Attorney Mendy Breitkopf specializes in representation in family courts and rabbinical courts.
Attorney Mendy Breitkopf is also a certified accountant by training, having previously worked for the U.S. Federal Tax Authority (the IRS), and leverages his extensive education in the financial field, as well as his training and experience as an accountant (both Israeli and American), for his clients in complex alimony and property cases.
Our firm specializes, among other things, in the following areas:
Divorce and Reconciliation Claims: When Jewish couples wish to divorce, whether both or one of the spouses, a suitable divorce claim must be filed in the rabbinical court. Claims for reconciliation, which aim to resolve marital issues, can also be filed.
Child Custody and Guardianship Claims: These claims concern the living arrangements and custody of children of divorced parents or parents who do not live together. The claims fall under the jurisdiction of family courts, but can be filed in the rabbinical court by linking them to a divorce claim or with the consent of both parties.
Child Support Claims: Parents of minor children are responsible for bearing the child support according to the minors' visitation schedule with each parent and considering the income disparities between the parents. There is a significant difference in child support rulings between family courts and rabbinical courts, with the prevailing view in rabbinical courts being that the father is absolutely responsible for child support until age 18, while in family courts, the responsibility is often divided equally between the parents for children over the age of 6.
Property Claims: As part of divorce proceedings, a claim for the dissolution of joint property can be filed in court or the rabbinical court according to an agreement made by the parties prior to marriage, and in the absence of an agreement, according to the resource balancing arrangement in the Property Relations Law between spouses. Assets accumulated during the shared life are subject to division, but assets received as a gift or inheritance by one spouse, without an intention of sharing, are not subject to division and will not be distributed between the spouses.
Claims for Renewing Contact Between Parent and Child: When there is contact refusal between a parent and their minor children, a claim to renew contact must be filed with the competent authority as soon as possible. Estrangement between a parent and child often results from parental alienation, where the child is alienated from the parent, often due to incitement by the other parent encouraging the severance of the relationship with the alienated parent. Handling contact refusal and parental alienation requires expertise and a swift response to prevent irreversible damage to the minors and the relationship with the alienated parent. The family court or rabbinical court will often appoint an expert to renew the contact.
