The impact of realistic estrangement on child custody matters
Life After Love Gone Wrong Podcast: Season 3, Episode 7 - Invisible Scars: The Impact of Coercive Control on Children
Life After Love Gone Wrong Podcast: Season 3, Episode 3 - Understanding the Role of Parent Coordinators
Life After Love Gone Wrong Podcast: Season 3, Episode 1 - The Truth Behind Coercive Control
Jewish Divorce Talk: Episode 8 - Narcissism and Parental Alienation Talk
Jewish Divorce Talk: Episode 7 - Custody Evaluation Talk
How to Put Your Children First in Co-Parenting
Parenting Time in Arizona - What Does it Mean?
Parents often tell me that their individual therapist, former marriage counselor, or even their child’s therapist should have an opinion about the outcome of their custody case. They’ll ask why the judge cannot just speak to...more
I have come to the realization that the longer two people are together in a relationship, not only do they know what makes the other one tick, but they also know what it takes to get under the other’s skin. They know how to...more
Holidays come and go, but your ex-spouse is forever. This simple truth guides my advice to clients who share children with their soon-to-be former spouse. The secret to a smoother post-divorce life—benefiting both the...more
If you and your spouse are undergoing a divorce with children, there’s a good chance you are thinking about what kind of custody arrangement you will end up with. In Washington, we refer to these as “Residential Provisions”...more
The holiday season, with its emphasis on family gatherings, goodwill, and celebration, might seem like an unlikely time to consider divorce. However, for many couples, the stress and emotional intensity of the holidays often...more
“Nesting” is a custody arrangement where, rather than having children move between homes, the children stay in the family home and the parents move back and forth and alternate living there. While it may sound appealing,...more
It should come as no surprise that a child’s best interests change over time. That is one of the reasons why, under the law, that custody and parenting time Orders and Agreements are always reviewable and modifiable. However,...more
When determining child custody, Courts must weigh all factors based on what the judge feels is in the “best interest of the minor child.” Often, it can feel ambiguous in knowing how a judge may rule under this standard, but...more
Lawyers are a jaundiced lot. Law school is a three year exercise in anticipating what can go wrong whether in a trial or a transaction. The lawyer’s job is to anticipate, and course correct to protect the client. Napoleon is...more
Married couples that are contemplating separation or divorce often want to put off thinking about the future during the summer and instead get in that pre-planned Disney trip with their kids....more
Back on October 6, 2023 we wrote about the concept of sharing custody in a setting where the children stay put and their parents move in and out of the former marital residence. We noted then that the concept can work but...more
When a divorcing parent asks this question, their attorney might respond with the common saying, “Children have a voice, not a choice.” In Washington state, the extent to which a child’s voice is heard in establishing a final...more
As a child of divorce, I know there is nothing more heartwarming than when your parents can get along and co-parent well. No, you do not need to be besties with your ex. However, you owe it to your children to strive toward...more
As a trial lawyer, there were many days when I would sit in the back of a courtroom and take comfort in the fact that I didn’t have to decide the custody case that I was witnessing as a spectator. At times the facts made the...more
The first page of the non-precedential custody and contempt decision in T.J.N. v. K.M. more or less reflects a lot of the custody cases we have reported on in recent years. “Mother and Father were never...more
During the holidays, families spend time together observing religious, secular, and other personal traditions. For parents living together with their children, planning where everyone should be and when can already be a...more
Divorce and custody issues can make Christmas and other holidays stressful for parents. Children are very perceptive and will feel your stress. Here are some ways to lower your stress and survive the holidays: 1. Focus on...more
At this time of year, many families struggle to put aside their differences and work together. However, some are able to make arrangements themselves to make sure that children can enjoy the season with both parents. ...more
Almost like King Solomon suggesting that a child be cut in two so that each parent can have half, more and more, I am hearing about judges and custody evaluators who default to 50-50 shared parenting. Now, that isn’t the law....more
Fathers have come along way in the world of child custody. When this writer started practicing family law in 1982, dads were second class citizens. Inferior parents at best who typically left custody court with Saturday noon...more
Celebrity news often grabs everyone’s attention, especially when it involves a divorce that is playing out both in the court system and in the public eye. Recently, headlines have followed the divorce of celebrity couple Joe...more
Host Eliana Baer and her guest Morton Fridman, M.D. have both seen a rise in narcissistic behavior, and subsequent parental alienation, in the observant Jewish community. Dr. Fridman is a board-certified psychiatrist and...more
Did you know that over half of all divorces result from low-conflict relationships? This may seem surprising, but it’s true. When a marriage ends in divorce, especially one that was low conflict, the impact on children can be...more
Co-parenting with a narcissist can feel a whole lot like Groundhog Day. You keep trying to be civil, but you’re met with hostility. You keep trying to solicit answers, but you are met with innuendo and indirect responses. You...more
DEPP V. HEARD DETAILS THE VERY REAL ALLEGATIONS AND ISSUES OF SEVERE SUBSTANCE ABUSE - For the past few weeks, news outlets and social media platforms have been abuzz discussing the celebrity trial of the current moment —...more