New York Family Law Blog

Published on: January 19, 2013

Plaintiff Contends Husband’s Estate Undervalued in Divorce Proceeding

by Stephen Bilkis

This is a legal malpractice case being heard in the Supreme Court of the state of New York located in New York County. The plaintiff, SH, is seeking to recover damages against the defendant, LG, for breach of fiduciary duty and legal malpractice. The defendant has moved for an order to dismiss the complaints that have been made by the plaintiff. A New York Family Lawyer said the defendant argues that the issues are time-barred and that the complaint does not state a cause of action and a complete defense is available through documentary evidence. In response the move made by the defendant, the plaintiff has made a cross motion to amend her complaint.

Plaintiff’s Argument

The plaintiff alleges in her complaint that the defendant represented her from 2004 through the spring of 2007. The representation was in regard to her divorce from her husband, CH. The plaintiff states that while handling the divorce proceedings the defendant failed to conduct an adequate discovery of the assets of CH and failed to adequately analyze the entire estate of the marriage. The plaintiff alleges that this failure caused the marital estate to be undervalued and resulted in the plaintiff settling the divorce on unfavorable terms. She further states that the child support payments that are made by LG are inadequate as a result.

Published on: January 18, 2013

Husband Feels Divorce was Fraudulently Maintained

by Stephen Bilkis

This is a matrimonial action taking place in the Appellate division of the Supreme Court of Suffolk County. The respondent in the case is Wilma Shaw and the appellant in the case is Peter Shaw. A New York Family Lawyer said the defendant is appealing a previous order made in the Supreme Court of Suffolk County that denied his motion to set aside the judgment for divorce that was entered on the 21st of July, 1980 and a stipulation settlement from February of 1981 that divided certain property of the marriage that had been owned jointly.

Case Background

The plaintiff wife and the defendant husband were married in 1966 in England. The couple has three children together who are fourteen, eight, and four years old. In 1980, the plaintiff commenced a divorce action against the husband alleging that the defendant had engaged in cruel and inhuman conduct toward her. The defendant failed to answer and a judgment of divorce was awarded to the plaintiff and entered on the 21st of July, 1980.

Published on: January 17, 2013

Can an Orthodox Jewish Divorce bar a Divorce in New York?

by Stephen Bilkis

This is a case being held before the Supreme Court of the State of New York located in Kings County. The issue involves the question of whether or not the delivery of an Orthodox Jewish divorce, called a “Get” can be registered in the state of Israel and act as a bar for litigation pertaining to a divorce in the state of New York. The plaintiff in this particular case is Alexander Tsirlin and the defendant of the case is Alla Tsirlin.

Case Background

A New York Criminal Lawyer said the plaintiff husband began this action on the 11th of July, 2006 to obtain a divorce on the ground of abandonment and an order to grant the couple joint custody of their son Jonathon, with the wife obtaining physical custody and a set visitation schedule provided to the husband. He also requested a set amount of child support in accordance with child support standards.

Published on: January 16, 2013

Petitioner Claims Mexican Divorce is Invalid

by Stephen Bilkis

Dolores Lamb, the petitioner in this case is seeking support from the respondent for herself and her three children. The respondent in this case is Charles Lamb. The case is being heard in the Family Court in the City of New York located in New York County.

Case Background

A New York Family Lawyer said this case provides and interesting set of circumstances as brought forth by the respondent. The respondent was married to the petitioner in a ceremony held in Connecticut on the 23 of September, 1954. At this particular time, the respondent’s former wife “Marjorie” was still alive, but mentally incompetent and homed in an institution.

Published on: January 14, 2013

Plaintiff Alleges Husband Falsified Financial Records

by Stephen Bilkis

This is a case being heard in the Special Term of the Supreme Court of the State of New York located in Nassau County. The plaintiff in the case is Audrey Feinberg and the defendant in the case is Herbert Feinberg. The action that is before the court was instituted by the plaintiff who is seeking to set aside a consensual migratory divorce that was obtained in a court located in the Dominican Republic as well as the separation agreement.

Plaintiff Argument

The plaintiff has alleged that in order to induce her into a separation agreement and execute a power of attorney to authorize counsel to appear on her behalf in a divorce action in the Dominican Republic court, the defendant falsely represented his financial worth. The attorney for the plaintiff requested the tax returns of the defendant and three years of tax returns were provided. However, the plaintiff argues that the defendant concealed the existence of negotiations for the sale of the family’s wine business, Monsieur Henri Company, in which the defendant has a third interest.

