Fifteen years ago, the hard-won amendment to Family Court Act Section 812 to include persons “who are or have been in an intimate relationship” became law. However, in amending the statute in 2008, the NYS Legislature left it to the courts to determine which relationships were to be deemed “intimate” and to consider, on a case-by-case basis, the nature and type of relationship based upon factors detailed in the statute. In addition to providing fair access to the courts for people in dating relationships, it was specifically intended to assist victims from LGBTQ communities who, at that time, had little to no recognition of their intimate relationships and were generally denied the jurisdiction of Family Court. On the anniversary of this landmark legislation, please join us for a roundup of decisions to learn more about how these case-by-case decisions have shaped this area of law.

This session was recorded on 12/19/2023 and presented by Amy Schwartz-Wallace, Esq., Empire Justice Center.

Materials:  PowerPoint, Ancillary Materials