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Attorney Jacqueline Harounian Publishes Article in The Nassau Lawyer
Attorney Jacqueline Harounian wrote a feature article in The Nassau Lawyer titled Legal Implications of Religious Divorce.The newspaper is published by Nassau County Bar Association, a professional membership association for lawyers since 1899 and a valuable resource for legal information and services in Nassau County, Long Island, NY.
Attorney Harounian discusses the complexities involving religious divorce as it intersects with the civil divorce process in Supreme Court. Not only is divorce considered a negative stigma that can bring shame and dishonor to one’s family in religious and conservative households, but it can create an imbalance of power because for Orthodox Jews, only the husband can consent to the religious divorce (called a “Gett”), and this gives him enormous leverage which he can use with regard to the disposition of other issues including custody, support and division of assets.
She details the extra steps necessary for Orthodox Jews to obtain a divorce that meets religious requirements. She also describes unique features of Islamic divorce, including Muslim marriage contracts which are enforceable in New York civil proceedings. These contracts are called “Mahr” or “Mehr”.
Attorney Harounian also provides remedies—available through the New York courts—for individuals who refuse to cooperate with divorce proceedings, both in legal and religious terms.
On May 31, 2019, Attorney Harounian presented a CLE for lawyers and judges at the WBASNY annual convention in Savannah, Georgia regarding this topic. She has also given the presentation for other Bar Associations and professional groups in New York.
As a partner at Wisselman, Harounian & Associates with more than two decades of legal experience, Attorney Jacqueline Harounian is a highly knowledgeable and skilled trial and appellate advocate. She has won numerous awards, such as being one of the “Top 50 Women Lawyers” in New York, and is a co-Chair of the Nassau County Women’s Bar Association (NCWBA) Matrimonial Committee. She also published a book in 2016 titled Divorce Reality Check, which is available on Amazon and major book retailers.
If religion is a huge part of your life and marriage and you are interested in filing for divorce in Long Island, contact Wisselman, Harounian & Associates today at (516) 773-8300 and schedule a free case evaluation.
