Mahserjian & Mahserjian-Ortiz, PLLC

Mahserjian & Mahserjian-Ortiz, PLLC Mahserjian & Mahserjian-Ortiz, PLLC is a New York family law and divorce attorney in Saratoga County, NY Jean M. Mahserjian, Esq., P.C.

serves clients throughout Albany and Saratoga County that come to us with questions regarding their rights and obligations, the costs and benefits of different courses of action, and their chances of prevailing in legal disputes. By arming our clients with knowledge, we keep them engaged and in charge, directing the strategies we employ to deliver the relief they seek.If you are going through a di

vorce, our team of skilled New York attorneys can help you and your family seek legal solutions that offer the best chance for an amicable, workable future. We provide a full range of divorce services, such as representation in uncontested divorce and no-fault divorce, negotiation or litigation of initial child support and child custody orders, spousal support and maintenance, property division, and enforcement of premarital agreements and postnuptial agreements. Our family law practice deals with the issues that arise outside of a divorce, including enforcement of child support and spousal support orders, visitation rights and interstate visitation, post-order modification, paternity, domestic relations, and adoption. We’re also known for our desire to help families through collaborative resolutions, seeking to handle disputes through divorce mediation and family mediation when possible.

An $85 robotics club can become a custody dispute when two Tuesday meetings fall during the other parent’s scheduled tim...
08/27/2026

An $85 robotics club can become a custody dispute when two Tuesday meetings fall during the other parent’s scheduled time. 📅 Before registering a child for a team, club, lesson, tutoring program, or performance, check the current custody order.

The order may control educational decisions, extracurricular consent, transportation, expenses, or parenting time. ⚖️ A recurring travel team with weekly practices, tournaments, equipment, and hotel costs can raise very different issues from a one time classroom event.

Put the details in writing before the registration deadline. Include the activity dates, total fees, transportation needs, schedule conflicts, proposed cost division, and a reasonable response date. 📝 Keep notices, invoices, receipts, registration materials, and written responses.

Participation and payment are separate questions. An agreement may require equal cost sharing, an income based percentage, or advance written consent before reimbursement. Mahserjian & Mahserjian-Ortiz, PLLC helps families in Saratoga review these terms and determine what the controlling documents require. 👨‍👩‍👧

If disagreements keep causing lost parenting time, transportation conflicts, or unilateral registrations, our team can evaluate whether negotiation, mediation, enforcement, or modification may be appropriate. Read the full article for practical steps when school activities become a co parenting dispute: https://www.jeanmahserjian.com/new-york-co-parents-disagree-school-activities/

When co-parents disagree about a child’s school activities, start by reviewing the custody order, parenting plan, divorce judgment, settlement agreement,

Changing your child’s school after a divorce can create a custody dispute if you act before checking the signed order. 📚...
08/25/2026

Changing your child’s school after a divorce can create a custody dispute if you act before checking the signed order. 📚 A parent who handles most school nights may still lack sole authority over educational decisions.

Legal custody usually controls major school choices. Joint custody may require agreement, consultation, mediation, or a stated tie breaking process before enrollment changes. ⚖️ The labels “primary parent” or “residential parent” do not answer the question by themselves.

Before withdrawing, enrolling, or transferring your child, review the divorce judgment, custody order, settlement agreement, parenting plan, temporary order, and later modification orders. 🔎 Check for rules covering education, residence, notice, transportation, enrollment addresses, and dispute resolution.

If parents disagree, compare concrete factors such as academic programs, special education services, transportation time, childcare, costs, friendships, sibling connections, and the effect on parenting time. Mahserjian & Mahserjian-Ortiz, PLLC helps families in Saratoga review the controlling documents and evaluate available options. 👨‍👩‍👧

A unilateral school change can conflict with an existing order and may lead to enforcement or modification proceedings. Our team can help determine whether negotiation, mediation, enforcement, or court review may be appropriate. Read our full article on school decisions after divorce: https://www.jeanmahserjian.com/who-decides-child-school-after-divorce-new-york/

After a divorce, the parent who has legal custody or assigned educational decision-making authority will usually control major school decisions. If you

A Sunday evening exchange can turn into late homework, too little sleep, and a rough Monday morning. 📚 A summer parentin...
08/20/2026

A Sunday evening exchange can turn into late homework, too little sleep, and a rough Monday morning. 📚 A summer parenting schedule may need a closer look before school routines take over.

Start with the current custody order, not last year’s shared calendar or text messages. Check when the summer schedule ends, when the school schedule resumes, transportation duties, exchange times, activities, and notice requirements. 🗓️

Several weeks before classes begin, compare calendars and identify the exact problem affecting your child. Mahserjian & Mahserjian-Ortiz, PLLC helps families in Saratoga review concerns involving attendance, rest, transportation, activities, and stability. 🚗 Keep factual records of dates, delays, missed exchanges, school schedules, and relevant communications.