Published on: January 13, 2013

Defendant Argues that Alabama Divorce Decree Not Valid

by Stephen Bilkis

This is an action for separation being heard in the Special and Trial Term of the Supreme Court in New York County. Rue Magowan is the plaintiff wife seeking the separation. Edward S. Magowan is the defendant of the case. A New York Family Lawyer said the plaintiff wife states that the defendant was cruel to her during the marriage and that he has abandon her and failed to support her. The defendant has made a counterclaim against the plaintiff stating that the plaintiff’s previous divorce was not valid which means that their marriage was never valid.

Case Background

The divorce in question in this case was granted in the state of Alabama in the Circuit Court of Montgomery County. The divorce was granted on the third of March in 1955. The defendant and plaintiff were married in 1957 on the 21st of May. Their marriage took place in Hot Springs Arkansas.

Published on: January 12, 2013

Court Determines Validity of Mexican Divorce

by Stephen Bilkis

This is a case being heard in front of the Supreme Court of Westchester County. The plaintiff in the case is Agnes Mary Clark Alfaro. The defendant of the case is Carl E. Alfaro. The action before the court is for a separation based on the grounds of abandonment, non support, and cruelty. A New York Family Lawyer said the action also seeks to declare a Mexican divorce obtained by the defendant from the plaintiff on the fifteenth of October 1954 as invalid. The couple has three children together.

Case Background

Before the year 1940, the defendant was married to another woman. On the 23rd of January, 1940, he obtained a divorce from his former wife. On the 29th of January, 1940, he married the plaintiff in Mexico. The plaintiff claims that she married the defendant in Mexico because he was working there and had stated that he may in fact decide to reside there. The plaintiff also states that the defendant was present in the divorce proceedings that took place in Mexico.

Published on: January 11, 2013

Legal Malpractice Action Filed for Flawed Divorce Petition

by Stephen Bilkis

This is a legal malpractice action in which the plaintiff, Juraj Skvara is seeking a summary judgment for his malpractice cause of action claim against his former attorney, the defendant Philip Kamaras. A New York Family Lawyer said the plaintiff is seeking a money judgment in the amount of $1,000,000. The defendant has issued a cross motion for an order dismissing the complaint made against him. This is based on the grounds that the plaintiff’s action was not properly commenced and fails to state a valid cause of action for legal malpractice.

Case Background

The plaintiff, Skvara, retained the defendant Kamaras on the 23rd of February, 2006 to handle a matrimonial and family court proceeding against his ex – wife, Andrea Skvara after the divorce judgment was vacated in a New York divorce court. The defendant provided the plaintiff with a written retainer agreement and a client’s bill of rights before taking on the case.

Published on: January 10, 2013

Court Determines if Divorce Filed in Ghana is Valid

by Stephen Bilkis

This is a case being heard before the Supreme Court of the State of New York located in Nassau County. The plaintiff in the case is T.T. and the defendant in the matter is K.A. The plaintiff/wife is seeking a temporary order of relief while the divorce is being settled. The defendant/husband has moved for an order to dismiss the complaint.

Case Background

A New York Family Lawyer said the couple was married on the 20th of April in Ghana in a ceremony that is referred to as a customary marriage in the country. The couple has not stated that the marriage was registered, licensed, or in any way officially validated by a civil authority of Ghana. The couple has two children together who are emancipated.

Published on: January 9, 2013

Court Decides Whether to Vacate Divorce Decree Should Be Vacated

by Stephen Bilkis

This case is being heard in the Supreme Court of the State of New York located in Queens County. The case involves the plaintiff John Doe and the defendant Jane Doe. A New York Family Lawyer said the plaintiff has motion for the final decree of divorce to be vacated on the grounds that the couple is attempting reconciliation. The Court is asked to determine if there is a benefit to the motion for allowing a vacatur of the final judgment that was made in this case or if the motion should be denied on the grounds of finality.

Case Background

The couple, John and Jane Doe, was married in 2005 in the state of Rhode Island. The couple does not have any children. In 2009, the husband filed for divorce on grounds of abandonment. A New York Custody Lawyer said the husband stated that the wife had left the marital home located in Queens County, New York and was currently residing in Rhode Island.