Williamsville New York Family Law Blog

There are a lot of disappointing decisions that people make and we have to live with, like a mechanic's denial of inspection on a car. But some decisions are so important that we can't simply get over it. And few decisions are more important than the ones that affect our children.

• What happens if a child custody case is decided against a parent?

Child custody is often the most divisive part of a divorce or separation, because things and assets may be replaced but time spent with offspring never can be. If a decision made by a family court in New York is unacceptable, a person may appeal on some occasions to a higher court.

• Why would this be the case?

For many people, pets are more than just furry companions. They are often considered members of the family. They receive as much love and care as any humans in the household. That is why pet care can be difficult to determine in the event of a divorce. Oftentimes, both spouses have a strong attachment to the pet and both want to care for it, which can run counter to the desire for both of them to move on with their lives after the divorce is finalized.

Experts have a suggestion for pet owners here in New York that may help. Though the law considers pets as property and as such are subject to property division in a divorce agreement, some couples are opting to create a "pet-nup." The pet-nup outlines exactly who will care for the pet in the event of divorce.

New York, much like many other jurisdictions in the country, is an equitable distribution state. This means that judges focus their attention on splitting up property fairly. There are many factors that Williamsville judges take into account when deciding what's the most equitable way to divide up a couple's property.

A judge will generally take into account both the health and age of each spouse before making any decisions about what should happen with the property that they own. They'll also look to see what property and income each spouse brought into the marriage and how that compared to what each of them has now that their divorce is imminent.

Is your ex-spouse a narcissist? Many divorced people would answer "Yes" to that question. Narcissism is a personality trait that runs on a spectrum. At the far end of the spectrum is narcissistic personality disorder (NPD), which is considered a mental illness. However, even a person with a high degree of narcissism that doesn't reach that point can very difficult to deal with -- and particularly to co-parent with.

It can be impossible for a narcissist to put anyone's well-being (even their children's) above their own. Following are some common traits of narcissists:

• They have an exaggerated feeling of self-importance
• They easily feel slighted or offended.
• They have a great need for constant admiration.
• They believe they're superior to other people.
• They often don't listen to others and interrupt frequently.
• They're easily angered and even enraged if they don't get what they want.
• They're unwilling or unable to understand others' feelings or needs. Some feel no empathy.