Court refuses to recognize Saudi custody decree, because Saudi Sharia law is inconsistent with American public policyWestlaw just posted this very interesting decision in H.L.K. v. F.A.A.; it was handed down by a Pennsylvania family court on Oct. 22, 2014, but wasn’t made available on Westlaw until yesterday. Note that the appellate court affirmed the family court’s holding, but it didn’t reach the public policy analysis: “Because we... [...]
Divorce and the Shared Mortgage
By LISA PREVOST
Deciding what to do with the house can be a major quandary for couples getting a divorce, particularly when they share a mortgage.
When there is equity in the home, each spouse typically wants to take a share as part of the settlement agreement. But if one person wants to remain in the home, rather than sell it and split any profit, then that spouse will likely have to qualify for a... [...]
The New Battleground for Same-Sex Couples Is Equal Rights for Their KidsWhen the Supreme Court invalidated same-sex marriage bans in June, the Justices acknowledged they had the kids in mind.In the majority opinion, Justice Kennedy cited the infringement of the interests of children being raised by same-sex couples as one reason for the Court's ruling.Who are these kids? An estimated 220,000 children under the age of 18 are being raised in... [...]
David S. Willig: New Florida Law Impacts International Family Cases
DAVID S. WILLIG, ESQ. – A new statute in Florida, coming into force from October 2014, is likely to impact international family cases to the extent they call for the application of foreign law. The foreign law angle is, perhaps, not so farfetched. We often hear about fellow Americans, some famous and some not so famous, getting married in exotic locales such as Italy,... [...]
Alabama Says ‘I Don’t’ to Proposal to Do Away With Marriage LicensesAlabama lawmakers thought they came up with a way to avoid the kind of legal strife over gay marriage that now hangs over Kentucky: do away with marriage licenses altogether.The proposal, which nearly passed the Alabama Legislature on Tuesday, would have instructed probate judges to stop issuing marriage licenses to couples and instead recognize unions through civil... [...]
