
It may be. While inheritances are generally understood to be separate assets, they are the separate asset of the person to whom they were bequeathed. If your relative left an inheritance to you and your spouse, the court may well take your relative at their word, and allow it to be a marital asset and…
Yes, when it comes to the equitable distribution of marital assets, your role as a homemaker gets careful consideration, and your spouse won’t walk away with an outsized award just because they make more money. Judges in Buffalo take great care to ensure that the lower-earning spouse in a divorce has the resources to move…
Yes, a loss of inheritance rights is one of the factors that divorce judges take into consideration when they determine the final financial settlement in a litigated divorce in Buffalo. In a long marriage, the loss of inheritance can represent a significant financial downturn for the lower-earning spouse. However, with effective representation, these matters will…
A Buffalo driver who is arrested for DWI and took a breath test will, in almost all cases, have his or her driver’s license suspended at the first court appearance. While the defendant is eligible for a conditional license after thirty days, many people have to be able to drive for work or school during…
Both the U.S. Supreme Court and the New York Court of Appeals – the highest court in the state – both determined many years ago that the use of checkpoints or roadblocks by the police to randomly screen drivers is not necessarily a violation of a driver’s rights. Many Buffalo area police agencies continue to…
A Buffalo DWI defendant who is required to use an ignition interlock device and attempts to damage it or avoid its use is subject to serious criminal penalties. Circumvention of an Interlock Device is a Class A Misdemeanor, which is a crime in New York State. A person convicted of this offense may be sentenced…
New York’s requirement that defendants convicted of DWI have an ignition interlock device installed on all vehicles they drive is one of the biggest changes Buffalo criminal lawyers have seen to DWI law in recent years. The ignition interlock device is a machine installed in the car that checks for alcohol on the breath of…
While the laws governing divorce and child custody matters in New York are gender neutral, courts care substantially about protecting the special bond that exists between children and their primary caregiver. Because there are still disparities in workforce participation and earning power, men continue to play the majority of the role of breadwinner, while women…
If you’ve been out of the workforce for many years of your marriage, there are good odds that you will be entitled to extensive considerations in a Rochester divorce. Maintenance, also known as alimony, will be a primary topic of discussion, and an award of temporary maintenance is likely to be made at the outset.…
