Israel’s Religious Divorce Requirement Discriminates Against Women
Blog Israel’s divorce law requires that Jews in Israel must be divorced only in the Jewish religious courts. Clearly this discriminates against womensince only a husband has the right to grant his wife a divorce (a “get”) of his own free will. This religious requirement leads to a host of further discriminatory consequences. The 1979 […]
Filing Jointly Can Be Dangerous
Blog Here is a scary article in the current issue of Forbes concerning the potential dangers of filing a joint U.S. tax return. Marriage Trap: Before you sign a joint tax return, consider the consequences–and these IRS horror stories. Robert W. Wood, 06.27.11 www.forbes.com/forbes/2011/0627/money-guide-11-tax-joint-return-irs-wedding-marriage-trap.html For better, for worse, for richer, for poorer,” goes the classic […]
Philippines Divorce Law?
Blog The Philippines, one of a tiny number of countries to still outlaw divorce, is now engaged in a serious legislative debate as to whether to legalize divorce. The committee on revision of laws has just held its first hearing on House Bill 1799 (An Act Introducing Divorce in the Philippines). One Representative insisted that […]
International child abductions up sharply: US official
Blog WASHINGTON — International child abductions are “sharply on the rise,” the US State Department’s official in charge of children’s issues said Wednesday as Americans marked Missing Children’s Day. Family members abduct more than 200,000 children every year in the United States, and last year nearly 2,000 children were kidnapped by one of their parents […]
CNN Article: Japan takes a step closer to reforming its child custody laws
Blog By Tricia Escobedo, CNN May 21, 2011 1:17 a.m. EDT (CNN) — Bowing to intense international pressure, Japan has taken a step closer to changing its international child custody policies. The Japanese Cabinet on Friday approved a plan that would bring the country’s laws in line with the Hague convention on international child abduction, according […]
U.S. State Dept. Issues Hague Abduction Convention Compliance Report
Blog The U.S. Department of State (“Department”), Office of Children’s Issues (CI), U.S. Central Authority has issued its report on compliance with the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, covering the period from October 1, 2009, through December 31, 2010. Notable points: St.Kitts and Nevis was determined to be not compliant […]
Parental Tug-of-War: Preventing International Child Abduction
Blog My hot-off-the-press article entitled Parental Tug-of-War: Preventing International Child Abduction, in the just-released issue of GPSOLO, an American Bar Association publication, is now available on my website: Parental Tug-Of-War Article The article contains a host of practical tips on how to represent clients who are worried that their child may be abducted overseas and discusses […]
Opposing Enforcement of Islamic Marriage Contracts
Blog It is often stated that a husband’s promise to pay money, sometimes called a “mahr” or a “sadaq”, pursuant to an Islamic marriage contract, sometimes called a “nikkah nama”, is enforceable in a U.S. court under principles of regular contract law, even though such agreements are not enforceable as prenuptial agreements. What arguments may […]
Launch of International Prenuptials Website
Blog We are pleased to announce the launch of www.internationalprenuptials.com, our website focused on international prenuptial agreements. The explosion of international relationships creates a tremendous need for sophisticated international counsel to structure international prenuptial agreements. We work collaboratively and collegially with lawyers around the world to structure prenuptial agreements for engaged couples with international connections. The […]
INDIA’S DOWRY / 498a LAW
Blog We have commented previously on the abusive “498a Law” that was well-intentioned in its enactment but which is frequently misused in India as a means of blackmailing non-resident Indian husbands. The Home Ministry of the Government of India has requested the Law Commission of India “to consider whether any amendments to s.498A of Indian […]