- We will listen to you.The first thing we’ll do is listen. Although the legal issues are the same for all divorcing couples, the solutions are not, because each couple has its own unique concerns. To tailor creative solutions for you, and your spouse, we’ll need to know what’s important to both of you. This is especially so, when couples have school-age children, or children with special needs that will require attention long after the marriage has ended.
- We will teach you.We will teach you how divorce law works in New York, and we’ll explain the legal issues on which you will need to reach agreement: child custody, parenting time (visitation), child support, spousal maintenance (alimony), and the division of marital property. We will also explain the rules for divorce mediation with Lucks Law & Divorce Mediation, so we can maintain a safe, and non-confrontational atmosphere in which to negotiate the terms of your divorce. Typically, we’ll meet once a week, for an hour, and focus on one, or two, issues during that time.
- We will roll up our sleeves and go to work.Once a couple decides to work with Lucks Law & Divorce Mediation, they’ll complete a financial questionnaire. Some couples work on it together, while others do it separately. This helps them to categorize the financial commitments they made during their marriage, and to prioritize their economic needs after marriage. This is essential, as divorcing couples will need to figure out how to maintain two separate homes with income that had previously supported just one household. For couples with children, identifying economic needs is only half of the equation. These couples must also agree upon the responsibilities of parenting their children, which becomes more complex after marriage, when having two homes can sometimes lead to two sets of rules for the children. It is, therefore, imperative to define post-marital parenting responsibilities, as they heavily impact post-marital life for both parties, as well as their children.
- We will make it official.Once we’ve helped a couple to reach agreement on the legal issues, we’ll draft a memorandum of understanding, which records our understanding of the couples’ agreement. After our couples have carefully reviewed the memorandum, and have agreed that it accurately reflects the terms of their agreement, we will draft a separation agreement, which officially memorializes the terms of our clients’ divorce. Upon completion of the separation agreement, we will provide a copy to each party, and recommend that they hire attorneys to review their separation agreement, and to advise them how it affects their rights and responsibilities. Remember, as mediators, we are neutral, do not take sides, and do not offer legal advice. If, after consulting with their own review attorneys, the agreement is satisfactory to both parties, they will execute the agreement at our final meeting. Finally, legal documents will need to be filed with the Court, in order to make the divorce official. The timing of such filing varies, depending upon the needs of the parties, and what they’ve agreed upon. Then we wait for a Judge to sign an Order granting a divorce.
CRIMINAL SECTION
At Lucks Law & Divorce Mediation, the focus of our law practice is on the defense of criminal cases in the courts of New York City and Long Island. Whether you, or a loved one, have been arrested, or the police, or detectives, want to speak with you, we can help. We handle all felonies and misdemeanors, and we can begin our representation at any stage of a case, or an investigation. To find out how we can help, Call us 24 HOURS A DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK.