The Law Firm of Joel R. Brandes, P.C
  • Welcome to New York Divorce and Family Law™
  • Recent Decisions and News
  • Recent New York Legislation
  • ​New York Courts, Forms & Information for Lawyers
  • New York Law You Need to Know
    • Agreements Before & During Marriage
    • Custody & Visitation
    • Child Support Awards
    • Child Support Standards Chart
    • Counsel Fee Awards
    • Equitable Distribution
    • Equitable Distribution Cases Chart
    • Exclusive Occupancy of Marital Home
    • Grounds for Divorce
    • Maintenance Awards until 2016
    • Orders of Protection
    • Post-Divorce Maintenance after January 22, 2016
    • Special Relief - Insurance
    • Spousal Support Awards
  • Information about Divorce & Family Law
    • Adoption Information
    • Agreements
    • Alimony, Maintenance & Spousal Support
    • Child Abuse & Prevention
    • Child Custody & Parental Alienation Information
    • Child Support Information
    • Common Law Marriage
    • Child Visitation Supervisors
    • Degrees & Licenses
    • Domestic Violence
    • Dumb Laws
    • Engagement gifts
    • Enforcement of Judgments & Orders
    • Evidence, Litigation & Procedure
    • Federal Law Divorce Resources (Pension and Social Security)
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Grandparent and Non-Parent Visitation
    • Grounds for Divorce
    • Emergency Court Applications
    • Legal Fees & Expenses
    • Library of Significant Decisions
    • Locate a Matrimonial Lawyer
    • Marital Property
    • Property Distribution
    • Rules of Professional Conduct
    • Retirement Benefits
    • Separate Property
    • Tax FAQs
    • Table of Effective Dates of Domestic Relations Law
    • Timetable For Service of Motion Papers
    • Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction & Enforcement Act
    • Valuation Aids
  • International Child Abduction Remedies
    • International Child Abduction
    • New and Recent Child Abduction Cases
    • ICARA Cases to May 20, 2015
  • Bits and Bytes Archive
  • Site Map
  • Subscribe to our newsletter
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Terms of Use and Privacy Policy
  • Joel R. Brandes Curriculum vitae
  • New Page
  • Counsel Fee Awards
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Welcome to New York Divorce and Family Law ™ the definitive site on the web for New York divorce and family Law, presented by ​​The Law Firm of Joel R. Brandes, P.C., 43 West 43rd Street, Suite 34, New York, NY 10036. 
​
Telephone: 212-859-5079, email: joel@nysdivorce.com. ​Contact Us
The Law Firm of Joel R. Brandes P.C. concentrates its practice in divorce and family law appeals, and complex divorce, custody and international child abduction litigation. We advise and work with attorneys on litigated matters pending in all of the New York state and federal courts. We assist attorneys with trial preparation, and all aspects of a trial or appeal.    Contact us. ​

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 ​The New York Matrimonial Trial Handbook: 2020 Update (paperback) by Joel R. Brandes is now available on Amazon. This update to the New York Matrimonial Trial Handbook includes changes in the law and important cases decided by the New York Courts since the original volume was published. It brings the text up to date through and including December 2020.

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​The New York Matrimonial Trial Handbook Courtroom Edition (paperback) by Joel R. Brandes, is now available on Amazon. It is an abridged version of the New York Matrimonial Trial Handbook containing only the procedural law and the law of evidence necessary to try the financial issues in a divorce case. It focuses on the testimony necessary to establish a prima facie economic case for maintenance, child support, counsel fees, special relief and property distribution. There are thousands of suggested questions for the examination    of witnesses. The text is up to date through and including December 2020. ​

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This website is published by ​Joel R. Brandes Consulting Services, Inc., and written by Joel R. Brandes of The Law Firm of Joel R. Brandes. P.C.  Mr. Brandes has been recognized by the Appellate Division* as a "noted authority and expert on New York family law and divorce.” He is the author of  the treatise Law and The Family New York, 2d (9 volumes),Law and the Family New York Forms 2d (5 Volumes), Law and the Family New York Forms 2020 Edition (5 volumes)(Thomson Reuters),  and the New York Matrimonial Trial Handbook.  His ”Law and the Family” column is a regular feature in the New York Law Journal. His daughter Bari Brandes Corbin, Esq.,  of the New York Bar, and his son Evan Barett Brandes, Esq., of the New York, Massachusetts, and New South Wales, Australia Bars  are counsel to the Firm. (*See Matter of Brandes,  2015 WL 4664743, 2015 N.Y. Slip Op. 81096(U) (2d Dept.,2015)).  Click on this link for his Curriculum Vitae.  ​