A limited adjustment may sometimes be addressed through a detailed written agreement that states when the change starts, when it ends, and whether make-up parenting time applies. A recurring or significant change may require court approval. ⚖️ The existing order generally remains enforceable unless it is modified by the court, so avoid starting a new recurring schedule unilaterally.

Read more about reviewing and updating a school-year parenting schedule: https://www.jeanmahserjian.com/updating-parenting-schedules-new-school-year-new-york/

A school-year parenting schedule should support your child’s attendance, homework, activities, transportation, rest, and time with each parent when that

A child can have a strong preference about where to live, but in New York, that preference does not decide custody. ⚖️ T...
08/18/2026

A child can have a strong preference about where to live, but in New York, that preference does not decide custody. ⚖️ The court still looks at the child’s best interests, including age, maturity, safety, school stability, caregiving history, and family relationships.

Before changing a school year arrangement, review the current custody order. 📚 Residence, school enrollment, transportation, and parenting time may already be governed by enforceable terms. A verbal agreement or text exchange may not replace a court order.

The reasons behind a child’s request matter. A difficult commute affecting sleep or attendance, access to counseling or medical care, sibling relationships, or safety concerns may receive closer review. Wanting fewer rules or a later curfew may carry less weight. 🏠

Mahserjian & Mahserjian-Ortiz, PLLC helps parents in Saratoga evaluate custody and modification concerns. If parents disagree on a lasting change, the parent seeking modification generally must show a substantial change in circumstances and that the proposed arrangement serves the child’s best interests. Avoid coaching your child about what to tell a judge or other professional. ⚠️

Read our full guidance on school year custody decisions and a child’s preference: https://www.jeanmahserjian.com/can-child-choose-parent-before-school-starts-new-york/

A child cannot decide alone which parent to live with before the school year begins. In New York, the court decides custody according to the child’s best

A bus route that serves only one parent’s address can expose a custody problem as soon as school starts. 🚌 Pickup times,...
08/13/2026

A bus route that serves only one parent’s address can expose a custody problem as soon as school starts. 🚌 Pickup times, aftercare, homework, activities, and work schedules may no longer fit the arrangement that worked during summer.

Start with the current custody order. Compare weekday parenting time, school pickup, transportation, educational decision making, and notice requirements against the school calendar. 📅 The exact wording matters, especially terms such as “after school,” “at dismissal,” or “when school resumes.”

Write down each conflict instead of relying on a general claim that the schedule no longer works. Who handles early dismissal? Who responds when the school nurse calls? Where does an exchange happen when school is closed? ✏️ Clear responsibilities can reduce last minute disputes.

For families in Saratoga, Mahserjian & Mahserjian-Ortiz, PLLC helps address parenting time, enforcement, and modification concerns. A one time schedule adjustment may be documented in writing, including exact dates, transportation, make up time, and when the regular schedule resumes. ⚖️ Recurring problems may require review of whether a formal modification is appropriate.

Read our full back to school custody guidance before the school year gets underway: https://www.jeanmahserjian.com/back-to-school-custody-conflicts-new-york-divorced-parents/

The start of a new school year can reveal custody and parenting-time problems that were less noticeable during summer. Class schedules, bus routes,

A weeklong camp can become a parenting time dispute before the first day even arrives. ☀️ Before registering, check your...
08/11/2026

A weeklong camp can become a parenting time dispute before the first day even arrives. ☀️ Before registering, check your custody order for summer vacation blocks, decision making authority, notice requirements, travel terms, expense sharing, and make up parenting time.

Put the court ordered schedule on one shared calendar first. 📅 Then add camps, sports, lessons, family visits, registration deadlines, payment dates, and transportation responsibilities. Proposed activities should not quietly replace the other parent’s scheduled time.

Cost and transportation deserve the same attention. 💵 Discuss registration, equipment, lodging, meals, cancellation fees, pickup times, exchange locations, and reimbursement before paying a nonrefundable fee. Mahserjian & Mahserjian-Ortiz, PLLC helps families in Saratoga address custody and parenting time concerns.

Keep proposals brief and in writing. Include exact dates, the activity schedule, cost, any overlap with parenting time, a transportation plan, and a reasonable response deadline. ✍️ Keep children out of payment requests, scheduling negotiations, and disagreements between adults.

For more practical guidance on planning summer activities while respecting custody arrangements, read our full post: https://www.jeanmahserjian.com/co-parenting-summer-activities-after-divorce/

Summer camps, sports, lessons, travel, and family visits can give your child structure and meaningful experiences. They can also create disputes when you

A signed lease, a new job start date, or school enrollment can create custody problems before the boxes are even packed....
08/06/2026

A signed lease, a new job start date, or school enrollment can create custody problems before the boxes are even packed. 📦

A summer move may seem like the perfect time to relocate, but New York courts focus on one question: what serves the child's best interests. That includes the child's relationships with both parents, educational and emotional benefits, and whether meaningful parenting time can continue after the move.

