Being brutally honest with potential new clients saves everyone involved a lot of time and trouble, even if it negatively affects the office's bottom line. Early this morning I received a frantic call from a father who was afraid for…
When the R.I. Family Court enters a child support Order stating that the “non-custodial parent” (whichever parent does not live with the child primarily, or the parent who has fewer overnights with the child in a given month) must pay…
As a Family Law attorney in Rhode Island, I am accustomed to legal cases where two parents are fighting over children. Occasionally, a grandparent will even be thrown in to the fray just off the top rope, just for fun. …
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…
People first shopping for a family law attorney in their state never consider the value of a dolphin, everyone wants (or at least they think they want) a shark. Everyone wants a shark, right?! That’s how those moms in TV…
There are two kinds of custody, depending on where you live. Brief tutorial. Where I practice, in the great State of Rhode Island, “custody” means the right to remain informed of the child’s significant life events and be reasonably informed…
The one thing that every Family Law attorney knows for certain is that child support is forever either way too much (for the paying party; let’s say, Dad) or not nearly enough (for the party getting paid; let’s say, Mom).…