Justia Lawyer Rating for Joel R. Brandes
10.0Joel R. Brandes
​Recent Decisions - Updated December 22, 2020
​Recent New York legislation ​
​Recent Hague Convention International Child abduction cases - Updated January 1, 2121
Articles of Interest
                 An article by Joel R. Brandes, titled" Stare Decisis, Precedent and Dicta, appears in the March 2020 issue of the New York State Bar Journal, Vol.92, No. 2 at page 36.
                An article by Joel R". Brandes  titled "Navigating the Matrimonial Preliminary Conference So You Don’t Sink the Ship" appears in the New York State Bar Association Family Law Review, Winter 2020, Vol. 52, No. 1.
Recent New York Law Journal Articles by Joel R. Brandes - ​Updated January 7,2021
                 
“Efiling Primer for Matrimonial Attorneys", January 7, 2021. Click here to read the article. 
                 "Understanding the Support Magistrate Objection Process", November 3, 2020. Click here to read the article.
                 "Ethical Obligations of Lawyers as Witnesses in Matrimonial Actions", October 7, 2020 (With Chris McDonough, Esq.)
Click here to read the article
                "The Demise of 'O'Brien': Student/Working Spouse Equitable Distribution", September 16, 2020. Click here to read the article.
               “Is there a Domestic Relations Exception to Diversity Jurisdiction", August 5, 2020 (Written with Hon. George B. Daniels) Click here to read the article.  
               "
Sanctions and Discipline for Frivolous Conduct in Matrimonial Actions," July 9, 2020. Click here to read the article.
               "Limiting the Scope of Representation in Family Court Proceedings, July 2, 2020. (Written with Chris McDonough, Esq.) Click here to read the article.
 
               
“The Resurrection of Marital Fault”.  May 18, 2020. Click here to read the article.
              "Primer on the Enhanced Scrutiny in the Ethical Rules Impacting Domestic Relations Practitioners", April 24,                     2020 (Written with Chris McDonough, Esq.) Click here to read the article.
              "Custody Rights of Non-Biological Parents," March 12, 2020. Click here to read the article article.
             
"When Your Client Goes Missing, " February 20, 2020  (Click here) (written with Chris McDonough, Esq.)
              “The Burden of Proof and Presumptions in Matrimonial Actions”, January 2, 2010. Click here for the article.
              "The Right to an Interpreter or Facilitator at Trial" , December 11, 2019. Click here to read the article.
              "Standards of Appellate Review in Matrimonial Actions", November 8, 2019. Click here to read the article.
             
“Fundamental and Harmless Error in Matrimonial and Family Matters." October 21, 2019. Click here to read the    article.
             "Protecting Native American Children." September 20, 2019. Click here to read the article.
             
“Clarifying the Concepts of Transmutation and Commingling.” August 22, 2019.    Click here to read the article
             “Inchoate Rights to Marital Property.” July 29, 2019. Click here to read the article
       ​      “Enforcing Counsel Fee, Support and Distributive Awards by Execution of Judgment.” July 18, 2019.   Click here to read the article.  
             “What is the Status of  Child in a Custody Case? 
July 8, 2019. Click here to read the article.                                                 “Who is the Less Monied Spouse?”June 14, 2019.  Click here to read the article. 
             “Conduct in litigation and counsel fee awards.”
 May 17, 2019.  Click here to read the article.                   ​      ​
Law Books Written by Joel R. Brandes
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New York Matrimonial Trial Handbook
The New York Matrimonial Trial Handbook by Joel R. Brandes is available Kindle and ebook editions and at  Bookbaby,   Amazon,  Barnes & Noble, Goodreads and other booksellers.   For information click on the links above.       ​

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 Law and The Family New York, 2d (New York Practice Library, 9 Volumes, August 2020)   
​By Joel R.  Brandes( Published by Thomson Reuters) 
​ (For information click on this link to go to Thomson Reuters). 
 ​

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​​Law and The Family New York Forms, 2020 Edition (New York Practice Library, 5 Volumes, July 2020)
​By Joel R. Brandes
 (Published by Thomson Reuters)
​
(For information click on this link to go to Thomson Reuters).


