Covid 19 Care
During this health crisis, we are sending out best wishes to our clients and their families to stay safe and healthy. Our office is open and our legal team is continuing to work on your cases with the same dedication. We are offering phone consultations or videoconferences for prospective clients, videoconferences for current clients, curbside notary services, and virtual or remote mediations. Our legal team is approaching your case with the same vigor as is our tradition during this time. Please call us with any concerns, questions, or fears; we are here for you and are working our regular hours with the same devotion to our clients and their families. Our legal team knows this is a stressful time for everyone and we are here to provide support for our clients and their families, help prospective clients get through this time, and provide whatever assistance we can. Call us if you need us! As always, we are here to help.
For Parents
For our beloved custody clients, this time is especially stressful for you with required custodial exchanges between homes. Please stay safe. Please call us with any questions. Leaders from the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML) and the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC) have released guidelines for parents who are sharing custody during this pandemic. These guidelines, as modified, generally provide:
- BE HEALTHY. Comply with the federal and state guidelines, model good behavior for your kids with hand washing, social distancing, and cleaning surfaces. Stay informed with reliable sources.
- BE MINDFUL. Communicate with your kids in an age-appropriate manner, but do not leave the news on 24/7 or expose them to panic or careless comments about the pandemic.
- BE COMPLIANT. Comply with custody orders unless there is an emergency or extenuating factors.
- BE CREATIVE. Consider additional virtual communication for kids with the other parent or other alternatives to increase connection during this stressful time.
- BE TRANSPARENT. Keep your co-parent informed about how you are complying with the federal and state advisories in your household and any suspected or confirmed exposure to the virus or if there is any suspected or confirmed illness of any kind.
- BE GENEROUS. If a parent will have to miss custodial time with a child, offer that parent make-up time as soon as conditions make it safe to do so.
- BE UNDERSTANDING. Extend understanding and courtesy to your co-parent, understand some folks will lose their jobs and child support payments may be delayed or missed, and give each other the benefit of the doubt to get us all through this mess.