Before making permanent plans, review your custody order carefully. Some orders include geographic limits, notice requirements, transportation rules, or specific relocation procedures. Even a move within the same state can require court review if it changes school attendance, weekday parenting time, medical appointments, or regular exchanges. ⚖️

Strong preparation matters. Documents such as a written job offer, housing information, school enrollment details, childcare plans, travel estimates, and a realistic parenting schedule can all become important. Moving first and asking for permission later may lead to emergency court proceedings, requests to return the child, or custody modifications. 📋

Mahserjian & Mahserjian-Ortiz, PLLC works with families in Saratoga to evaluate relocation requests, parenting plans, objections, and custody modifications before a proposed move creates additional legal issues. 🤝

Read the full article about summer child relocation requests and what parents should prepare before moving: https://www.jeanmahserjian.com/summer-child-relocation-requests-new-york/

A parent who wants to move with a child may need the other parent’s agreement, court approval, or both when the move would interfere with an existing

A lake house can become one of the hardest assets to divide during a New York divorce. 🏡 A vacation property is often m...
08/04/2026

A lake house can become one of the hardest assets to divide during a New York divorce. 🏡

A vacation property is often more than a second home. It may carry family memories, rental income, ongoing debt, and years of improvements. New York follows equitable distribution, which means property is divided fairly based on the circumstances, not always equally.

Before making decisions, gather the records that tell the full story. 📂 Purchase documents, mortgage statements, tax records, repair invoices, rental agreements, and proof of where funds came from can all affect how the property is treated. If marital funds paid for renovations, taxes, or the mortgage, those details may matter even when the property started as separate property.

Mahserjian & Mahserjian-Ortiz, PLLC helps families in Saratoga evaluate whether a sale, buyout, asset offset, or temporary co ownership arrangement makes the most sense. 💼 Waiting until negotiations begin to organize documents can make an already difficult process even more complicated.

Thinking about how a vacation home could affect your divorce? 🌲 Read more about the issues, practical considerations, and options available: https://www.jeanmahserjian.com/protecting-vacation-property-seasonal-assets-divorce/

Vacation homes, lake houses, cabins, boats, recreational vehicles, and other seasonal assets can create difficult property issues during a New York

Summer can bring new routines, new relationships, and new questions about custody. Before the season gets away from you,...
07/30/2026

Summer can bring new routines, new relationships, and new questions about custody. Before the season gets away from you, it's important to understand what really matters if you're sharing parenting time.

A new relationship alone usually is not enough to change custody. At Mahserjian & Mahserjian-Ortiz, PLLC, we remind families in Saratoga that New York courts focus on whether a parent's choices support a child's best interests. That can include how quickly a new partner is introduced, whether travel or overnight plans follow the custody order, and whether the relationship affects the child's stability, schedule, or emotional well-being. ❤️

Summer often means vacations, camps, longer parenting time, and changing routines. Keeping introductions gradual, documenting schedule changes in writing, and following existing parenting orders can help reduce unnecessary conflict while keeping the focus where it belongs, on the children. 📅👨‍👩‍👧

If you have questions about dating during summer parenting time, concerns about your co-parent's new relationship, or want to better understand your rights, read our latest article for more information: https://www.jeanmahserjian.com/how-new-relationships-during-summer-can-affect-a-custody-case/

A new romantic relationship during the summer does not automatically change custody in New York, but it can become relevant if it affects a child’s

School starts, and the schedule that worked all summer suddenly falls apart. 📚 Bus routes, homework, longer commutes, an...
07/28/2026

School starts, and the schedule that worked all summer suddenly falls apart. 📚 Bus routes, homework, longer commutes, and changing work hours can quickly expose problems that were easy to overlook. A custody order is not usually changed just because a parent prefers a different arrangement. The court generally looks for a meaningful change in circumstances and whether the proposed change supports the child's best interests.

Mahserjian & Mahserjian-Ortiz, PLLC helps families in Saratoga evaluate whether a request is practical before the school year creates bigger conflicts. 🚗 Helpful records can include school calendars, attendance or tardiness reports, transportation details, work schedules, and messages showing repeated pickup or communication problems.

One common mistake is relying on a verbal agreement after deciding one parent should handle school nights. If that change is never approved by the court, the original order may still control. Another mistake is waiting until missed classes, repeated lateness, or transportation issues become ongoing problems. ⏰

Planning ahead with clear facts and a child focused proposal can make a real difference. The goal is a routine that supports stability, attendance, homework, and healthy communication between parents. 🤝 Learn more about your options here: https://www.jeanmahserjian.com/can-you-modify-custody-agreement-before-new-school-year-starts/

Yes, a custody agreement may be modified before the new school year starts if there has been a meaningful change in circumstances and the proposed change

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