The Joel R. Brandes Consulting Services, Inc. Bookstore  website (www.nysdivorce.net) deals with the trial of a New York matrimonial and custody action. This website  focuses on the procedure and rules of  evidence that an attorney must know to try a New York matrimonial action or custody case.  It contains questions for the examination and cross-examination of witnesses.  Click to Visit "A Child is Missing: The International Child Abduction Blog" - Our blog devoted to the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction.
Bits and Bytes, ™ is our free bi-monthly electronic newsletter for lawyers and judges. Click here to request a  free subscription and click here to download the latest issue. Click here for the Archive of Issues.​  

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Disclaimer Notice:
​           The information on this site pertains to New York law and is offered as a public service. It is not intended to give legal advice about a specific legal problem. Due to the importance of the individual facts of every case, the information on this site may not necessarily be applicable to any particular case. Changes in the law could at any time make parts of this web site obsolete. The information on this web site was not necessarily written by persons licensed to practice law in a particular jurisdiction. The publisher is not engaged in rendering legal advice and this publication is not intended to give legal advice about a specific legal problem, nor is it a substitute for the advice of an attorney. This information is provided with the understanding that if legal advice is required the services of a competent attorney should be sought.  Our web site has many links to web sites of other organizations, including, but not limited to court systems, publishers of legal information, agencies, educational institutions, profit making companies and non-profit associations. While we offer these electronic links for your convenience in accessing New York Divorce and Family Law related information, please be aware that when you exit our web site, the privacy policy stated on our web site may not be the same as that on other web sites. In addition, we cannot attest to the accuracy of the information provided by linked sites. Linking to a web site does not constitute an endorsement by us of the information presented on the linked site or the products that may be sold on the linked site. Potential clients are advised to read the Revised Form of Statement of Client’s Rights and Responsibilities pursuant to 22 NYCRR 1400.2, effective February 15, 2019, which New York matrimonial attorneys are required to provide to them at the initial consultation, as well as the Statement of Clients Rights and Responsibilities. (This web site is considered Attorney Advertising by New York Court rules.)
     
          
The Law Firm of Joel R. Brandes, P.C., 43 West 43rd Street, Suite 34, New York, NY 10036-7424. 
212-859-5079.  
New York Divorce and Family Law™ is  published by Joel R. Brandes Consulting Services, Inc.,  a Florida Corporation, located at 2881 NE 33rd Court, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33306.  Telephone 954-564-9883. Send email to divorce@ix.netcom.com. Copyright © 2020, Joel R. Brandes Consulting Services, Inc. All rights reserved.​             
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The definitive site on the web for New York Divorce and Family Law.
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  • Welcome to New York Divorce and Family Law™
  • Recent Decisions and News
  • Recent New York Legislation
  • ​New York Courts, Forms & Information for Lawyers
  • New York Law You Need to Know
    • Agreements Before & During Marriage
    • Custody & Visitation
    • Child Support Awards
    • Child Support Standards Chart
    • Counsel Fee Awards
    • Equitable Distribution
    • Equitable Distribution Cases Chart
    • Exclusive Occupancy of Marital Home
    • Grounds for Divorce
    • Maintenance Awards until 2016
    • Orders of Protection
    • Post-Divorce Maintenance after January 22, 2016
    • Special Relief - Insurance
    • Spousal Support Awards
  • Information about Divorce & Family Law
    • Adoption Information
    • Agreements
    • Alimony, Maintenance & Spousal Support
    • Child Abuse & Prevention
    • Child Custody & Parental Alienation Information
    • Child Support Information
    • Common Law Marriage
    • Child Visitation Supervisors
    • Degrees & Licenses
    • Domestic Violence
    • Dumb Laws
    • Engagement gifts
    • Enforcement of Judgments & Orders
    • Evidence, Litigation & Procedure
    • Federal Law Divorce Resources (Pension and Social Security)
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Grandparent and Non-Parent Visitation
    • Grounds for Divorce
    • Emergency Court Applications
    • Legal Fees & Expenses
    • Library of Significant Decisions
    • Locate a Matrimonial Lawyer
    • Marital Property
    • Property Distribution
    • Rules of Professional Conduct
    • Retirement Benefits
    • Separate Property
    • Tax FAQs
    • Table of Effective Dates of Domestic Relations Law
    • Timetable For Service of Motion Papers
    • Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction & Enforcement Act
    • Valuation Aids
  • International Child Abduction Remedies
    • International Child Abduction
    • New and Recent Child Abduction Cases
    • ICARA Cases to May 20, 2015
  • Bits and Bytes Archive
  • Site Map
  • Subscribe to our newsletter
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Terms of Use and Privacy Policy
  • Joel R. Brandes Curriculum vitae
  • New Page
  • Counsel Fee Awards