Many parents paying child support only learn about the specter of child support arrears at their court date, and it often comes as an unpleasant surprise. The common misconception is that one parent goes to court asking for child support…
A visibly upset Mother pleaded with the judge this morning to allow payment of child support with organic fruits and vegetables. She was frantically twirling her hair around her finger while she made this argument. Why does it have to…
Telling a parent not to discuss a pending divorce, post-divorce, or child custody proceeding in the R.I. Family Court is easy advice to give. And like all easy advice it is freely given. Adhering to that advice is more complicated.…
Parents who suffer a bitter break-up often struggle to communicate as well as they would like, or as their child may require. To the parents, this is a natural fact of life. After all, for every reaction there is an…
First of all, lovely Friday to you. To celebrate the weekend I have an unanswerable question for you about our darling children. As a Family Law attorney focusing on child custody I am well-placed to agonize over why children do…
The R.I. House & Senate have now passed a final version of the R.I.U.P.A., or Rhode Island Uniform Parentage Act. Governor Raimondo is expected to sign the legislation, which will allow for same-sex couples who have a child via surrogacy,…
As I waited in line at the Family Court clerk's office to file an ex-parte case with the patience of a Nichiren Buddhist monk, the gentleman and scholar directly in front of me was having himself a moment. Causing quite…
I have entered into a child custody case. Or at least, it is a child custody case at heart. Unfortunately for the parties, the judge, and most importantly me, it has begun as a restraining order. The custody merits will…
Today's parents already wear many hats: nurse, teacher, spiritual guide, saucier, confidante, cheerleader, janitor, exorcist, on and on. Modern parents navigating a bitter divorce find themselves in an impossible situation. Bestselling books and Ph.D. theses have been written about the…
Months into a contested custody case I have (I represent the mother), opposing party (father) racked up his second DUI by wrapping his car around a utility pole. Mercifully, the child was not in the car at the time. But…